HALAL FOOD IN BANGKOK

Thailand holds a range of flavoursome victuals of which are well-known across the world. From cheap street-food to affordable yet classy meals, the heart of Thailand, Bangkok, provides various eateries. Calling all vegetarians or Muslim tourists, here's my personal guide to some of Bangkok's Halal diners.

SHARIF

Owned by a Muslim man and his Thai wife, SHARIF serves a scope of authentic Thai dishes that are Halal (and my taste buds) approved. The restaurant is set in a dining room of what seemed like a 2-storey shophouse and the place held a homey atmosphere. The owners were really kind and surely cooked up appetizing meals for my family and I. Limited number of employees did make service a little slow, but the savoury extent of the dishes definitely made up for it.

The children got a little too excited and started munching away before I got the chance to capture a better photo of the food.

Must-try dishes:

• Tom Yum Goong - Tom Yum soup made with lemongrass and shrimp

• Kale with Thai Anchovies

• Fried Chicken and Beef with Spring Onion and Chili

• Fried Rice with Shrimp

• Yam Voon Seng - Spicy Vermicelli Salad (my personal favourite Thai dish)

... and of course we had to order one of Thailand's signature beverages; Cha Yen - Thai Milk Tea.

Overall, the food was really rich and tasty with affordable prices across the menu ranging from 45 baht to 100 baht per dish.

address: 33/1 ไวตีแมนชั้นห้อง 101 ซอย สีลม13 เขต บางรัก เเขวง สีลม Bangkok, Thailand

phone: +66 95 247 9687

business hours: MON-SUN 11AM - 10PM

website: https://www.facebook.com/pages/category/Food---Beverage/Sharif-Halal-Food-664390200405832/

MASALA ART (ICONSIAM)

Craving Indian food in Bangkok? Not a problem. Masala Art with multiple branches offers an all-rounded Indian cuisine and showcases "The Art of Blending Spices". Complimentary appetizers served before main dishes were cone-shaped chips with various dips on the side and it was delicious yet interesting. The ambience of the restaurant was exceptional, especially with the mall's indoor waterfall in sight. Interior decor was minimal but incorporated intricate Indian patterns with hints of blue.

TANDOORI CHICKEN HALF

Amazing and rich seasonings were projected and a little on the spicy side for those who completely can't handle spicy food. Chicken was tender with little to no bones (perfect for children who can take spice). Tastes even better with yoghurt and briyani rice!

LAMB BRIYANI

Really flavourful and the lamb chunks are soft and juicy. I would personally recommend sharing one portion of briyani amongst 2-4 people. Also goes great with masala and Indian yoghurt!

BUTTER, PLAIN & GARLIC NAAN

My personal favourite would be the garlic naan as it has even more flavour, but eating any of the naans with masala sauces is even more delightful. One order of naan includes 3 pieces of reasonably sized naan.

Masala also serves plenty of other dishes which range from 60 baht to 1100 baht. Beverages offered covers well-known Indian drinks and alcohol.

address: Level 8, ICONSIAM, Bangkok, Thailand

business hours: MON-SUN 11AM - 11PM

website: https://www.masala-artbkk.com/ (only main branch @ 8Thonglor Building is mentioned in their website, not ICONSIAM branch)

AYA JAPANESE RESTAURANT

Located 1.2 miles from Chao Phraya River and 0.6 miles from Siam Center, AYA provides fresh, affordable and halal Japanese dishes. 2-storey spacious restaurant, friendly employees and quick service earns a brownie point from me! I rarely opt for Japanese food overseas in case seafood isn't fresh, but AYA claimed lots of "fresh" reviews online and is now receiving one from me too! Food served was delectable and like most Japanese restaurants, sushi chef preparing orders can be seen from your ground floor table!

SUSHI SET A & D

Filling sushi sets came with a variety of sushi as well as a salad and miso soup.

GYUDON BEEF WITHOUT RICE & BEEF SHOYU RAMEN

Gyudon beef was extremely tender and juicy, especially eaten with the onions. The ramen tasted a bit funky at first but wasn't too bad after a few bites. Came with beef, seaweed, carrots and Japanese soft-boiled egg.

ROLL SALMON YUM & SALMON SUKE DON

Uruchimai rice, salmon, lettuce, teriyaki sauce and various other ingredients sure make a good meal! A simple yet delicious dish.

BEEF SHIO RAMEN

Tastes a little less funky than Shoyu ramen but still very luscious. Personally, I prefer this broth to the Shoyu ramen broth only because it's less salty.

SALMON SASHIMI

Not the BEST Japanese food I've tried (obviously Japan has the best) but not too bad because they serve fresh seafood. Clearly I preferred the sushi rolls more than the ramen and didn't expect the sushi sets to be filling at all. From dishes that cost as low as 22 baht, AYA Japanese restaurant will surely meet your cravings!

address: 24 ซอยสวนหลวง 2, ซอยจุฬา12, วังใหม่, ปทุมวัน, 10330, Thailand

phone: +66 91 737 0537

business hours: MON-SUN 11AM - 9PM

website: https://www.facebook.com/ayahararu/

NADIMOS

With two convenient locations, Nadimos is a Lebanese restaurant that serves tasty and high quality food. Friendly employees and pleasant restaurant atmosphere, Nadimos will surely expect a visit from me again! Other than traditional Lebanese cuisine, Nadimos also offers a range of authentic Thai food which I certainly savoured. I particularly enjoyed the Tom Yum Goong, Pad Thai and Lamb Chops!

LAMB CHOPS

Delectable. Not too much fat, seasoned and well cooked. A mini salad and hashbrown were also served on the sides. Truthfully speaking, it was a first for me to see hashbrowns as a side for lamb chops or steak, I'd usually see mash potatoes, french fries or an occasional dauphinoise potatoes.

TOM YUM GOONG

Almost every restaurant that served Thai food, I would order the classic Tom Yum Goong. I just have to taste every different style there is. This particular soup had plenty of shrimp and chilis, so I'd be lying if I said this wasn't spicy. It was. Although it was spicy, the flavours mixed so well, I kept reaching my spoon into the bowl for more.

PAD THAI

One of my favourite Thai dishes, Pad Thai is a stir-fried rice noodle dish with meat, spring onions and lots of bean sprouts. It is a dish commonly served as street food or in almost every restaurant in Thailand. This plate of Pad Thai was without a doubt, very appetizing, especially after squeezing the half-cut lime on the side!

Nadimos was a very inviting restaurant with a range of dishes in their menu to choose from! The location I visited was walking distance from the Silom Holiday Inn hotel and they open till late. As for beverages, they serve many drinks including traditional Lebanese drinks, fresh fruit juices and even alcoholic beverages. Meals in Nadimos range from about 16 baht up to 1120 baht across the entire menu excluding drinks.

address: Holiday Inn Silom Si Lom, Khwaeng Silom, Khet Bang Rak, Krung Thep Maha Nakhon 10500, Thailand OR Soi 24, Khlong Toei, Bangkok, Krung Thep Maha Nakhon 10110, Thailand

phone: +66 2 266 9081 / +66 2 261 9816

business hours: MON-SUN 11:30AM - 11:30PM

website: https://www.nadimos.com/