It’s fairly rare for us to plan a specific restaurant when we travel. That’s partially because we’re not always sure what side of town we’ll be on, what will be nearby the hotel, and so on. The places most commonly referenced in magazines and newspapers (e.g. the ones who’ve typically paid for their placement in one way or another) are either pretentious or obnoxiously expensive. In any case, I was pleasantly surprised to learn of a place that claims to be the first Pad Thai restaurant in Bangkok.
Thailand’s national dish comes, at least in part, from Vietnamese traders during the Ayutthayan era — recipes naturally change for different palettes, of course. It was Field Marshal P. Pibulsongkram that made it a national dish — Thailand’s Prime Minister during World War II, who led a campaign for Thai people to eat Thai food and use Thai products. Gotta love a food created out of nationalism — getting people to eat rice noodles would somehow reduce rice consumption, which would increase rice exports. He also produced recipe cards and instructions on how to make the noodles, which helped Thailand go from a state of massive unemployment to a state offering noodles on almost every street corner.
In any case, a restaurant called “Pad Thai Pratu-Phi” was opened near the Pratu-Phi intersection in western Bangkok, which garnered the Prime Minister’s recommendation whenever state visitors arrived. The landlord was jealous of Mrs. Samat Baisamut’s success, and raised the rent in an effort to get her to move out. She eventually did, and the current incarnation, now called Thip Samai, opened nearby on September 9, 1966. The rest, as they say, is history. 
OK, so if you’ve been in Thailand for more than a few days there’s a fair chance you’ve enjoyed some Pad Thai. The big difference here? They use charcoal heat instead of gas heat. They also use Chanthaburi noodles, thin rice-flour noodles, milled and then sun-dried. There’s the usual talk about fresh ingredients and such, but this is Thailand, not New York — fresh ingredients are usually easier to find and cheaper anyway.
“Thai style vermicelli with shrimp, edible oil, shrimp and egg” (70 baht). It’s very good — a bit on the greasy side, with crunchy veggies and excellent shrimp. Pulling the tails is an ongoing challenge to yours truly — at least, doing it in such a way that looks civilized… Food critics may notice a pinkish hue, owing to the shrimps used in cooking.
There may also be something to the scale of the restaurant — an enormous wok likely prepares several portions at a time, and there are at least a couple of them going at any given time. It’s a well-oiled machine, even with over a dozen staff efficiently moving around the single-story restaurant. Having been to a number of Thai restaurants where service is sketchy at best, this is a pleasant surprise.
My wife opted for the vegetarian pad Thai (40 baht) — a bit on the sweet side for her taste, though your typical basket of flavor-changers is somewhere on the table. It’s a fairly limited selection — precisely eight options adorn the wall and menu — but you know why you’re coming here, and it ain’t for a steak.
It’s been covered pretty extensively in both local and foreign media coverage, ostensibly for the same reason I was interested — the history of Thailand’s national dish can arguably be traced back to this restaurant. Now, for the only downers — an inevitable line, and ambiance. The line employs a metal barrier to keep the aisle clear for servers and cooks using the public sidewalk as a workspace, while the ambiance feels like that overly popular place hit with the peak of lunch hour.
This isn’t the place to stretch out a dining experience — not when there’s a line of people staring at you. It’s the best Pad Thai I’ve had thus far. I’ll leave a standing invitation open, however, for other restaurants that want to challenge the title. That the crowd is both Thai and farang when there are a dozen food stands on the block means there’s good reason why it’ll likely be around for another 50 years.
Highly recommended.
Name: Thip Samai
Address: 313 Maha Chai Road Samran Rat, Phra Nakhon, Bangkok 10200 (313 ถ.มหาไชย สำราษราษฎร์ พระนคร กรุงเทพฯ 10200) (GPS: 13.752746,100.504796)
Directions: Starting from Hua Lamphong MRT, head to the south side of Rama IV, just east of the station. Jump on bus 159, ride for 10–15 minutes, then push the button when you pass Romaneenart Park. You’ll probably need to double back, but you’ll be looking along the sidewalk to your right. Their cooking operation takes up most of the sidewalk — if you manage to miss the large woks and cooking stations on the sidewalk, you should be able to spot the white-and-orange uniforms.
Hours: 6pm-midnight.
Costs: 40–70 baht an entree (one version with an abundance of seafood is 200 baht), convenience store prices for drinks.
