The Roaming Cook On Thonburi’s Endless Old-School Food Options [S6.E42]

Greg interviews Gary Butler or ‘The Roaming Cook’ about his YouTube channel and the wonders of food in Thonburi, the cool side of the Chao Praya River. Gary begins with some background information: he’s a native Londoner who had a career as a house painter (!) but who started a Thai food blog back in 2015. He eventually moved to Thailand and began a YouTube channel focusing on street food throughout the city.

However the guys quickly focus on the Thonburi side of Bangkok, which Greg points out doesn’t get much love from restaurant guides about the city, citing this egregiously under-reported story. Gary notes the historical significance of Thonburi as the former capital of Thailand and (like Greg and Ed) defends the ‘Brooklyn’ of Bangkok as a great place to eat and live. Gary notes that while Sukhumvit has a lot of international options, it’s a little difficult to find a variety of good Thai food, whereas Thonburi is bursting with old-school Thai options. 

Greg and Gary continue to extol the virtues of Thonburi. Although parts of it are modernizing, especially near the river, other parts have remained unchanged for decades, something that appeals to many Thai people and even some expats. Gary continues by going into the details of different sois and neighborhoods throughout Thonburi and their various culinary delights.

Definitely check out Gary’s YouTube channel ‘The Roaming Cook’ but also take a day to wander the streets of Thonburi for a different Bangkok experience. 

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