Delicious braised goose rice in Bangkok
For over 80 years, the humble Chua Jiab Nguan has been serving up a mean plate for braised goose in Bangkok’s Thon Buri area, near Chinatown.
While here, we spoke to Ms. Noi – the restaurant’s 3rd generation owner – who told us that the recipe came from her grandfather. The shop first started as a roving street cart and has since found its home in a shophouse near Tha Din Daeng Pier which has since been passed down to Ms. Noi.
What to try at Chua Jiab Nguan
Our delicious meal being prepared.
Obviously, we couldn’t miss out on the star of the show: Braised Goose (S: ฿190, ~USD6.28 | M: ฿370, ~USD12.22 | L: ฿740, ~USD24.45). The slices of meat came with a dark gravy and fresh coriander with a side of chilli.
For those of you who might not be familiar with goose meat, it has a similar texture to duck but is slightly denser with more fat. Here, the meat was cooked till soft and tender and had a strong scent of aromatic spices like cinnamon and anise.
We also tried some Goose Colon (Regular: ฿90 ~USD2.97 | L: ฿120 ~USD3.96). Thankfully, we didn’t have to worry about any strange odours. Everything was thoroughly cleaned and stewed in gravy and herbs which gave it a rich flavour.
Have the colon with some vinegar for extra flavour
From the looks of it, we were worried about it being rubbery – but that wasn’t the case. It had just the right amount of chew and added a nice texture to the rest of our meal.
To accompany the meal, we also got some Chinese Bitter Cucumber Soup (Regular: ฿40 ~USD1.32 | L: ฿80 ~USD2.64). This is a light soup made from pork bones and Chinese bitter cucumber. It also has a hint of heat thanks to added ground pepper and a slightly bitter aftertaste from the cucumber.
Ambience at the restaurant
Situated on the opposite side of the bustling Yaowarat, the area surrounding Chua Jiab Nguan is its own vibrant neighbourhood. There is even a market nearby for customers to explore after their meal.
The shop itself is rather no-frills and we were able to see the eatery’s rich history from the photos of the family hanging around the store.
It is often packed with people during lunch hours, so we recommend you to visit during the early morning or late afternoon. And though they close at 5pm, they’re likely to close earlier if they run out of all that delicious geese.
Have a scrumptious lunch in Thon Buri
If you’re planning a trip to Yaowarat, we say hop on a ferry from Ratchawong Pier to Tha Din Daeng Pie and visit Chua Jiab Nguan while you’re at it.
Chua Jiab Nguan
Address: 398-400 Tha Din Daeng Rd, Khlong San, Bangkok 10600
Opening Hours: 8AM-5PM, Daily
Nearest Train Station: 10 minutes from Wat Mangkon MRT station by taxi or ferry
Telephone: +66-2-437-2084, +66-2-437-7608
Website
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