Hung Sen

If you do ever a chance to visit Bangkok, you will most likely come to a situation where you’ve traveled, shopped and walked your whole day through the heat. You’ve ended in the middle of the city, in which has many great eating options. Let’s say, you’ve stopped by at CentralWorld, one of Bangkok’s most vibrant and most visited shopping mall. If by this point you’re up for Thai food in what is a relaxed, cool, and comfortable space, I would highly recommend making a trip to “Hung-Sen”, which is located on Level 3 of CentralWorld’s Zone B. The location was a bit technical, but it can easily be found on the third floor, on the side that faces out to Big C - not the side facing the skywalk way of the BTS or the main road.

I would recommend Hung Sen for a great meal simply because they offer classic Thai dishes that are staple in the daily lives of the locals. The presentation is simple and nothing special, but the taste is very authentic. We first questioned as to whether Hung Sen would serve authentic Thai food, since the name sounds more Chinese if anything.

The menu is very Thai. We went for many Thai classics, namely in Green Curry, Clear Soup with Minced Pork Ball and Tofu, a simple Seafood and Vegetable Salad, and of course Stir Fried Pork in with Chilli and Basil. This sounds like a lot, but these dishes were just perfect for a group of three, like us!

The Green Curry had a unique presentation, as it came with a side of what we call Roti. Essentially, the roti we had were just like the Indian cousin Roti Prata if I’m not mistaken. The idea behind this may be that in the South of the country, there is a lot of Malay influence in the cooking, which of course has Indian routes when traced back. It was a great combination nonetheless, kind of like having Randang with Roti on the side.

The Clear Soup - not really sure how else to call it - was delicious. The broth which was the heart of the soup was outstanding. It was a very simple and clean soup cabbage, pork balls (too good), tofu, seafood, spring onions, topped with fried garlic. Not sure if this version also had vermicelli noodles just underneath the goodies, but it was outstanding in my opinion.

I would say that very close to one hundred percent of the population had this at some point during their childhood, and for me personally, I would have this kind of soup at least one a week. It is something that is very basic, very clean and very healthy. Many Thai families tend to make this clear soup for their kids growing up since it has the essential nutrients, and of course, it's not spicy. But really, this is a fantastic alternative to the oily, fatty street food you may have had throughout your trip already!

Moving on, we had one of my favourite Thai dishes, Kra Pao. I had informed the waiter to advise the kitchen that I don’t eat ver spicy food, and they had made a variation for me perfectly. It was delicious and the pork was really tender. The taste of the basil was there which was really important. The flavours of the different seasonings and sauces used also shone through the dish. The fried egg on top was obviously a bonus! If you are like me, a person that would prefer a fried egg with runny yolk, be sure to inform the staff! When fried eggs are made in Thailand, we tend to always flip them over. This is probably because fried egg is also considered to be one of those street foods, and the deal with street food is that they tend to sit there for a while before someone buys them. With this being said, it would make logical sense for many Thai people to thoroughly look their fried eggs on both sides.

I didn’t remember how the salad tasted, but looking at the photo now I wish I could try to once more for dinner. One thing for sure is that we finished everything and pretty much wiped the plates clean for them. Oh, I also ordered Thai Milk Tea, which was awesome as per usual. Another dish I would recommend getting from this place is the Noodles in Thick Broth. The noodles were cooked perfectly and the broth was full of flavors. As the dish doesn't look overly appetizing, most foreigners tend to either not know about it or a but reluctant to order it. Otherwise, you could order some Crispy Fish Skins while you wait for the main event!

If you still have a bit of energy left within you, you could take a few minutes to walk along that side of the mall and check out neighbouring restaurants. There were many options for great Thai and Asian food just right along so you’re sure to have a headache when making your decision. All the restaurants in the mall are well presented, each specialising in different aspects of the regional Asian cuisines. There are still more restaurants on the other side of the mall if you’re interested. In fact, the side with Hung Sen is more of a quieter side for the eateries.

With so many restaurants to choose from in this complex, as well as countless more on the street side, the Bangkok food scene will always have something to offer, to everyone.

Hung Sen Thai Restaurant, Central World Plaza - Ratings:

Accessibility - 9/10

Price - 9/10

Selection - 9/10

Staff Friendliness - 9/10

Cleanliness - 9/10

Atmosphere - 9/10

Overall - 9/10

Hung Sen - The Official Facebook Page

Trip Advisor - for comments, positives and negatives on Hung Sen for fellow diners! :

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