So where exactly can we find the huge giant river prawn? Majority of you would know that if you want to eat giant river prawn, you will have to travel up north of Bangkok to another province which is also known as an old capital of Thailand.
Yes, it is called Ayutthaya; a place where the locals would probably prefer to go over the weekend as it is about 80 km away and requires an hour drive.
However, if you yet to know.. the good news is that you do not need to travel up that far to feast your favourite! This is because one of the main highlights here in Vapor Seafood Restaurant & Bar is their charcoal grilled giant river prawns.
All thanks to the owner, Natakorn Changrew who started his food & beverage business upon his bartender entrepreneurship journey in Bunker. Most of the people do not know that his day job is in the Real Estate (family business) too.
“This building was completed about 2 years ago when we had a restructuring of our company. The restaurant has always been here but we always service customers within the community so there was not really a focus. So when I came and took over, I was tasked to find a new marketing initiative to promote our property to external customers; our new target groups and etc. And I thought instead of investing in build boards and others, how about I make a destination restaurant to bring people in here? We have a lakeside view on Chaengwattana (Outer Edge of Bangkok) and so after researching, we decided to start Vapor Seafood Restaurant with modernise drinks by the bartender – that is what I wanted to do.” Said Natakorn Changrew
Vapor Restuarant & Bar is now about 4 months old. The team has a lab which they use to design their cocktails. All the ingredients used are homegrown. There are a lot of gardening here that uses organic soil and home-prepared fertiliser which uses prawns and guts of their fish which they cultivate. Vapor itself is a full grown project where fishing is another aspect. Natakorn shared that their aim is to introduce local customers the sea of Thailand as there are a lot of good fish in their sea but there was never a proper knowledge on what to do with the ingredients – the seafood.
“I actually did a lot of visits during the research and development of this project. I went to Japan to study what the Japanese fishermen do with sushi graded fish.. and I learn how to perform Ikejime (活け締め) – a way on how to kill a fish in a humane way to obtain the highest quality of meat. I apply this technique to Thai food. I also want to combine my traditional grandma recipes with modern techniques.” Said Natakorn Changrew
Charcoal Grilled Giant Thai River Prawn (1 Set, About 500g)
Inspired by traditional central Thai eating rituals, saving the prawn head and put the head with filtered fish sauce into jasmine rice is the way the locals consume their prawns. Now as the giant river prawn’s head is too big to be consumed, Vapor recommends you to take the prawn’s tomalley (“liver-like” orange-yellow cream), put it in the rice, add some fish sauce and savour it first. Next, add some of the Thai seafood sauce which comprise of green chill, coriander, coriander root, garlic, fish sauce, sugar and other ingredients – his grandma’s recipe for the second taste.
The reason for separating the seafood sauce is because of the fatty content which some people calls it Thai Uni (just like sea urchin) that has that savoury uni-like texture and sweet flavour. The sauce destroys the fatty content but it gives you the enjoyable refreshing palate after-taste of the first experience.
Vapor sells up to 100 kg of giant river prawns a week. Each of the prawns is charcoal grilled on conventional traditional claypot aka “Bao Angkor in Thai” from Koh Kret which Natakorn is originally from. The pot is made in-house, developed with a specific shape to fit and provide a productive grilling. First, the charcoals are maintained at a low temperature of 50 – 55 degrees. Pure wood with low smoke charcoals is used in this process. Then, the prawns are cooked up to 5 minutes to maintain the bouncy texture of the prawn meat before covering to let them smoke infuse for 2 minutes which gives each an aromatic smell.
Enjoy Live Band Music
Mango Sticky Rice Pale Ale
Other than in-house cocktails, you have a range of artisanal Thai craft beer with many flavours to choose from. Enjoy your flavourite alcoholic drinks over modernise ambience and live band music. Vapor is doing their best to bring you all the local production in their premise.
Fried Noodles with Prawn Miso Sauce
Looking for something much more filling? The savoury prawn miso mixed with rice flat noodle over a choice of either real crabmeat or chicken shall keep stomach comfort.
Other Dishes:
Get Sizzling Over a Hot Plate of Cobia (Fish) Stir-fry with Thai Black Pepper Sauce
Thai Style Chicken Satay
Enjoy the Classic!
Overall, this restaurant has a beautiful surround modern design, fully furnished with wooden types of furniture and comfortable cushions. Suitable for dates, family, and events. A good place to chill, relax, enjoy the sunset view by the lake and take your sweet time to stroll around.
Vapor Seafood & Restaurant & Bar
39/1257 ตำบล บางตลาด Amphoe Pak Kret, Chang Wat Nonthaburi 11120, Thailand
(Vapor, Nichada Thani, Bangkok, Thailand)
Contact: +66 2 832 0055
Opening Hours: Daily until Midnight
