Is durian available anywhere?

Tops and Gourmet Market at the upmarket malls usually have frozen durian in their freezer sections year-round. The imported Monthong packs from Thailand's eastern provinces are around 350 baht for a 500 gram box. It's not the same as cracking open a fresh one but it works for a craving.

arrow_drop_up 17 arrow_drop_down

chat_bubble Reply ios_share

/

Reply

You can sometimes find it at the big fruit markets like Or Tor Kor near Mo Chit. They usually have a few stalls that import frozen durian from Malaysia when the local stuff is gone. Expect to pay around 400-500 baht per kilogram for the frozen packs, which is a lot more than seasonal prices. The frozen variety isn't quite as good as fresh but it still hits the spot.

arrow_drop_up 2 arrow_drop_down

chat_bubble Reply ios_share

/

Reply

honestly your best bet is hitting up the stalls near Chatuchak market on weekends even if it's not the main fruit season. there's this one vendor on Kamphaeng Phet 2 road that keeps a stash of frozen durian from Chanthaburi province, they sell it in those sealed vacuum packs for like 300 baht a kilo. just ask for "durian thong yip" and they'll know what u mean. it's not as creamy as fresh but it's decent enough for a fix.

arrow_drop_up 1 arrow_drop_down

chat_bubble Reply ios_share

/

Reply

Krua Dok Mai Kao is solid but I've always found their som tam a bit tame on the pla ra. If you want the real funky version, try the shophouse spots along Soi Udomsuk 26, near the night market end. They pound it fresh with fermented fish that'll clear your sinuses, and it's like 60 baht. Different style from the On Nut places, more Lao-leaning.

arrow_drop_up 5 arrow_drop_down

chat_bubble Reply ios_share

/

Reply

for som tam specifically i'd say the Isaan spots in Chatuchak are underrated, weekdays only though since the weekend crowd ruins the vibe. there's a stall near gate 2 that does tam pa with fermented bamboo shoots, super sour and funky, not something you see much in On Nut. if you're already heading north for Or Tor Kor anyway its worth the detour.

arrow_drop_up 4 arrow_drop_down

chat_bubble Reply ios_share

/

Reply

honestly the som tam at Krua Dok Mai Kao is good but what got me hooked is their nam prik pla raa dip with the raw veggies, that funk hits way harder than the papaya does. think most people sleep on it cuz they just order the som tam and gai yang. also pro tip, go before noon on weekdays, after that teh pla ra gets milder cuz they batch it for the lunch rush

arrow_drop_up 2 arrow_drop_down

chat_bubble Reply ios_share

/

Reply