TOAST TO THE DAY

AT SAMANTAO HERITAGE COFFEE, IT’S BREAKFAST AT ALL HOURS

Nestled inside Nai Lert Park’s leafy hideaway, this humble establishment is all about serving the greatest hits of Thai traditional breakfast fare — think thick-cut toast slathered with pandan custard, barely boiled eggs and coffee made using a cotton cloth bag.

Here, no dish exceeds B80, not even the Morning staple trio (B70) of half-boiled eggs, a drink your choice and a toast. They’ll even include a complimentary glass of Chinese tea. You can order three or four items and you would still pay less than what you would normally pay for a single dish at most cafes in Bangkok.

Should-try items include the Thai milk tea custard toast (B45). The toast comes with burnt orange custard that is not too sweet, but still rich. It is best ordered for the table to share. The Nam prik pao toast (B55), has a generous spreading of spicy chili paste, with pork floss sprinkled on top.

The Heritage Thai coffee (B70) is served with a knob of butter to lend a richer flavour and a silky finish. The classic Thai milk tea (B80) is keep straightforward and has the usual combination of strongly brewed tea, sweetened condensed milk and evaporated milk. Also worth trying is the Nom chompoo (Thailand’s iconic pink milk, B80), which is made by mixing fresh milk with red syrup called “sala” in Thai.

The cafe is inside a simple wooden, canal-side pavilion, that was once used for mooring the Nai Lert family’s boats and as a space for welcoming guests. Recently, it has been renovated to be a café with a handful of tables. Best to head there early and get seats at the alfresco terrace. Its breezy atmosphere makes for a laid-back setting in which to relaxedly tuck into toast and coffee. It can get scorching hot later in the day and the air-conditioned room fills up fast.

Samantao Heritage Coffee, Witthayu Road / Call 097140-5176, visit fb.com/ SamantaoHeritageCoffee.