New seafood eatery Fishmonger is on a mission to put Thai fish in the crispy spotlight with crowd-pleasing fish and chip dishes.
One step into Fishmonger will remind many of a typical fast food joint with its massive menu screen and blackboard showcasing catches of the day. There are only three tables inside, but they also have plenty of outdoor seating, which is great considering the lush green space.
Owner Ploypapat Ariyakamolrat partnered with Lanta Pla Thai, a fish caterer based in Koh Lanta, to source less familiar varieties from local fishermen and prepare them with advanced Japanese techniques like ikejime and shinkeijime, allowing them to earn more money with less common fish.
“Less mainstream species usually go unrecognized by the middlemen since they don’t want to take the risk of buying them,” said Walaiporn Chudokmai from Koh Lanta Pla Thai. “These wild-caught species, therefore, usually need to be sold at extremely low prices and we want to change that.”
There are three types of fish available: one is the standard fish (THB195, including barracuda, painted sweetlips, and black kingfish), the premium options (THB260) (grouper and John snapper), and the catch of the day sourced from Koh Lanta.
On a recent visit, fish and chips made from pink-ear emperor fish (THB195) deserved high marks for coming fried. Its golden shell came without the usual heavy feel of fish and chips, and the fish itself was moist and meaty.
Another crowd pleaser was the Fish Burger (THB195), with a wonderfully light beer-battered barracuda that packs a punch. Those who define themselves as “health-conscious eaters”, they should opt for kamong prao (giant trevally) grilled salad (THB260).
Fishmonger is located on Soi Rong Rian King Phet in Bangkok’s Ratchathewi area. It’s open from 6:30am until 3pm every day except Tuesday. The nearest public transportation is BTS Ratchathewi.
FIND IT:
Fishmonger
Soi Rong Rian Kingphet, Ratchathewi
092-337-1115
Opens 6:30am-3pm daily, except Tuesday
