Meet bok kia, a migrant dessert still unfamiliar to many.
This “Thai” dessert with white, flavored noodles that look like lod chong actually originates from the Hainan Chinese. It mixes bok kia, yellow noodles, small red beans and lotus seeds in a brown syrup. The dish was adapted into a Thai style by adding even more: ginkgo, corn, palm seeds, and coconut and grass jellies and pretty much whatever else might be tasty.
Pro-tip: You can choose what goes in your bowl and also request how sweet it should be. Most shops will provide free drinking water to wash all that sweet stickiness down.
Now that you know what it is, go out and try some for yourself:
Brace yourself for a long queue at Bok Kia Tha Din Daeng.
This place is popular but totally worth the wait. Located in the Tha Din Daeng Market on the Thonburi side of the Chao Phraya, the shop has served up bok kia for more than 30 years. Choose from a variety of stuff to add such as jackfruit, truffles, special yellow noodles, triangular sweet sticky rice and more. You can eat it chilly with syrup or hot with ginger juice.
5pm – 9:30pm
Tel: 081-751-2659
THB25, free drinking water
Kanom Bok Kia, a Bang Lamphu institution.
For over 20 years, Kanom Bok Kia has been a favorite dessert spot in the Bang Lamphu area. Located next to San Jao Pornu Chinese Shrine and Bang Lumphu bridge, it’s not far from Khao San Road. Here you can order the original Hainan Chinese-style bok kia or get the fully Thai-fied version, as well as brown syrup or longan syrup.
10am – 3:30pm
Tel: 08-9696-4422
THB25, free drinking water
Everything is delicious in Chinatown, especially at Sweet Time.
The longan syrup here is perfectly sweet and has a lovely aroma. A variety of grains and jelly wait to be added to your new favorite dessert.
6pm – midnight
Tel: 086-722-02458
THB20, free drinking water
Or check out new kid on the block, Puay Bok Kia Yaowarat.
Started a year ago, Puay is newblood among competing Chinatown institutions, but it offers some of the best bok kia in town. It’s also got the most variety of choice with ingredients like ginkgo, pumpkin, lotus roots and langon.
7pm – midnight (closed Tuesday)
Tel: 085-553-8764
THB30
Chengsimei, a little hidden but worth seeking
Hidden in Sam Yan area on Chula Soi 20, this shop is in walking distance from MBK. Famous for its Thai desserts, Chengsimei’s sweet bok kia is mixed with sweetened monkey apple, fava bean, ginkgo and truffles.
1pm – midnight
Tel: 089-770-2618
THB30
