Je Choi Khanom Jeen เจ๊เฉย ขนมจีน

I was heading to the food night market on Soi Petchaburi 5 in Bangkok. It was a rainy evening and I’ve been leaping from one shelter to another, in what might have been seen by others as a weird attempt to dodge the raindrops.

Here’s a good one I thought as I was squeezing under an awning of a corner shop. The rain got heavier and I realized that I’m stuck until further notice. Just then an impressive spread of herbs and veggies had caught my attention.

It was set like a street bar table with a few stools, facing a collapsible sliding grille. It was a bit dark and the place seemed abandoned, but all of a sudden a lady with a plastic bowl grabbed one of the chairs and made herself comfortable. She immediately said you have to try the food. I wasn’t listening at first and instead tried to impress her with my knowledge of Thai herbs. Try the noodles she said persistently. Now I was listening and becoming curious. What is it I asked and she replied ‘Kanom Jeen’.

‘Khanom Jeen’ is a fave, so I went peeking at the street facing tiny restaurant. The lovely owner had explained the few available options and I picked ‘Khanom Jeen Gaeng Kiaw Wan’, rice noodles with green curry.
Ten seconds later I was heading to the bar table and set to eat my noodles. They were just wonderful and I couldn’t believe how lucky I was to find that place, which had quickly filled up with many more diners and people that have taken the delicious noodles to go.