“Koh Kret” pad Thai is basically pad Thai made with glass noodles. This dish is named after Koh Kret island which is an island in the middle of Chao Phraya River, the main river in Bangkok. It’s a wonderful little island selling arts and crafts. There are some wonderful young artists showcasing beautiful paintings and pottery. You have to travel to the island via ferry and it’s a little off the beaten path, but well worth the visit. It’s a nice respite from the craziness of Bangkok.

This is the first place I’ve come across pad Thai made with glass noodles. This older gentlemen had a little shabby stand with one wok in a tiny grassy field behind some of the shops. I was really hungry and really excited to try this new dish. When I finally got it it was served in a banana leaf plate that fit in the palm of my hand.  Well, it was such a huge disappointment. It was probably the worst pad Thai I’ve ever eaten. It had absolutely no flavor, and I left Koh Kret hungry.

It wasn’t until a couple years later when customers started asking if they could have their pad Thai made with glass noodles, that I remembered that island. Though the memory didn’t leave a good taste in my mouth, having glass noodle pad Thai was a good idea. After running it successfully as a special, I finally decided to add it on to the menu. Pad Thai’s version is definitely much tastier than what was served in Koh Kret, but looking back I was totally at fault too for allowing myself to eat such a flavorless dish. I totally forgot that, in general, pad Thai made in Thailand does come almost entirely flavorless. You are supposed to season the dish yourself according to your preference. A typical food stall serving pad Thai will have sugar, fish sauce, chili powder, limes & peanuts to season your noodles. Now I know, and I don’t make the same mistake anymore.

Koh Kret Island