According to chef David Thompson, this Bangkok vendor makes the best Oyster Omelette in the Universe

Sitting opposite chef David Thompson at a fine dining restaurant in Bangkok, I ask him if Nai Mong Hoi Thod is really as good as everyone suggests. He looks at me, deadpan, and says, “Nai Mong Hoi Thod is the best oyster omelette in Chinatown, which means it’s the best oyster omelette in Bangkok, which means it’s the best oyster omelette in Thailand, which means it’s the best oyster omelette in the world, which means it’s the best oyster omelette in the universe.” Persuaded, I vow to visit before flying home to Melbourne.

Locals tell me Nai Mong Hoi Thod’s oyster omelette is pricy compared to others, courtesy of its Michelin Bib Gourmand accolade. Still, I’m accustomed to paying four times as much for poached eggs at brunch cafes. I arrive before the rush to a few rickety tables inside the white-tiled shophouse. The street-side tables are better for both people watch and appreciating the cooking process. The cook turns on a small fan, irritating the charcoal and sending sparks flying. I guess that explains the plastic shield.

Nai Mong Hoi Thod is busy, but the omelettes come out hot and fast. A thick batter is formed from eggs and rice flour, which is then fried in lard with an abundance of plump oysters. There are two choices: crispy or regular. Both recipes have gone unchanged for 30 years. The crispy version is browned in the pan for longer so crust-like edges form, while the regular omelette has a soft, slippery quality. I have a feeling most western travellers will prefer the familiar mouth feel of crisp fried egg, but the gluggy, wetter version is my pick, and more aligned with David Thompson’s review of “the best oyster omelette in the universe”.

Back home, it would be impossible to replicate the experience. Aside from the buzz of Bangkok, it’s difficult to differentiate between the taste of sweat on your own lips – an accumulation of the day’s adventures – and added sea salt. Besides, at Melbourne’s wine bars, a single shucked oyster costs the same as a Michelin omelette bristling with bivalves.

Details

Oyster omelette S/M/L for 100/200/300 BHT

39 Phlap Phla Chai Rd, Pom Prap, Pom Prap Sattru Phai, Bangkok