Thai restaurant 'Songkran' can be the good choice when you lose your appetite.

Usually, Mexican, Italian, and Thai food are called as the world’s three best foods. 
The idea seems to be too subjective, but I think it does not need to be judged by Internet balloting like when the Ten Wonders of the World were selected. 
Besides, there are many kinds of cuisine in the world like Chinese, French, Japanese, Arab cuisine. 

Among them, the hottest national dishes may be Thai food and Mexican food these days.
There may be one or two Thai restaurants in each region, and ‘Songkran’ near Hong dae (Hongik University) attracted me by its special name. 
Songkran is the Thai festival of New Years Day, and it means bringing peace and a good luck by spraying water on to each other. 

It may be similar to Jwibulnori - a Korean traditional game - during the first full moon of a year.
Anyway, it was not easy for us to find the restaurant. 
The address or the map shown on the Internet was almost entirely incorrect, and the restaurant’s sign was invisible on the main street. 

On the entrance of the restaurant (we found hard), there was a picture that expresses the restaurant. 
The restaurant’s structure looked like a narrow alley, so it made us find the restaurant hard. 
The sign ‘the distance to Thailand is 3,781Km’ looked interesting. 

Nevertheless, when we entered the restaurant, we found that the kitchen looked bigger than the dining place in which there are tables. 
Passing the kitchen, we found the inside looked like letter 'L'.
I thought the restaurant was superior in interior space utilization and the restaurant was cooler than the outside as well as looked cozier.

On one side of the wall, there were the pictures taken when the owner traveled Thailand. There were three tables of Korean style.
Soon, the menu was brought, and we hesitated to choose the food. Then, the owner recommended Phat Thai, Nasi Goreng, Rice Noodle Salad, and Spring Roll. 
Phat Thai is Thai fried noodles, Nasi Goreng is Indonesian fried rice; Rice Noodle Salad is the mixture of Rice Noodle and Salad. 

Additionally, the special thing was a plastic bag that was given instead of a cup when we ordered the beverages. 
It is similar to the way to put a straw in a plastic bag when Central Americans drink beverages.

In Central America, the empty bottle is expensive, especially for their income level, and they have to pay for the empty bottle when they want to bring it to home. 
Like that, we should pay only for the beverage, and return the bottle. At this time, the beverage, like Coke, should not be poured into a cup but into a plastic bag. 

Rice Noodle Salad was first served. 
From when we ordered, the owner looked worried and might think ‘it would not be to your taste...'
The colors of shrimps, vegetables, and white rice noodle harmonized with each other. 

I thought Thai salted fish might be used in the food. 
The food was plain, salty, and also spicy. It had a special flavor. 
The chewy squid and crispy bell pepper were harmonious.

The second dish was Phat Thai, the fried knife-cut noodle. 
Adding various vegetables, including bean sprouts, the noodles, such as knife-cut noodle, were fried with soy sauce. 
It reminded me of Chinese Chow Mein.

In addition, there was Spring Roll we can often see in Chinese restaurants. 
Fried Spring Roll with sweet red sauce is the food, which frequently appears in Asian restaurants. 

The last one was the fried rice named Nasi Goreng 
It is the fried rice, putting a fried egg, with cucumbers and tomatoes.
The special thing was that this restaurant served shrimp flavored chips with Nasi Goreng, but I think Thai snacks would be served with Nasi Goreng in Thailand. 

Their cuisine is not actual Thai-style as the owner said, but you can enjoy the calm and cozy interior as well as choose the dish that makes you feel Thailand. Then, you may have a good experience in seeing Thai food. 
Especially, the dish, like Rice Noodle Salad, was the dish that smelled of salted fish and exotic.  
Above all, one word that the owner said was enough to give a good image to the customers.

'We have regular customers. However, the regular customers do not frequently visit us (with a laugh).’

The owner as well as the cook opened this Thai restaurant because he had loved South-East Asia so much, especially Thailand. 
The restaurant shows the pictures taken by the owner himself as well as acts as a reception room that provides a variety of books. 
The problem is finding the way to the restaurant. 

You can take exit 9 of Hongik University Station on the Seoul Subway Line no. 2, go up Hongik University Street, and then find the dead-end street about 200 meters. 

After that, head for the way to Mapo Lifelong Learning Center. 
On the spot, if you encounter Daewoo Prugio, go up the slope.  
If you climb up the slope for about 100m, you can see Chereville Gositel. 
Then, turn left and go along Mapo Lifelong Learning Center about 100m. Finally, Songkran can be found.

When you lose your appetite and become lethargic by rainy season and hot weather, you can stimulate your appetite with help of simple Thai food. 
Its interior design is special and it is the cozy place that enables you to have a meal on Korean-style floor. 
Rice Noodle Salad can be customized as you order, like putting more vegetables, more noodles, or so. 

Address: 342-16 Seogyo-dong Mapo-gu, Seoul