Right in the middle of Yeongdong Market there’s a Thai restaurant called Banpichai. I’d tried a few times before, but it was always closed and I never got in. It seems to have settled down lately, even opening a branch, so I finally went.

Appetizer

They said it was slipper lobster, but there wasn’t all that much to eat on it.

Beer

I think it was San Miguel Negra; we ordered it by the pitcher. The drinks list was surprisingly wide. I never imagined a Thai restaurant that also carries Korean traditional liquor.

Som tam and gai tod

The seasoning was on the strong side. Still, I enjoyed it.

Tom yum goong sampler

There’s a sampler for 9,000 won, and the portion is pretty decent. Maybe it’s a menu aimed at couples on a date… there really were a lot of couples there.

Overall it’s a decent Thai restaurant, though Tuk Tuk Noodle Thai is more to my taste. But Tuk Tuk is hard to book and it’s in Yeonnam-dong, so if you’re in Gangnam, this place is a fine choice.

Inside Yeongdong Market

The interior had changed completely in just a few months. Quite a surprise.

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