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| Tik Pochana: Divine Deep-Fried Fish Just One of Many Culinary Treats |
| UPDATE : 27 July 2010 |
Kinnareemas
Pla Chon Tod, or deep fried snakehead fish, is a dish that’s much loved among Thai diners. While it’s available at a large number of Thai eateries, Tik Pochana restaurant in Nakhon Pathom’s Nakhon Chai Si district has built up a particularly solid reputation for producing a dish that’s so special, many diners opt to become regular or repeat customers.
While the restaurant is a fairly simple affair, comprising a wooden shop house located on a corner of the market’s main thoroughfare, it has been serving up a wide variety of delicious dishes for over 20 years, include Chinese, Thai and seafood specialties.
Clear Favorite
While there are plenty of tasty alternatives, the dish that has really captured diners’ imagination at Tik Pochana over the years is the deep-fried fish (see photo, right).
The fleshy part of a good-sized fish is prepared by being soaked in fish sauce before being fried. This dish is accompanied by a small dish of specially-made fish sauce, featuring chili and a twist of lime. You also get a small serving of raw shredded mango, some red onion and chili, so you can prepare a spicy salad-style sauce to suit your personal preferences.
Alternative Cuts
Hor Mok Pla Chon (steamed snake-head fish in chili paste) comes in cup made from banana leaf. You can either opt for a version that utilizes the fleshy part of the fish, or the fish’s stomach, which is the oiliest part of the fish and is particularly tender.
Another interesting option is the Tom Yum Pla Shon (snakehead fish in a sour and spicy soup). Again, diners can choose between a version that uses the fleshy part of the fish, or a stomach-based version.
Those diners who have a penchant for shrimp-based dishes will not be disappointed. Tik Pochana offers the better-known, shrimp-based version of Tom Yum, as well as a pan-fried shrimp with garlic and black pepper. The latter can be considered to be another standout item on Tik Pochana's menu.
Another surprisingly popular dish at the restaurant is the Thai omelet (see photo, below), which includes minced pork, garlic and fresh parsley. This crispy omelet is extremely tasty and comes served with red chili sauce. This dish works best with a portion of steamed rice.
A Mild Bunch
Milder Chinese-style dishes offer another alternative for those diners who don’t like spicy food. Among the options available are sautéed pork stomach with pickled lettuce (see photo, below), sweet and sour shrimp or squid, as well as pan-fried mixed vegetables with a choice of meat and seaweed in a pork-based soup.
For fish or shrimp-based dishes, the prices charged are weight-based, but, fortunately, the helpful and knowledgeable members of staff can provide diners with a good idea of the quantities involved, ensuring they don’t end up with an insufficient quantity, or too much food, resulting in unnecessary waste.
Tik Pochana opens Tuesday through Sunday from 10 am to 7 pm. It is closed on Mondays. For further information, or to make a reservation, call Tel: +66 (0)34 333 576.
Transport Connections:
Minibus: A minibus service to Nakhon Pathom operates from the area in front of Central Pinklao on Boromratchonnaree Road. Ask the driver to stop at Tha Na Market in Nakhon Chai Si district. The journey to Nakhon Chai Si district takes about 20 minutes from Bangkok.
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