I'm not sure if this is a post about a dish or a place, or an excuse to get all retro and instagrammy with my photos, so let's start with the place.
Newlight Coffee House in Siam Square in Bangkok is not only a restaurant that I go to every time I'm in Thailand, but a place I try to take as many people to as I can possibly convince. I came across it one morning in 1999 waiting for MBK plaza to open. I had never been to Thailand before, but just assumed everyone got up at dawn and the city would be open for business and busy. Not Siam Square. It's a dead zone until 11. I went looking for a coffee and stumbled across The Newlight. I'm very glad I did.
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Inside is a place lost in the 60's, The restaurant doesn't appear to have changed in 40 years. The decor, the uniforms, the menu, and maybe even the woman at the cashier! Everyone loves it, because most people expect me to take them to some dark alley and make them eat bugs or something, but here they have a dish even more bizarre and unique. American Fried Rice. A dish that was meant to please American palates during the Vietnam war, it consists of rice fried in ketchup and maybe a bit of soy, that is topped with ham, hotdogs, crispy onions, little pineapple pieces a fried egg and raisins! I'm not sure who decided this was a delicious combo, but it can be found in other old school places throughout Thailand. The blog
LoLo-EatableThai has an interesting Chinese take on the place with more info on the history
Newlight has a large menu and has many other items. Pancakes, burgers chicken and eggs with frozen mix veg squares, and my favourite the American Club Sandwich are some of the items you can enjoy with your coffee or strawberry milkshake. If you dig old American style diners, or ever ate in one of those restaurants at the back of K-Marts in the 70's check this place out. You won't be disappointed, especially if your a bit hung over and need a break from crazy Bangkok and spicy food. I can't say that you will love the American Fried Rice, but in a way it's more authentic then gnawing on a scorpion on Khao San Road and probably better as well.
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| Open Kitchen |
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| Banquet Seating |
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| Groovy Lighting | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
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