Let's explore a popular single-dish restaurant beloved by workers and government officials in Phitsanulok: "Aunt Kai's Braised Beef Rice." Open for over two decades, it offers great value and flavors so well-liked that its signature dish sells out daily.
Aunt Kai's Braised Beef Rice is located behind Phitsanulok City Hall and is well-known for its delicious food and affordable prices. The highlight and must-try dish is the braised beef rice.
The secret recipe for the braised beef comes from Prakai Ubkham, or “Aunt Kai,” who revealed, "This dish uses shank meat simmered for more than three hours until tender and melt-in-your-mouth soft." Every day, about 3 kilograms of braised beef are prepared, a favorite regularly requested by loyal customers and always sold out.
Besides the braised beef, the restaurant offers a variety of single-dish meals and rice with curry options to keep customers interested, such as stewed pork leg rice, Hainanese chicken rice, fried chicken rice, braised pork rice, crispy pork rice, as well as dishes like Panang curry, stir-fried basil, and fried eggs.
Aunt Kai's restaurant has been operating since 1999—over 26 years—consistently maintaining quality and value with friendly prices: one curry dish with rice costs only 40 baht, and two curry dishes cost 45 baht. They also serve complimentary hot chicken broth, seafood dipping sauce, and fried garlic daily.
The restaurant opens early, around 07:00, until about 14:00, Monday through Saturday. Most customers are government officials and employees from the city hall and nearby agencies who come to enjoy the meals from morning onward.