There’s a moment after work when you open the fridge, stare inside, and realize… yeah, that’s not happening. No leftovers. No ingredients. Just hunger.
Living in Pak Kret while teaching in Thailand with the BFITS Program has taught me that balance isn’t only about lesson plans and grading. It’s also about knowing where to eat, where to unwind, and how to make everyday life feel easy. For anyone who wants to teach abroad and actually settle in, finding your local food spots is part of the experience.
When Hunger Strikes in Pak Kret
When hunger strikes in Pak Kret, and you have no food in your fridge, what do you do? Me? Well, I have several Thai restaurants in my pocket that I can either visit or order from. The food from these places is all delicious, so for me, it just depends on what I want to eat.
Living and teaching in Thailand means you quickly discover which local spots become part of your weekly routine. These aren’t tourist restaurants. These are dependable, flavorful, and close to home.
Comfort Food at lang Cham
When I’m hungry and craving some good old, down-home Thai comfort food, I am very partial to the restaurant, lang Cham. This place is comfort food.
When you approach the entrance, you realize the restaurant, which is family-run, is an addition to their home. The space feels like a home; it is relaxing, comfortable, and feels like you could sit there forever after your meal.
What’s to eat, you ask? The menu has a good variety of options. There’s guay tiaow, that delicious meaty soup; they have the famed grapow basil stir-fry with a choice of beef, sliced pork, ground pork, crispy pork belly, or seafood; there’s the delectably crispy salt and pepper pork belly or shrimp; there is also the never disappointing pad see ew, and many more.
This place even has a decent list of specials that change every so often. There is no wonder why it has become a staple for my lunches while at work.
If you are in the area, Iang Cham is located at 95 Changwattana 28 Tambon Bang Talat, Pak Kret District, Nonthaburi. Definitely check this place out.
Late Night Isan Cravings
It’s 7 pm and I just finished my Thai lesson after leaving work, and I’m starving. In this situation, I immediately pull out my phone and get on the Food Panda. I’m looking for this gem of a restaurant, Isan Rot Zaap Khun Ahan Tam Sang.
I’m going to order grilled pork tongue, beef tongue, or grilled brisket; corn and salted egg somtum or cucumber somtum; and sticky rice. All of these dishes are flavorful selections of Isan food, or the Northeast of Thailand.
What is particularly striking about the grilled meat dishes is the nam jim jaew. This is a traditional condiment for grilled meats from Isan. However, their version has a uniqueness I have not encountered from any other Isan restaurant. Their nam jim jaew is particularly smoky and just a touch sour, making it similar to an American-style BBQ sauce. This is the perfect dip for these grilled meats and even for the delectable al dente sticky rice.
Now, I have never been inside the restaurant, but every time I received delivery, the food never disappointed. Hence, the reason why this restaurant is the one I order from the most when I have not cooked anything.
If you do want to check out the brick and mortar, it is located at 4 Soi Chaengwattana-Pakkret 37, Khlong Kluea Subdistrict, Pak Kret, Nonthaburi.
Broth Mastery at Uncle Pued
This next restaurant serves only one thing and one thing only, guay tiaow.
Uncle Pued, located on 40/347 Chaengwattana 28 Tambon Bang Talat, Pak Kret, Nonthaburi, masters the creation of meaty, flavorful broth. You can choose from pork or beef soup, and you can also choose which cuts of meat you want to add: liver, sliced beef or pork, tongue, pancreas, and meatballs.
Since my soul lives for food, I have no choice but to choose all the meats.
Do I love that broth? I have had good guay tiaow, but nothing as rich as this. As an ex-culinarian, the broth is reminiscent of well-prepared French-style stocks where the bones are roasted with particular care and left to simmer for hours until all the flavor is extracted.
One bowl of this is oh-so satisfying. Imagine being under the weather (cough, cough), and you get a bowl of this heart-warming bone juice with noodles and chunks of meat. This is way better than that chicken noodle soup out of the red can your momma used to make.
If you want this mouth-watering soup, visit the brick and mortar (address in the beginning) or order from Grab.
A Relaxed Evening at Hidden Backyard
If you want to bring a touch of class to your dining experience out in Pak Kret, I would suggest checking out Hidden Backyard. I may have mentioned this place before, but only in reference to entertainment. Now, the focus is on the food.
Hidden Backyard, as the name suggests, is a restaurant with mostly outdoor seating located on a little soi along Klong Phrapa. To me, this restaurant felt like a relaxed eatery located in the suburbs of the US. The outdoor seating area is all red-brick, and there are trees scattered about, very typical of an outdoor suburban American restaurant. Looking at the menu, however, will show that you are definitely in Thailand.
The menu contains mostly Thai dishes like grapow and drunken noodles, but it does throw some other cuisines like Japanese and Italian on it as well. All of the food is done well, including the desserts. I may not present myself as such, but I do love a good dessert. The highlight for me on this menu is the croissant bread pudding with vanilla ice cream. Whoa! Is that ish delish! Warm, moist, baked croissant custard with raspberry sauce and ice cream.
I’ll tell you a lil’ secret, one day I ate at this place twice just for the croissant bread pudding.
Hidden Backyard also serves drinks of all sorts. Get a meal, get that croissant bread pudding, have a drink, and chill out back.
Hidden Backyard is located at Thanon Liab Klong Phrapa, Mueang Thong Thani, Pak Kret District, Nonthaburi.
Why Pak Kret Makes Life Easier
If you live in Pak Kret, don’t despair. It may not have a seemingly infinite amount of restaurants as Bangkok, but it does have a variety of Thai food. It makes it convenient to stay in the area and not have to spend the time and money getting into the city.
For teachers with BFITS Thailand, especially those based in Nonthaburi, this kind of convenience matters. After a full day of teaching in Thailand, sometimes the best decision is staying local, eating well, and recharging for the next day.
Balancing Work and Everyday Comfort
One of the underrated parts of teaching abroad is finding balance. Yes, you explore temples. Yes, you travel to islands. But you also build everyday routines.
Knowing where to get comfort food. Knowing where to order after a late lesson. Knowing where to sit outside and enjoy dessert.
When you teach in Thailand, especially with BFITS, you’re not just building a career. You’re building a life — one meal at a time.
