Even the Thai princess loves it！ A must-try frog feast when visiting the River Kwai

Text and photos by /Happy Cloud

After arriving in Bangkok, we headed to our destination "River Kwai Bridge." It took us just over two hours by car to reach Kanchanaburi in central Thailand, where the most famous attraction is "River Kwai Bridge." It’s been nearly eighteen years since I last visited—this time around, I wonder how much has changed?? The sunshine and hot wind made the scenery along the way still reminiscent of southern Taiwan, which was indeed my first impression of Thailand, my first impression of this region; just before arriving at the long-missed River Kwai Bridge, it was almost lunchtime, so of course we had to first satisfy our hunger!! Traveling is important, but eating is too; we had to fill up first to have the energy to visit historical sites!!

The restaurant we visited today is nicknamed the “Frog Prince,” and it was previously recommended by the Taiwanese travel show “Foodie Paradise.” According to our guide Ah Nan, the specialty here is “frogs”—specifically, a type of “mountain frog” that’s slightly larger than regular frogs. Why is it famous?? Apparently, it’s because the Thai princess likes it, so the place gained popularity thanks to her endorsement, which then attracted the Taiwanese show “Foodie Paradise” to film here, even specifically requesting to dine at this restaurant. Hahaha, whether a well-known and unique restaurant is necessarily delicious is, of course, a matter of personal opinion!!

The signature dishes here revolve around “frogs,” including garlic-crispy fried frogs, frog soup, spicy basil frogs... and more. At first glance, if you don’t like frogs, doesn’t that mean there’d be nothing to eat?? Hahaha, not at all—there are also vegetables, eggs... and other options to choose from!!

But no matter what, you really have to try it to see how Thailand’s mountain frogs differ!! I remember once drinking frog soup in Taiwan—the whole frog, completely unskinned, totally killed my appetite. I assume the frogs here are skinned?? I’ve also eaten Taiwan’s sanbei frog (three-cup frog), whose frog leg texture is very similar to chicken, even more tender and tastier... Recalling those past experiences in my mind, I looked forward to the dishes about to arrive, curious as to what kind of food could capture the taste buds of the Thai princess??

Here comes the signature dish—garlic-crispy fried frog!! Wow!! The frog itself is barely recognizable, and on the side are crispy fried “frog skins,” which somewhat resemble the fried pork rinds commonly seen on Thai street stalls, hahaha. This entire dish looks perfect paired with ice-cold Thai beer—an absolute drinking snack!!

As tourists, though we didn’t have beer, we definitely had to try a sweet and icy “Thai milk tea”! Wow!! Still delicious!!

There was also frog soup, seasoned with lots of spices, giving it a Thai flavor, and the frogs in the soup tasted like small chicken drumsticks. If you didn’t look closely, you probably wouldn’t even realize it was “frog”!!

Then there was this dish that looked like beef. Upon asking, we learned it was actually “venison,” which puzzled me—I had no idea that Thai people eat deer meat too!! It didn’t taste like meat at all; instead, it was bursting with strong Thai seasonings, almost like the flavor you get at a wild game shop in Taiwan.

In Thailand, it’s easy to find crispy deep-fried fish. The types of fish vary by location and are usually locally sourced. The fish we had today is known locally as the “Ruby Fish.” It’s a fish commonly found in the River Kwai. Perhaps because it’s a freshwater fish that grows in the river, even after being deep-fried and coated in strong seasonings, you can still detect a slight fishy and earthy taste. Hahaha, maybe because I’m used to eating sea fish, I’m never quite used to freshwater fish!!

When traveling in Thailand, you often get to eat scrambled eggs during meals. Though they may look greasy, they’re actually quite tempting—you feel a bit guilty, but you just can’t stop eating them one bite after another!! Today’s scrambled eggs contained some local wild greens, giving off a unique aroma and offering a distinctive flavor. It really gave me that feeling of munching on wild greens by the mountain roadsides back in Taiwan!!

You still need some veggies for a balanced diet, haha!! Today we didn’t have the familiar Thai kale, but there was familiar cabbage. This cabbage had a very hearty feel, different from the Taiwanese version, more similar to the cabbage I ate while living in the UK last year—but with Thai seasonings. Honestly, Taiwanese cabbage still tastes better to me!!

There was also another vegetable that at first glance I thought was the “water spinach” you’d get at a wild game shop, but after our guide Ah Nan explained, I learned it was actually “sunflower sprouts”! Wow!! Who would’ve thought that the familiar sunflower’s sprouts, when they make their way to Thailand—in the River Kwai area—would become a specialty vegetable? So cool!! It has a faint fragrance and a taste similar to pea shoots. Later, during a stroll through the market, I noticed quite a few stalls selling them. Seems like sunflower sprouts are truly a seasonal specialty dish here!!

And of course, there were fruits too!! Thailand’s green papaya is quite different from Taiwan’s—it’s a bit larger and doesn’t have as much juiciness. Sometimes it can taste a bit astringent when you bite into it, but once you dip it in a mix of chili, salt, and sugar powder, the flavor changes completely. That’s the kind of Thai taste that lingers in your memory!! Thailand’s guava seems a bit different from the soft, sweet ones we’re familiar with. When dipped in seasoning powder, the rich Thai flavor is uniquely local. (We used plum powder, but Thailand uses chili powder ccc.) As for pineapples, in Thailand you can usually find ones with a strong pineapple flavor. They might not be as sweet as Taiwan’s Guanmiao pineapples, but they have that childhood pineapple taste!!

Hahaha, such an authentically local flavor. The place had both locals and tourists. Although I still don’t know why the princess likes frogs, the Frog Prince Restaurant (#1'-L -H2H-DI5H) is probably quite a unique dining spot near the River Kwai Bridge!!

................................................................. Food, fun, and adventure—there’s no end to it

Frog Prince Restaurant (#1'-L -H2H-DI5H)
Address: 324, Tambon Nong Khao, Amphoe Tha Muang, Chang Wat Kanchanaburi 71110, Thailand
Phone: 034-586-107, 081-736-5064
Business Hours: 10:00–21:00

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