Large river prawns with spicy dipping sauce, enjoyed by the Chao Phraya River.

Take your children on a trip to Ayutthaya province...

The child wanted to rent a Luang Phor Ruay wristband from Wat Tha Takho. The father saw that it was a good thing and there was no harm in it, so he took the child there. It turned out that the Luang Phor wristband, which used to be sold for 7,000 baht per piece, now costs 14,000 baht or more after Luang Phor's death. However, when they arrived, they bought a wristband and a ring for the child, totaling more than 16,000 baht.

We opted to hire a taxi for the journey, as navigating on our own would have been challenging.

On the way back, the same taxi was waiting to pick me up. I asked the taxi driver if there were any good restaurants nearby, as I was craving river prawns. He recommended a famous restaurant called "ต้นน้ำริเวอร์วิว" located by the Chao Phraya River, known for its large river prawns. I told him to take me there, eager to see if it lived up to its reputation.

We reached the restaurant and invited the taxi driver to join us, but he politely declined. Feeling apologetic, I ordered a shrimp stir-fry for the driver while my child and I went inside. The restaurant wasn't crowded yet, as it wasn't dinner time. A waiter brought us the menu.

While waiting for my child to order food, my father took some photos. A young celebrity came into the restaurant with her boyfriend and, upon seeing me and my child, let out a soft exclamation.

"Oh, it's Arm…" she muttered, quickly ducking out of sight.

"Oh my… am I really that scary? Maybe I should become a paparazzi instead. Haha!"

The son ordered two of the largest river prawns in the restaurant, one for 800 baht and the other for 700 baht. He then ordered a seafood tom yum soup and his father's favorite stir-fried morning glory.

The employee jumped into the river to catch shrimp (exaggeration, he just went to catch the shrimp that were kept there to be grilled). After a while, he brought them over. They were very big, and the shrimp roe was dripping. They looked delicious.

The ordered dishes arrived quickly. The prawns were grilled with charcoal and coconut shells, cooked to perfection with juicy flesh and no fishy smell. The accompanying dipping sauce was delicious. However, my son and I prefer Western cuisine, so we thought it would have been better to order one grilled prawn and another one baked with cheese or some kind of sauce. But we didn't think of it at the time, which is a pity.

The tom yum soup was incredibly flavorful and satisfying, on par with the stir-fried morning glory that my father enjoys. Despite being quite full, the deliciousness of the meal made the large pot of rice disappear quickly.

The price of this meal was reasonable. Two prawns cost 1,500 baht, a pot of plain rice (unknown quantity), seafood tom yum, stir-fried morning glory, stir-fried seafood with holy basil for the driver, and coconut water. The total cost was 2,200 baht, which was not expensive considering everything was consumed.

Specifications

ต้นน้ำริเวอร์วิว Restaurant

Located at 26 Moo 6, Building, near Bang Pa-In Palace, Bang Len Subdistrict, Bang Pa-In District, Ayutthaya 13160, Thailand. Phone: 035261006, 035262398.

Directions to Ton Nam Riverview Restaurant

From Bangkok, drive straight until you reach Bang Pa-In Royal Palace. After approximately 300 meters, you will see the Ton Nam River View Restaurant on your left-hand side. There is a clear sign indicating the restaurant's location. It is situated near Bang Pa-In Royal Palace in Ayutthaya Province. The entrance features a small Lotus's store. Drive straight to the end of the road.

Must-try dish: River prawns