THURSDAY, March 28, 2024
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Southern sensations at Sum Rub Tai

Southern sensations at Sum Rub Tai

Singer O Pavee shares his family heritage at a welcoming little restaurant off Rama IX

SINGER AND record roducer Pavee Kotchapakdi’s family runs a small eatery in southern Phatthalung province, so choosing the food business as a second career was a natural move for him.
O Pavee, as he’s better known, recently opened Sum Rub Tai on Rama IX Road Soi 45. The name translates as “a set of Southern dishes”, and that’s what you get, marvellously cooked and presented. 
The restaurant is homey but uncluttered, with ample room for about 50 diners indoors and, when weather permits, outside too.
“My family has run the PK Kitchen in Phatthalung for over a decade, serving authentic Southern dishes,” says Pavee, who works with independent music label Home Record. 
“When I decided to open this place, my parents came to help set up the menu and now they’re in charge of the kitchen, making sure the flavours are properly balanced. I haven’t seen many places serving Southern cuisine in the Rama IX area, so I reckon business should be good.”
Travellers to Phatthalung invariable visit scenic Talay Noi to see the glorious plant life and birds and everyone tries the famous fried fish roe. So Pavee’s got it on his menu too, as Khai Pla Talay Noi (Bt80). The roe is fried in crispy, golden-brown patties that are seasoned with lemongrass and black pepper. 

Southern sensations at Sum Rub Tai

Khai Pla Talay Noi

“Another local favourite is pla duk ra,” he says. “It’s catfish fermented overnight in salt and sugar and then sun-dried, and finally either grilled or fried and eaten with chopped chillies, red onion and slices of lemon.”

Fantastic with hot steamed rice is Budu Goong Platu Tod (Bt120). Budu is the Southern-style fermented fish sauce, and here it’s cooked with chopped shrimp, lemongrass, red onion, chillies, julienned kaffir-lime leaves, raw mango and lemon juice. It comes with fried mackerel and assorted vegetables alongside.

Southern sensations at Sum Rub Tai

Budu Goong Platu Tod

Yum Miang Takrai (Bt120) is a refreshing and spicy lemongrass salad. But, rather than the miang tradition of wrapping all the ingredients in a cha phu leaf, you get a nicely balanced mix of lemongrass, ginger, carrot, red onion, lemon, chillies, roasted cashews resting on a bed of the leaves, the array rendered extra tangy with lemon juice.

Southern sensations at Sum Rub Tai

Yum Miang Takrai

There are of course plenty of bananas around Pavee’s hometown, and yuak gluay – the pith of the banana stalk – is a common ingredient in yellow curry. His variation for Bangkok diners is Gaeng Gai Yuak Gluay (Bt140), a truly fiery curry with densely textured chicken and crispy yuak gluay. You definitely need the hot steamed rice with this dish.
Tom Moo Cha Muang (Bt130) is another must-try. It’s sweet-and-sour soup with cha muang leaves and chunks of pork meat on the rib.

Southern sensations at Sum Rub Tai

Gaeng Gai Yuak Gluay

 

Southern sensations at Sum Rub Tai

Tom Moo Chamuang

No Southern meal is complete without Goong Pad Sataw (Bt130), stir-fried shrimp with sataw (stink bean) and shrimp paste, though I found Pavee’s version too sweet to really qualify as Southern cuisine.

Southern sensations at Sum Rub Tai

Goong Pad Sataw
 

TREATS FROM TALAY NOI
>> Sum Rub Tai on Soi 45 off Rama IX Road is open daily except Wednesday from 11am to 9pm. |Call (02) 108 2364.
>> You can have a meal delivered via the Lineman or Foodpanda mobile application. 
 

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