LAE LAY restaurant

Lae Lay restaurant (sea view in Thai) we first passed because we needed a little more excercise, so in the early morning, when the outside temperature doesn’t reach the meltingpoint yet , we try to walk a few K’s and that’s how we discovered this restaurant just around the corner. The reason I start with Lae Lay is because it has become one of our favorite places.

It’s near our house, the food is very good, the menu is diverse, the prices local and the view over the sea to Koh Pangnang is stunning.

For children it’s a great place because they can play on the beach and even go swimming while you enjoy your dinner.

Lae Lay is an Esan restaurant which means that they are cooking the way they do in the Esan province (north-northeast of Bangkok).

Besides the Esan specialties like “ som tam “ and “bamboo soup” they, ofcourse, also serve the common  Thai dishes like Fried rice, Masaman curry, Green Curry Chicken, Pad Thai and Tom Ka Kai, all just as good.

My absolute favorites at Lae Lay are their Pla Toht (fried fish) with both Esan and South Thai mixed herbs.

They take the fillets off a snapper, fry the fish and the fillets together and serve the dish with the two herb mixtures on a plate.

Another “must try” is their Hor Mok.

Hor Mok is a seafood custard usually served in a basket of banana leave, but not so at Lae Lay.

Here they serve the dish in a young coconut which makes it look even more gorgeous.

Ofcourse it’s impossible to write about every single dish on the menu, but for both the food as well as the location Lae Lay sure is a place to visit.

They are located on the road from Fisherman’s village in Bophut to Big Buddha just before entering the village of Bang Rak on the left hand side.

Look out for the big sign with the two chilli peppers in red neon lights and the open bamboo huts (sala’s) next to the road.