K. Panich Sticky Rice — Restaurant in Sao Chingcha Subdistrict

Update Isaan: As I sit on 2 May 2023 in Ban Kok Chaiyaphum eating mango sticky rice during the heart of Mam̀wng season I thought of Kor Panit's mango sticky rice. It is good, but not as good as what I'm eating now. 3 mangoes and 2 bags of sticky rice with coconut milk came to a grand total of ฿57 at the Ban Kok night market. How sweet it is when your Thai lady knows everyone. Kor Panit's review: The recipe, so the legend goes, originated in the Royal Palace, via the owners mother in-law who cooked in the palace kitchen 90 years ago. It's listed in the Michelin Bib Gourmand Bangkok. The place is spotless.The sticky rice is a special variety grown in Chiang Rai. Chiang Rai is a cool place worth an extended visit, especially if your planning on going to Chiang Mai. This is very good mango sticky rice, especially since it's December, and mango season runs from late March to July. I arrived at about 6pm on a Tuesday. Zero wait time. The mango was perfectly ripe. I believe it's Nam Dok Mai mango. @125฿ is it more than twice as good as, say, the mango sticky rice I buy at an old grandmother's sticky rice stall in the market near Udom Suk BTS station for 50฿? Or the best, and cheap mango sticky rice I ever had, at Ban Kok, Chatturat, Chaiyaphum, at the municipal market 200 meters from my apartment, during mango season? No. But it's an excellent, high quality product. The Kor Panish mango sticky rice comes with a small packet of toasted mung beans, and a little cup of salty sweet coconut milk. The Udom Suk version has the coconut milk, but doesn't have the mung beans, instead it has a bit of purple sticky rice that compliments to color of the mango prefectly. I don't really care that much for the beans. The crunchy beans, IMO, take away from the smooth textural experience of a perfectly ripe, tender, smooth, fragrant, sweet, mango. Definitely try Kor Panish mango sticky rice. It'll serve as a good product to compare other vendors versions with, and when you see mango sticky rice at the airport for ฿190 you can pass by with the satisfaction of knowing you had one of the consistently best versions at a much better price. I know mangoes pretty well for a farang. I've suffered an embarrassment of mangos during mango season in the village. Thai friends and neighbors gave me more mangoes than I could eat, and I had to throw some out when they passed their prime. To ease my embarrassed conscious I threw them under the row of banana trees to at least recycle...

I visited K Panich, a well-known spot in Bangkok that’s proudly listed in the Michelin Guide from 2019 to 2025 — specifically for their mango sticky rice. As a vegetarian and dessert lover, I was genuinely excited to try this Thai classic in its “best” form.

The Experience:

Sadly, the experience didn’t live up to the hype. Here’s an honest breakdown:

🍚 Sticky Rice: The core element was surprisingly bland. It lacked the rich, slightly sweet coconut flavor that makes mango sticky rice so addictive. Texture-wise, it was alright — soft but not aromatic or creamy as expected.

🥭 Mango: This was the biggest letdown. Instead of the sweet, juicy mangoes Thailand is famous for, we were served sour slices that were almost inedible. We actually couldn’t finish it.

🍽️ Portion Size: Very small. For 139 THB, you’d expect a more generous helping — but the serving looked more like a sample than a dish.

The Michelin Label: It’s undoubtedly impressive that they’ve been listed in the Michelin Guide for several years, but based on my visit, it seems they may be resting on their past reputation. Maybe we caught them on a bad day, but consistency matters, especially when it’s Michelin recommended.

⸻

I wanted to love it, but it didn’t deliver. With the hype and pricing, I expected a memorable dish, but instead walked away disappointed.

Would I return? Probably not. There are many smaller, lesser-known places in Bangkok that serve more flavorful and satisfying mango sticky rice for a...

K. Panich Sticky Rice – A Delightful Bangkok Experience

K. Panich Sticky Rice is a charming spot in Bangkok that offers a unique dining setup split across both sides of the street. On one side, you can place your order and find limited seating for a quick bite. On the opposite side, there’s a larger seating area where you can relax and enjoy your food.

One highlight of the experience is the variety of options. On the ordering side, you can indulge in specialties like the mango sticky rice priced at 130 baht (approximately 3/4 euros). Across the street, they offer freshly prepared drinks, including mango and coconut shakes, for just 40–60 baht (approximately 1/1.5 euros). The freshness and care put into making each item are evident and elevate the experience.

The sticky rice with mango is undoubtedly the thing to eat there star. Served with half a mango, sticky rice, and a drizzle of rich coconut cream, it’s a flavorful and satisfying dessert. The service is impressively quick—our order arrived in just two to three minutes.

The atmosphere is welcoming, though it seems to attract more tourists than locals, with many Thai customers opting for takeout. Regardless, the quality of the food and the friendliness of the staff make it worth visiting.

Overall, K. Panich Sticky Rice offers a delightful blend of authentic flavors, affordable pricing, and efficient service, making it a must-visit for...