Home Cooked Thai Muslim Food and Khao Mok Gai in Bangkok
Khao Mok Gai (ข้าวหมกไก่)
As a lover of Biryani from around the world, I’m always happy to try Khao Mok Gai anytime I see it in Thailand.
Khao Mok Gai (ข้าวหมกไก่) is the Thai version of chicken biryani: fragrant spiced rice and fall apart chicken (or another meat) served with sauce.
For me, I’ve had two main Bangkok Khao Mok Gai restaurant favorites for a while now: Areesaa Lote Dee located near Khao San Road and Khao Mok Gai Siam located way out there on Putha Monthon Sai 4.
There are a number of other places to eat Thai biryani in Bangkok and it was long overdue for me to check out a restaurant called Home Cuisine Islamic Restaurant – specializing in Thai Muslim food and even some Indian dishes as well.
The menu is extensive, but I was there just to sample their Khao Mok Gai (Thai chicken biryani) and their mutton biryani as well.
It’s a nicer style sit down restaurant that almost resembles an American diner on the inside.
Yoghurt Sauce at Home Cuisine Islamic Restaurant
In Thailand the sauce served with any Khao Mok is a minty herbaceous blend.
At the Home Cuisine Islamic Restaurant they not only served the minty sauce, but also a sweet yoghurt sauce that included little chunks of tomatoes, onions and parsley. It reminded me a little of a sauce at the Iranian restaurant.
Eggplant Pickle
They also served a little eggplant pickle as a little tasty side along with the food. I loved it!
Again, these were similar to the pickles I remember so vividly with Egyptian street food.
Khao Mok Gai (ข้าวหมกไก่)
Then came the Khao Mok Gai (ข้าวหมกไก่), an artfully created plate of individual kernels of rice coated in chicken broth and surrounding a perfectly cooked chunk of chicken.
It was sprinkled with fried onions on top to make it even better!
It actually was unlike most khao mok variations that I’ve previously had in Thailand. It more resembled the awesome Zanzibari biryani that I couldn’t get enough of while in Tanzania.
It had more of an Indian / Middle Eastern flavor to it, than the classic Thai flavor – but it still was served with Thai sauce. It was an interesting mixture, but it was sure delicious!
Thai Mutton (goat) Biryani at Home Islamic Cuisine
As soon as I saw it on the menu, I wasn’t going to leave the restaurant without a taste of their mutton (goat) biryani. It called my name right off the menu.
Moments later it was delivered to the table, and if I had not had to take a few photos, I would have eaten it non-stop until my plate was sparkling clean.
Price: 150 THB
Islamic Food in Bangkok
There’s the wonderful mutton biryani up close showing how utterly tender it was, the kind of red meat that a toothless man could tear into.
I’d highly recommend it.
The Bottom Line
Their Khao Mok Gai was super tasty and comforting, but I’d really give the award to the goat biryani.
Maybe it’s that I don’t eat red meat (other than pork) all that often anymore, so that may be why it was so unbelievable, but the goat just slid off the bone and bursted with flavor.
I also really enjoyed their mint and yoghurt accompanying sauces.
Prices are sit down Thai restaurant, not the street price of 40 THB for a plate of Kha Mok Gai.
Home Cuisine Islamic Restaurant
Address: 186 Charoen Krung 36, Charoen Krung Road, Bangrak, Bangkok 10500, Thailand
Hours: Monday – Saturday 11:00 – 22:00, Sunday – 18:00 – 22:00
Phone: 02 – 234 7911
How to Get There
Home Cuisine Islamic Food Restaurant in Bangkok is located in Bangrak, right across the parking lot from the French Embassy in Bangkok.
It’s about a 15 minute walk from Saphan Taksin BTS station.
Here’s the map:
View Home Cuisine Islamic Restaurant in a larger map
Rakhal
10 years ago
I was craving mutton biryani today and decided to do a side by side comparison of “muslim restaurant” on Charoen Krung just North of Soi 42 and “Home Cuisine Islamic Restaurant” just up the street on soi 36. The dish cost the same at both restaurants at 150 Baht. First I got the one from “Muslim Restaurant” and the first thing that struck me was how small the portion of lamb was and how bland the meat was, also I found the rice itself to be a bit on the sweet side for my taste, but I really liked the flavor of the Sambar and yoghurt sauce it came with. I then walked up to “Home cuisine” and ordered their mutton biryani and was much happier with the amount of lamb as well as the flavor, it was delicious!! The seasoning of the meat itself was far superior. I like that they put fried shallots on top, it really adds to the flavor. I enjoyed the pickled eggplant and yoghurt sauce as well. They also give a side of the delicious green sauce that I more associate with khao mook gai, I found that a bit too sweet, next time I’ll give it a little squeeze of lime. I will definitely be going back to Home Cuisine Islamic Restaurant, thanks for the recommendation!
Mark Wiens
10 years ago
Hey Rakhal, sounds like a fun day of eating, and glad the report on Home Cuisine was good. They make some pretty decent food there. I was there a few weeks ago and had the mutton penang curry which was excellent as well. Thanks for sharing your food adventure!
jonny
11 years ago
Hey Mark and Dwight,
Cheers for you insight into real Thai food. I have found a lil Thai Muslim place down Phra Khanong market, that in my eyes does awesome Khow mok gai, they even do it with Gai Tod and a really tasty mint sauce, Check it out, It’s very close to Mona’s kitchen which i went on your report and thought it was great to.
Keep up the good work.
Jonny
Mark Wiens
11 years ago
Hey Jonny, thanks a lot for sharing. Awesome that you went to Mona’s kitchen too!
KoalaZ
12 years ago
You better try this http://www.keajon.com/guru2010-01-08/
It’s from my hometown (Phra Pradaeng). It’s not the traditional bryani though, much like a thai version.
But Khao mok gai with spicy soup here is really awesome.
Ahhhh I miss my home.
Witcha
12 years ago
Actually, there were many Persian people residing in Thailand since the Ayutthaya Period, and most of them still staying in Thailand today. Bang Rak and Minburi/Nong Jok are the main Muslim communities in Thailand which include both of Iranian and Malay origins. If you’ve ever heard many prominent figures in Thailand with the last name “Bonnak”, their ancestors were from Persia who’d work for the king, which later was given this last name by the king.
Dwight Turner
12 years ago
Didn’t know that! Thanks Witcha for that great piece of history. We love finding out food has more diverse origins than we originally thought.
Sarah
12 years ago
Very interesting culinary influences in this restaurant. I do wonder where the chef comes from since there is a strong Middle Eastern influence to the food. Great pics.
Mark Wiens
12 years ago
Thanks Sarah! Yah, I agree, from the dishes I ordered I thought the food was more Middle Eastern like than Thai. Have you eaten at this restaurant before?