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Report from The Nation dated 13 April 2012 :-

Kwong Meng Pochana restaurant is famous for Teochew food in Bangkok

From the outside, Kwong Meng Pochana looks like a sleepy old-time eatery in need of a major renovation. Tucked away near the Montien Hotel, the Chinese restaurant has been serving home-made Teochew dishes to connoisseurs for almost 90 years and the third generation chef who is running the show shows no signs of cutting back even at the ripe old age of 75.

Eating at Kwong Meng is all about savouring the history of home recipes prepared to perfection. Boasting a wide variety of scrumptious dishes, Teochew cuisine is designed to accommodate hardworking family members who need quick and healthy nourishment without too much fussy preparation.

Mongkolchai Simtharakaew explains that each Teochew dish caters to the hungry without compromising on taste and time.

"Fresh ingredients put together for one good meal are the heart and soul of Teochew cuisine," explains the 75-year-old chef. "We Teochew Chinese always work hard because we want our families to live well. At a family meal, the one who prepares the food makes sure that there are healthy and hearty choices made from fresh and seasonal ingredients."

Braising, steaming, deep-frying and stir-frying are the key cooking methods in a Teochew kitchen. Hu-Sae, Chinese-style sashimi, is Kwong Meng's most famous dish and reflects the meticulous preparation for which the restaurant is famous.

The paper-thin slices of fresh carp are served with home-made plum sauce, crushed toasted peanuts, a spoonful of fried chilli and a plate of assorted vegetables and pickles - all thinly julienned to accommodate each bite.

"When we sit down to dinner, we enjoy the food," explains Mongkolchai. "We are taught to savour each bite by slowly chewing then let it briefly rest in the mouth to fully experience the tasty combinations. It is important that we know how to appreciate the tastes of the food well prepared."

Steamed dumplings as well as the folded stuffed noodles are the two dishes not to be missed at Kwong Meng. Despite their simple looks, both are rare delicacies.

Mongkolchai makes each wonton wrapper himself, rolling the well-kneaded flour with a small rolling pin invented for this purpose. The result is the super tender, silky and very tasty dim sum of well-seasoned pork, shrimp, bamboo shoot and shitake mushroom.

Drizzled with browned toasted garlic, these wontons are best eaten when steaming hot.

The folded noodles are stuffed with crabmeat, pork and shitake mushroom and each bite bursts with well-rounded flavours. The soy sauce bathing the noodles is also the house's speciality. It is aromatic, never salty and with a delicious tangy aftertaste.

If you like soup, check out the mellow carp and taro soup. Perfect in the cooler months, this is an all-year-round staple in a Chinese family. When the heat arrives in summer, the Teochew cook just switches from the taro to the cooler cabbages.

The soup, served in charcoal hot pot, gets even tastier when boiled down and served with a dash of pickled soybean with fresh chopped chilli and garlic.

Kwong Meng is also famous for its braised goose feet with egg noodles as well as its fried rice. Mongkolchai relies on his trusty steel wok and a huge chopping steel knife to ensure quality.

And always save room for the wonderful'snow taro. Although you can find good deep-fried and glazed taro at other Bangkok venues, Kwong Meng's snow taro is in a different league. Taste it and you'll relish every bite.

Kwong Meng Pochana is at 810-812 on Rama IV Road, near the Montien Hotel. It's open daily from 11am to 10pm. Call (02) 234 2510 or (02) 637 0031
----- KatoeyNewsNetwork