WOLF REVIEW. 13th October 2024
Out of a small shop-house in a relatively obscure corner of Bangkok is a local street side restaurant that is highly regarded for their braised duck and goose. WOLF Architects, believe their food to be worthy of a Michelin star and this review aims to help expose this hidden gem.
Interesting and factual information may be provided, but our review aims to deliver insight from the perspective of a WOLF Architect.
Any easy place to miss…….is this the place?
Introduction
Although we have done food related reviews in the past, this is the first one to explore the full experience of not only the food but also the context and atmosphere which we believe forms a unique part of this story. Nai Soon Charoen Duck & Goose, is a street side restaurant that we have frequented for many decades and have been wanting to present in a review for a very long time. We are so pleased to finally bring this to our audience.
Product description
Braised duck and goose dishes are local Thai cuisines that are often found on the street side or in food halls. It is not as popular or famous as other local foods because duck and goose in particular are generally more expensive meats. While this restaurant (known locally as Charoen Duck), serves a variety of dishes, their specialty is with their noodle soups. Our focus is therefore on duck or goose served in a noodle soup or by itself with rice.
Price & Availability.
At the time of this review a bowl of duck noodle soup starts at 55 Baht ($2.5 Aust) with prices progressing upwards depending on how special you want your meal with regards to size or ingredients. You might request extra meat, noodles or goose instead of duck for example. Goose is a little more expensive than duck with a large plate of braised goose at 300 Baht. Charoen Duck is open daily from 10.30am to 5pm. They only close during Chinese New Year and the main public holidays.
Additional information
Thai braised duck and goose have their origins in China. Traders from China began arriving in Thailand from as far back as the 12th century so it was natural for many Thai dishes (especially those with noodles) to have Chinese influences. Braised duck and goose are also found in other South East Asian countries like Singapore and Malaysia but the Thai variant seems more delicate and flavourful in our opinion.
Review
Hidden in an unassuming corner shop-house.
Location
The formal name of this place is Nai Soon Charoen Nakhon, and the exact address is 280 Charoen Nakhon 12 Alley, Khlong Ton Sai, Khlong San, Bangkok 10600, Thailand. It is off a main road (Charoen Nakhon Rd) and very easy to miss. The best way to direct a taxi driver is by telling them that it is directly across from Chareon Nakhon Soi 11, or across from the Peninsula hotel. The restaurant is among a group of several three-story shop-houses that appear to have been built in the 1970s. The Kitchen is located in the last house which corners an alley way. Next to the kitchen are two other shops before the one that serves as the restaurants seating area. It is rather odd that this seating area is not directly adjacent to the kitchen, and definitely adds to the obscurity of the venue. About 100 meters further down the main road is Icon Siam, which opened in 2018 as one of Bangkok’s largest Shopping wonders.
Bustling street side dining.
Getting there.
This restaurant is located on the other side of the river, which once was considered beyond the central Bangkok area and too far. Now there are multiple prestigious hotels and high-end residences along this side of the river and Charoen Nakhon road is bustling. Icon Siam has made this area popular and now there is even a BTS rail line to get you there. A taxi is probably the easiest way, and we found that traffic getting there is usually better than traffic coming back from there (assuming you are going via the Taksin Brdige). You can also get there by BTS which lands you at Icon Siam and from there it’s a five minute walk. Another way to get there is by crossing the Chaopraya river on a boat. There are many boats that cross this river and if you can get to the Peninsula hotel’s pier, Charoen Duck is just outside the hotel on the other side of the main road.
A view of the shop-houses from the road outside the Peninsula hotel. It is a little confusing that there are two units in between the kitchen and the seating area.
A rather random looking kitchen but with a wonderful aroma.
The original shop sign, located on the wall behind the chef.
First impressions
This is not the kind of place that yells out to stop by and have a bite. In fact, it’s quite the opposite with very little signage and indication that there is even food to be consumed, especially given that the kitchen and customer seating areas are separated by a few other shops in between. Being on a main road it is noisy and hot with traffic pollution forming a part of the ambiance. As with most Bangkok road side places the concrete paving’s are random, rustic and weathered. Overhead are the usual freeways of intense wires and cables. All this can feel quite intimidating to the uninitiated but to locals this is comfort food environment as it has always been. We have frequented this place since 1991 so to us it is exactly how it should be and over the years, we have come to enjoy such chaotic simplicity.
The main kitchen
A few carcasses hanging in a glass display box help identify the restaurant from the road side.
A large plate of duck and geese that don’t look so appealing when piled together.
The kitchen area appears rather random at first but after observing the chef in action you soon realise that everything is perfectly positioned for precise cooking.
In 2023 they finally had a proper menu in both English and Thai. Prior to this it was always assumed that patrons knew what was available and happy to pay whatever the price was when the bill was presented.
The seating area
In the past it was popular to sit at tables scattered along footpaths, and while it was noisier and open to bus fumes it was cooler than sitting inside the shop-house. The government then banned seating on these paths, so sitting inside became the only option. The seating area consists of one main area that is approximately 4 meters wide. It is arranged with a central passageway flanked by metal tables and plastic stools hard up against the walls. At the rear is a very basic toilet that we don’t recommend using unless absolutely necessary, and beyond that is access to private quarters upstairs.
The temperature inside feels significantly hotter than outside because the air is quite still but there are some wall mounted fans which you can turn on yourself by pulling on their dangling switch cords.
Predominantly decorated in blue and white
On the wall is a large poster with the full menu and prices listed in both English & Thai.
A pink and orange drinks stall serves excellent local beverages.
The food & service
The food is the main reason to visit and the real fun begins once you get over the rustic book cover. A serve of duck or goose noodle soup comes with just meat, noodles, bean shoots and chopped spring onions in a tasty dark soup. If you want other meats such as liver, blood or intestines, you will have to request them as those are not standard. There are also a variety of noodle types to select from and each one does subtly affect the flavour and experience. We have a preference for breast meat without skin and the chef is always happy to accommodate such requests. For most locals one bowl of soup is complete and satisfying meal in itself. For foreigners a single bowl might feel relatively small so you may need to order a second bowl or other foods.
If you’re not a noodle person you can have the meat on its own with a bowl of rice or over a plate rice with gravy. Duck or goose with noodles can also be ordered dry without the soup. We always order an additional serving of goose by itself and again they were happy to provide us with just thinly sliced breast meats.
The staff can be hard to identify as they don’t have uniforms so it can often be a matter of waiting till someone approaches you. In all the years that we’ve been there the service has always been friendly and efficient. They don’t speak much English but luckily, they now have a menu in English with a few pictures you could point to.
Simple and beautiful.
A popular option is known locally as “Gow Lao” which is with all the ingredients in the soup but minus the noodles.
A large plate of thinly sliced goose breast meat.
The Taste- Flavour / Experience
The braised meat is well marinated and very tender. The main word that comes to mind is “succulent” and when ordered on its own the soft meat absorbs the gravy that it is laid upon.
As a noodle soup it is presented neatly with the meat on top of a small bundle of noodles. The broth is delicious and, in our opinion, requires no further adjusting with the provided condiments, despite that being the common thing to do. The flavour is rich, tasty and light at the same time. Unlike many dark soups it does not feel heavy from too much salt or oil. The few vegetables included have a slight crunch and the thin noodles are cooked to perfection with the just the right amount of spring in their texture. Take away is common and the chef will normally separate the soup from its contents to avoid the meat and veggies from being over cooked.
So Succulent!
Slightly translucent egg noodles indicate the perfect texture.
For those who want an extra boost, this cuisine comes with it’s own unique chilli sauce that involves garlic and vinegar.
Desirability / Value for money
Charoen Duck has been around for almost 40 years which in itself is testimony to its appeal. Duck and Goose will always be a little more costly than the more common, beef, pork or fish ball soups, but at Aust $2.5 per bowl you’d be hard pressed to find better value on the planet. The food is so delicious that we would gladly pay double, and we normally do in the form of tips. While one bowl is a perfect meal in itself, we would highly recommend a separate plate of braised goose on its own to compliment the meal. A large plate shares nicely between 3 to 5 people.
The perfect amount of garlic oil for flavour and sparkle.
A thirst-quenching bonus
At some point during your duck & goose experience you are bound to need a drink and fortunately there is a wonderful little drink stall owned by a lovely lady. It’s hard to miss this pink and orange kiosk at the head of the shop house. The lady owner makes variety of local drinks including Thai milk tea, iced coffee, Milo and lemonade Soda. The Thai milk tea ranks among the best we’ve ever tasted. The price and value of drinks are so good that again you’ll want to tip her big.
A few Wolf favourites- Thai milk tea and green cordial soda (which tastes a bit like creamy soda)
The prefect amount of milk froth.
Even the melted milk froth looks delicious!
WORD OF THE WOLF
There are many duck & goose specialists in Bangkok and a lot of them are even older and more famous. This place was never one to go out of your way to find, so remained mostly exclusive to its local population. However, the new BTS line and Icon Siam down the road has been a game changer. If you like shopping, then we highly recommend discovering Nai Soon Charoen Duck & Goose. In our opinion the braise goose noodle soup is worthy of a Michelin star and a must try. With very affordable prices you can eat and drink to your hearts content and then walk it off with shopping in Icon Siam.
A popular combo
Yum!!!!!
It doesn’t look very big, but can fit up to 30 customers in a squeeze.
WOLF DESIGN EXCELLENCE SCORE = 7.3
It was difficult to provide a single score for this review because the contrast between the food and its context is vast. We are not suggesting that the score would be higher if this food was presented in a modern air-conditioned environment. In fact, we feel that the relatively crude environment forms an important part of the experience and the drinks lady further adds to the overall charm and atmosphere. From a design perspective however, we can’t deny that with just a few small adjustments to the look and presentation of the restaurant, the score could certainly be very high.
Disclaimer
The information in this review is intended for informational or educational purposes to provide readers an understanding of how something may be seen from a certain design perspective. In this case it is from the view point of WOLF DESIGNS. As design is subjective this review should only be considered as an independent opinion. Information further to being of an opinion is provided to the best of our knowledge based on our own research at the time of doing the review. We cannot be held responsible for any inaccuracies or inconsistencies and reserve the right to change or update any content as appropriate.
The final responsibility of the design resides with the original manufacturer.
