BANGKOK | Street food spot Jay Fai, named after founder Supinya “Jay Fai” Junsuta, was founded in the 1980s. The focus is on wok-cooked seafood dishes, using top quality market fresh produce. Each dish is cooked to order by the sole cook, Jay Fai.
The place skyrocketed in recognition after receiving a Michelin Star in the 2018 guide, and being the focus of the 2019 Bangkok episode of the Netflix series, “Street Food”. I highly recommend watching it. Jay Fai’s journey is a heartwarming one.
There’s a long wait if you want to eat here. I arrived an hour and a half before opening, and wasn’t eating until almost three hours later. There’s a common thread to the questions I’ve been asked. “Is it actually good?” “Is it worth the price?”, “Is it worth the wait?”, The answer is subjective and a matter of context.
Quality is high and servings are large. Three dishes is more than enough for two. The signature crab omelette is OK by itself The crab is plump and creamy, and batter is perfectly light and crispy. When you add the sauce, the dish transforms. Think a piece of perfectly battered fried fish, pre and post salt, lemon, and tartar sauce. Drunken noodles are great, with wonderful wok hei. Dry congee, my pick of the day, is a textural and flavour delight.
Is it good value? Well how do we value street food? If the quality and effort is there, and demand is such that people are waiting hours for a feed, prices are arguably not high enough. Look at my last Reel, about 100 Mahaseth. That meal was in many ways more interesting than this one. The food at the latter is certainly more unique and innovative. Including drinks, it’s also cheaper.
A meal is never just about the food, however. Eating at Jay Fai, knowing her story, seeing Jay Fai operating dual works simultaneously, goggles protecting her eyes from sparks and flames, is a one-of-a-kin experience. A skilled cook could recreate the recipes with the right training by Jay Fai, but that’s just one piece of the puzzle. Whether that represents worth and value to you, is for you to decide.
Jay Fai
327 Maha Chai Road
Phra Nakhon
Bangkok 10200
Thailand
Telephone: 02 223 9384
E-mail: n/a
Website
Open
Wed – Sat: 9:00am to 9:00pm