Boon Tong Kiat

440/5 in front of Thonglor Soi 16, Bangkok, 02-390-2508. Open daily 10am-10pm.
Who couldn’t love this place, and not just because it offers a pocket friendly meal in a pricey neighborhood. It’s more that their khao mun gai (B65) comes with lovely, fatty rice and no less than three different types of sauce to choose from (sour sauce made with garlic and lime, shredded ginger and salt, and soy bean curd). Plus, for added authenticity, the owner claims that the recipe was taught to him by a Singaporean chef. Note: their khao na ped (rice topped with roasted duck, B79) is also a tasty option.

Jae Aoun

Bangkaen Market, Sena Soi 1, Bangkok, 089-771-2145. Open daily 23 hrs (closed 4-5pm).
One of the most talked about khao mun gai spots in town due to more than just the ten big fat chickens lining the glass display cabinet and its almost all-day opening hours. Jae Aoun offers some decent khao mun gai—think tender chicken (their fried chicken is also lovely), well-steamed rice and perhaps the most succulent and aromatic sauce in town.

Kuan Ah

884/9 Rama 3 Rd., Bangkok, 02-682-7747-8. Open daily 10am-10pm.
Kuan Ah has been in the chicken business for more than 60 years, starting out as a food stall in Bangrak Market. After all that time, their chicken (B700 for a whole bird, B350 for a half) remains top-notch. The meat is tender and a far cry from the grainy, texture-less mass-produced chicken that is the norm these days. It has flavor, a taste that is satisfying and is perfectly cooked the old-fashioned way: slowly. And you get a good view of the river, too.

Khao Mun Gai 888

588/41, in front of Pattanakarn Soi 50, Bangkok, 02-722-7286, 081-722-6486. Open daily 7am-11pm.
The khao mun gai (B40) at this simple shop-house is wonderfully silky and really melts in the mouth, while the chicken offal that comes with it has a pleasant aroma and is perfectly cooked. The owners tell us that they take the accompanying soy bean sauce very seriously and claim it’s more full-flavored than most. They also do a lovely, moist fried chicken rice (B40).

Mongkhon Wattana

Near Paolo Memorial Hospital, 670/6 Phahonyothin Rd., Bangkok, 02-270-1107. BTS Saphan Khwai. Open daily 8am-7pm, except for the last Wed of every month.
This restaurant has been around for more than 30 years and in that time its walls have been completely covered over with certificates singing the praises of their khao mun gai (B40)—all well-deserved in our humble opinion. Well-steamed rice and a tasty yellow soybean sauce with chili and ginger are the major highlights here, though the beef and fried chicken noodles (B40) are pretty good, too.

Nai-Thong

983/20, Soi Sathupradit 58, Sathupradit Rd., Yannawa, Bangkok, 02-682-4253. Open daily 7am-2:30pm, except for the second and fourth Mon of every month.
This eatery is extremely popular, with crowds regularly packing out its two floors. Besides the aromatic rice in the khao mun gai (B30), we also love the tender chicken liver (B40) and the fragrant soup, which is a nice change from the usual peppery broth—made with fermented lemon, it goes perfectly with the chicken and is also a great throat soother during the current rainy season.

What’s New:

- Side airbags
- More precise Motion Adaptive Electric Power Steering System.
- “Intelligent Multi-Information Display (i-MID)” screen on the dashboard.
- “Eco assists” to reduce fuel consumption both by coaching the driver and controlling the engine.
- Automatic high-beam lights that turn off when there’s oncoming traffic.
- Bluetooth and the ability to answer your phone from a button on the steering wheel.
- One push ignition system.
- First Honda to support E85 fuel.

Top Gear:

- With a new rear suspension strut bar, the new Honda Civic feels steady even when going over 130 km/hr.
- The Motion Adaptive Electric Power Steering System is precise and steady, making you feel like you’re driving a mid-sized European sedan.
- Even with the 16-valve SOHC engine, the new Civic is very fuel efficient, and thanks to its compatibility with the E85 fuel, its consumption is 11 km/l compared to the 15.2 km/l when using Benzene 91
- The newly-designed console and i-MID allows for easier access to the car’s functions.

Stuck in Neutral:

- The material on the dashboard looks a bit cheap.
- Eco drive assist is not so convincing in its ability to make you a more fuel-efficient driver.
- The gear stick is too high making it uncomfortable when resting your arm on the armrest.
- A bit sluggish when it comes to acceleration (push the pedal, wait, car accelerates).

Verdict: The new Civic feels more like a family sedan than a sporty runabout. The newly added functions like i-MID and improved handling and suspension system make it interesting enough and noticeably different from the last model. But acceleration does keep you waiting a bit. If you’re a family man keen on saving fuel, though, the Civic makes for a solid option. From B773,000 up to B1.12 million. www.honda.co.th