Dalad - Vietnamese Cuisine on Soi Aree

Some cuisine lends itself quite easily to a vegetarian menu. Vietnamese food, which gets its great flavor from fresh herbs, vegetables, and well-balanced sauces, makes a perfect meat-free meal.

by Julia Chinnock

A wonderful little eatery called Dalad Vietnamese Restaurant sits in the heart of Soi Aree and boasts a well-rounded vegetarian-friendly menu.

Dalad Puthasangkarach, who also goes by the name Pang, opened her restaurant less than a year ago, and already enjoys a loyal following of regulars. At lunch, office workers from the area enjoy a leisurely lunch and in the evenings neighborhood residents fill the indoor dining area and outdoor, patio seating.

For Bangkokians who do not reside or work in Aree, Dalad is well worth the trip-- it is a short walk from the BTS and offers up some fresh and tasty dishes. It is a perfect date-night choice or place to gather with a group of friends. Both the food and the atmosphere of Dalad are romantic and simple and reflect Pang’s warmth, personality, charm and commitment to a healthy lifestyle.

Pang explained that she truly loves to cook and her inspiration comes from her love of Vietnamese food and culture, though she adds her own touch by carefully adapting her menu to accommodate the tastes of her customers (notably her vegetarian customers) and the availability of local, fresh, seasonal ingredients. She does import some of her sauces from Vietnam, but she has produce delivered to the restaurant on a daily basis, fresh from the garden.

Dalad offers a variety of vegetarian items, mostly traditional Vietnamese dishes that Dalad and her kitchen staff have adapted for their vegetarian customers. Most notable are the Kanom Bueng, the Bee-bun, the salad Saigon, the yam Labua. The Peak Yuan and Pakmor are especially fresh and delicious. What about the Pho, you ask? Dalad makes a special meatless broth that is perfectly seasoned and balanced, and is wonderfully slurpable and filling.

Two small touches stand out as examples of Dalad’s understanding of vegetarians- first, the tofu is nicely seasoned with fresh black pepper and second is the fact that dishes that are usually accompanied by fish sauce, when ordered vegetarian, come with soy-sauce instead. Each meal is served with a beautiful bouquet of herbs, including mint, cilantro, parsley and basil.

To accompany any meal, Pang recommends one of her refreshing fruit juice sodas- a mix of soda water, ice and fresh fruit juice garnished with a sprig of mint. The apple and lemon are especially invigorating—not too sweet and delightfully tangy. The Vietnamese coffee is a delightful way to cap-off a meal, served in the traditional way—a single serving with a generous pour of sweetened condensed milk, it’s coffee and desert all in one.

Dalad is open everyday from 11am until 10 pm. They have over 20 vegetarian dishes and also offer home delivery (which Pang often does herself- on her bicycle). Prices are extremely reasonable, averaging about 70 baht per dish. 200 baht corkage fee.

Dalad is located at 36/9 Phaholyothin 7 (Soi Aree) Phaholyothin Road, Payathai, Bangkok. For more information, or reservations call: 02-271-2109