Ruenton at the Montien Hotel Bangkok has one of the most famous renditions of “khao mun gai” (Hainanese chicken rice) in Bangkok. More expensive than those one gets in the streets, this luxe hotel rendition nevertheless truly delivers on quality and taste - as it has been doing for more than 40 years now.
Address
Ruenton Coffeeshop, Montien Hotel Bangkok
54 Surawongse Road, Bangkok 10500, Thailand
Tel: +662233-7060, +662234-8060
Operating hours: 24 hours, but its famous “khao mun gai” is only available from 11am to 10.30pm, daily.
They have a dish of thick, dark soysauce; dark soysauce mixed with minced ginger; dark soysauce mixed with cut red chillis; and one with fermented soybeans (“tau cheo”) mixed with chillis and ginger.
The last dip is typical of Thailand’s Hainanese chicken rice, and not used in Singapore or Malaysia.
Yes, indeed. But, somehow, the Thais could not get the texture of the chicken blood jelly right here. They don’t have chicken livers, gizzards or intestines, though - something I need to have for my chicken rice meal. Oh well.
That said, I’m told that Montien Hotel Group got their legendary Hainanese chicken rice recipe from Singapore nearly 50 years ago.
Back to Ruenton again this evening - so good to be back after 7 long years. The whole place looked rejuvenated - it was re-opened in Dec 2020 after an 18-month renovation.
𝗥𝘂𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗼𝗻’s claim-to-fame, of course, is its 𝘬𝘩𝘢𝘰 𝘮𝘢𝘯 𝘨𝘢𝘪 (Hainanese-style chicken rice), which it has been doing to wide-acclaim for over 40 years now. That was the first thing we ordered: 𝙆𝙝𝙖𝙤 𝙢𝙖𝙣 𝙜𝙖𝙞 - Hainanese-style poached chicken and chicken blood pudding, served with fragrant, chicken stock-infused rice, a chicken-daikon consomme, and accompanying sauces: taucheo, garlic, sweet dark soy sauce and spicy-salty soy sauce.
What a beautiful setting! And the food looks outstanding! The odd thing is that despite the setting, to me the food looks like it came from a very well run Mom and Pop restaurant, a hawker stall or street vendor. When I hear Khao Man Gai, I think Sui Heng. It would be very nice to try that dish in a venue like Ruenton!
The sad thing that stood out to me was the quote below:
Can you imagine being 9 months into a renovation and having Covid hit you in the chops? Ouch.
𝙆𝙝𝙖𝙤 𝙢𝙖𝙣 𝙜𝙖𝙞 - Hainanese-style poached chicken and chicken blood pudding, served with fragrant, chicken stock-infused rice, a chicken-daikon consomme, and accompanying sauces: taucheo, garlic, sweet dark soy sauce and spicy-salty soy sauce.
