Phed Mark is by far the best Pad Grapow we’ve had in Bangkok. Here’s what to expect, and the best times to go to avoid the crowd.
Pad Kaprao (in fact, it’s actually ga-phrow) is the nation’s comfort food, the thing you eat when you’re hungover, heartbroken, or just alive and hungry. Phed Mark, the restaurant opened by the internet’s most enthusiastic eater, Mark Wiens, is here to take that beloved dish and crank the spice dial all the way to “why is this happening to me.”
Located just under the Ekkamai BTS station in Bangkok, this tiny restaurant has built a serious reputation and a serious queue. Is it worth the hype? Let’s get into it.
Who Is Mark Wiens (And Why Does He Have a Restaurant)?
https://www.instagram.com/migrationology
If you’ve spent any time on food YouTube, you know Mark Wiens. The man has nearly 10 million subscribers, an impossibly expressive face, and a catchphrase “mai phed mai kin” (not eating it if it ain’t spicy) that doubles as a personal philosophy. He’s been eating his way around the world for years from his base in Bangkok, and Phed Mark is essentially the physical manifestation of everything he’s learned along the way.
The name itself is a bilingual pun: เผ็ดมาก in Thai means “very spicy,” but swap in the owner’s name and you get “Spicy Mark.” It’s the kind of joke that’s either very clever or very Dad, depending on your mood. I respect it either way.
The Restaurant
Small. Very small. Cramped, even. The windows do a decent job of making it feel less like a shoebox, but don’t let that fool you. During lunch hours, this place is packed wall-to-wall with dine-in customers and delivery drivers. The queues are amazingly long. Bring patience, or at least a good fan to keep cool while sitting outside till your turn arrives.
The location is genuinely convenient, though, a short walk from Ekkamai BTS, right next to the Bangkok Planetarium. Easy to find, easy to get to, slightly harder to actually sit down in.
What to expect at Phed Mark
The menu at Phed Mark is short and to the point: it’s Pad Kaprao. That’s it. But within that one dish, there’s a solid amount of customisation.
Pick your protein option:
- Pork — 129 THB
- Sour Pork (fermented Isaan-style) — 159 THB (we love this!)
- Squid — 169 THB
- Beef — 159 THB
- Wagyu — 249 THB
- Wagyu Shank — 259 THB
- Vegetarian (Tofu) — 109 THB
Every order comes with a complimentary fried duck egg, and you can add an extra one for 15 THB. You can also ask for the egg to be well done, in the event you’re not a fan of runny yolks.
Spice levels:
- Level 1 — Non Spicy
- Level 2 — Very Less Spicy
- Level 3 — Less Spicy
- Level 4 — Medium Spicy (Recommended)
- Level 5 — VERY SPICY (Phed Mark)
Level 5 is genuinely brutal: we’re talking spicier than the nuclear Korean ramen challenge, and that’s not an exaggeration. It’s the kind of heat that builds slowly, lures you into a false sense of security, and then absolutely destroys you somewhere around the halfway mark (pun not intended).
On pricing: it’s a bit more than what you’d pay at a street stall. That stings a little, but the ingredient quality is noticeably higher, and keeps us going back for more.
The Food at Phed Mark
We’ve worked our way through the fermented sour pork, regular pork, and squid, so we know the menu pretty well at this point.
Here’s the thing about Phed Mark’s pork ga-phrow: it’s dry, and that’s exactly why it works. The minced pork is served without a pool of sauce drowning it, yet every tiny chunk is somehow still juicy and packed with flavour. The meat isn’t trying to be the hero; it’s the vehicle for the spices, and it plays that role perfectly.
The basil leaves are in the same camp, not soggy, not limp, just present and doing their job. This makes the whole dish taste cleaner and more concentrated than your average kaprao.
And here’s something worth knowing before you order: the heat at Phed Mark comes primarily from pepper, not red chillies. The red chillies on the plate look the part, but they’re more decorative than destructive. The spice blend of minced garlic, chilli oil, green chillies, and black peppercorns builds warmth that becomes progressively more peppery as you climb the levels. Level 5 is the real deal, though. Genuinely spicy and not something to order on a dare unless you’re prepared to follow through.
If you’re someone who needs sauce soaking into every grain of rice, this dish will feel unfamiliar at first. The rice here is on the drier side, almost flirting with grainy, but that’s actually the point. Once you break the fried duck egg and that runny yolk slowly works its way down through the mound of rice, everything comes together beautifully.
The Phed Mark Signature: Fried Duck Egg
This deserves its own section. Phed Mark separates the egg whites and yolk before frying; the whites go in first and get perfectly crispy, then the yolk is added back in at the end. The result is a runny, golden yolk sitting on top of a lacy, crunchy white, every single time without fail.
It’s a small touch that makes a big difference. The creamy yolk cutting through the spice and richness of the kaprao is genuinely one of the best bites in Bangkok.
The Verdict
Pros:
- Intense, unapologetically bold flavour
- Customisable protein and spice level for everyone
- Vegetarian option available (rare for this dish)
- The duck egg preparation is genuinely brilliant
- It’s Mark Wiens’ restaurant, which is objectively cool
Cons:
- Tiny space, long wait times (BUT, you can get it via Grab Delivery)
Phed Mark is worth a visit, especially if you’re a spice lover who wants to test your limits in a setting that’s a step up from the pavement. It’s not an everyday Pad Kaprao, it’s a destination Pad Kaprao. Go once, order Level 4 minimum, get the extra egg, and thank me later.
Phed Mark
Location: 300 Sukhumvit Rd, Phra Khanong, Khlong Toei, Bangkok 10110 Phone: +66 83 893 8989 Opening Hours: 10:00 AM – 7:15 PM, Monday – Sunday Pricing: 100 – 250 THB