The Khao Man Gai (chicken rice) at the Ruen Ton restaurant at hotel Montien is very correct and definitely one of the top three versions in all of Bangkok. Especially the juicy chicken and chicken skin stands out. It comes at a price as it is hotel restaurant, but the portion are three times the street size plates. Also it is their focus dish. A must visit for Khao Man Gai lovers.

I have eaten hundreds of plates of Khao Man Gai (chicken rice) in Bangkok, and most places serves an acceptable version to eat, a couple of handfuls serves a very good one. On top you have four or five that serves an sublime plate. Ruen Ton at the Montien hotel falls in the last category. Overwhelmingly good.

But it comes at a price, quite some miles away from the term bargain. 330 baht a plate is expensive when the street side vendors serves you one at 50 bath, even if the plates at Ruen Ton is three times bigger. Just remember the quality is top notch and swallow it down with a bottle of Singha to get over it.

As mentioned, the chicken meat and the skin is absolutely top class. You seldom, if any place, gets meat this juicy and the chicken skin is pure pleasure and will let you smile all the way to dinner time. The soup that comes with an excellent piece of bitter guard is also very good. I have had a better soup at a couple of other spots, but it is rare. The soup is pure and with a distinct chicken flavor. The rice is also very correctly cooked with a good taste and oiliness. The classical sauce, as many means is the make or break for this dish, and I agree to that, comes in two versions, in additions to a light Chinese sauce with thin slices of ginger and oyster sauce that is watered out. The last one isn’t my favorite to put it mildly, but the classical Khao Man Gai sauce is spicy as it should and also very tasty and balanced. It has a less vinegar flavor than most other spots, which I favour. They also serve a milder version of the sauce for the fainthearted that is decent enough. The most interesting thing with the milder version is that they have changed the vinegar with lime, and that works very well. But it is far to gentle for my taste buds. The last element is of course the blood dices. They are pretty standard, but of good quality and adds to the dish.

Ruen Ton is a hotel lobby restaurant, but it is comfortable and the service is very good. Only one of the persons working there speaks English, but it shouldn’t be a problem as the menu is in English.

The restaurant is also an excellent spot for the night owls as it is open 24/7, but be aware that the chicken rice is most likely sold out if you plan to finish your night here. It is available from 11 am until they are sold out. That said, they have plenty of other dishes to choose from, with a focus on comfort food. I am pretty sure some of the other dishes is enjoyable as well, but that will have to be for next time, or when I´m to late for the chicken rice.

I have given the Michelin Guide some harsh critics lately for some of their choices as I find the guide a bit of a hit and miss guide. I hope they take the time to clean it up before the next edition, but it was the Michelin guide that directed me to Ruen Ton at the Montien hotel, and that was a great advice. Most appreciated! Bon Appetite!

Name: Ruen Ton at Montien Hotel

Food: Thai and Sino Thai dishes

Price: Moderate to Expensive. Dishes from 200 bath.

Open: 24/7

Phone: 02-233-7060

Address: 54 Surawong Road, Bang Rak

How to get there: Take the MRT to Sam Yan station and the Exit towards Wat Hua Lamphong. Then walk the 2-3 minutes from there.