Chote Chitr, a six-table restaurant in the Banglamphu district, has gained something of an underground following since it was mentioned in a New York Times article a few years back. I first learned about Chote Chitr (pronounced chote jit) from Suthon Sukphisit, author of the Bangkok Post's excellent weekly Thai food column, Cornucopia. Suthon told me that it is of his favourite places in town to eat, and in particular he always orders, mee krob, 'crispy noodles' (pictured above). He explained that Chote Chitr is one of the few places that makes this dish the old school way, using the peel of som saa, a certain kind of citrus fruit, to flavour the sauce. The sour/citrus flavour of the som saa is indeed very prominent in the dish, which despite appearances, wasn't as sweet as I feared. In fact, it was a very nice balance of sour, sweet and savoury, with a satisfying crunch. There were a few prawns and squid bits thrown in, a topping of shredded pickled ginger, and sides of Chinese kale and beansprouts. I've never made the dish, and have no idea where to get a good recipe. Any ideas?
For other good eats in this area, check out this post.
Chote Chitr
146 Thanon Phraeng Phuthon
02 221 4082
10am-10pm