Chercher Seafood - Mouthwatering Crab Pad Pong Karee by the Beach in Rayong
Chercher is famous for their Crab Pad Pong Karee, a classic dish served in seafood restaurants across Thailand
On one of my bi-weekly visits to see my long distanced girlfriend at Rayong, we went to Chercher seafood, a rather large seafood restaurant situated on right on the Laem Charoen beachfront. If you are a seafood lover and are happening to be in Rayong there is no better place than Chercher seafood. No joke, they serve the most mouthwatering plate of Crab Pad Pong Karee I have ever had in my life.
So what are you waiting for? Join me as we feast at Chercher seafood restaurant.
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Great Seafood by the Rayong Beachfront
We had some difficulty finding seats because most tables were already reserved
While not as popular as Pattaya, Rayong is still a wonderful little beachside city that is famous for 2 things, it’s delicious fruits (especially durian), and it’s fresh seafood. Being just a mere 60km away from Pattaya, you could easily take a day trip to Rayong and come to Chercher to taste the fresh seafood yourself.
To save you a bit of money on your travel, I recommend you take the convenient and comfortable public bus, a one way trip will cost you only 150 THB and the journey will only take 40 minutes.
Alright, once you arrive at Chercher seafood restaurant, the first thing you will absolutely nice is the army of lounge style seating that they have on full open air display. Chercher restaurant is built in 2 layers, the bottom contains the lounge seats, while the top layer are boring normal style dining tables, but they do come with the added benefit of a better view.
We’ve chosen the lounge seats of course, feasting on delectable seafood while enjoying the salty ocean breeze while also sitting on large fluffy pillows? Yes please!
Chercher Seafood Restaurant Menu
Just close your eyes and point, I guarantee you that whatever you just ordered, you won’t be dissapointed
Chercher seafood’s restaurant menu is massive, every single sea creature cooked in every possible way, every single Thai seafood delicacy you could’ve ever imagined is right here in this little book of wonders.
There are all types of food preparations for all types of sea creatures available:
Boiled / Steamed
Stir Fried
Fried
Soups
Salads
There is just wayyyy too much to cover and explain so I’ll give you a brief overview of some of their signature dishes and recommendations:
Stir Fried Prawns on Egg Noodles with Tamarind Sauce (Signature dish)
Thai Sweet and Sour Soup with Giant Catfish Roe
Deep Fried Seabass with Thai Herb Sauce
Stir Fried Crab with Curry Power (Pad Pong Karee, my beloved)
Crispy Shrimp with Sweet Sauce
Deep Fried Sand Whiting Fish with Garlic
Pricing
You’d expect that with the freshest seafood, the cost will be insanely high, well that is partly true. The price is quite a bit more expensive compared other places, expect to pay 200+ THB for basic dishes like deep fried shrimp cakes, and around 350+ THB for more elaborate sea creatures like crab or squid based dishes.
However, the high pricing is negated by the fact that the portions are massive, a plate of stir fry is enough to feed 2-3 people! And they don’t skimp on the amount of seafood either. It’s fair to say that the price is completely fair and justified. Although you do sometimes see stickers with the new price covering some of the menu items which are a bit cheeky.
Squid Stir Fried in Salted Egg Yolk Sauce
You have to cut these pieces of squid into smaller bites, they are huge
Pla Meuk Pad Kai Kem (ปลาหมึกผัดไข่เค็ม) is my go to dish whenever I dine at a seafood restaurant in Thailand. At Chercher seafood, huge cuts of tender squid are thrown into a sizzling wok and is then stir fried with a rich and salty egg yolk sauce, throw in some vegetables and onions to add a dimension of sweetness and you got yourself the absolute best way to eat squid.
Aside from calamari, nothing can beat calamari.
If you’ve never had Meuk Pad Kai Kem before then you are missing out, don’t let the salted egg yolk discourage you, pair this dish with a side of rice and your first bite will fill your tastebuds with enough umami to make Gordon Ramsey call himself a donkey for never having tried this dish before.
If you happen to be in Pattaya, another great place to try this dish is at Koh Larn at Nong Riaw Restaurant, the best seafood restaurant on the island. If you are planning a day (or two) trip to Koh Larn then I have this handy Koh Larn Travel Guide written up for you.
Gaeng Som with Lotus Shoots and Prawns
Never had lotus root before? They’re sort of like bamboo shoots but more firm and fibrous
A Thai feast isn’t complete without some kind of hot soup, Gaeng Som (แกงส้ม) is… not my personal favorite Thai dish but I do appreciate it for what it is. It is however, one of my girlfriend’s favorite things to order.
We ordered Chercher’s gaeng som with giant prawns and lotus shoots, even I have to admit that this dish looks mouthwatering.
I took a sip of the soup and it was very sweet, Gaeng som is a sweet dish but this was way sweeter than normal for this dish, not very spicy either. However the prawns were fresh and the lotus shoots provided a nice crunchy textural contrast and sourness to the soup.
I later discovered that Rayongians(?) love sweetness, literally everything I ate on my subsequent trips to Rayong was strangely sweet, even a spicy Chinese Mala hotpot was sweet for some reason. I guess this Gaeng some was a victim of that phenomena.
Clams Pad Cha Sizzling Stir Fry
Look at all the herbs and spices packed into those clams, get ready for a flavor explosion
Hoi Lai Pad Cha (หอยลายผัดฉ่า) is a classic Thai seafood dish that you will find on almost every table at a seafood restaurant, Chercher is no exception.
Clams are tossed in wok and stir fried on sizzling high heat with basil, Thai eggplants, ginger, kaffir lime leaves, and various other herbs and sauces. The result a beautiful amalgamation of salty, sweet, and of course, umami.
Be sure to eat Pad Cha with rice as you’ll need it to soak up all that incredible Pad Cha sauce.
Crab Stir Fried in Yellow Curry Powder
Do me a favor and order this dish when you come to chercher, if you don’t like it you can leave a comment below to complain
Alright guys, we are finally at the highlight of this wonderful Chercher Thai Seafood feast, the Crab Pad Pong Karee (ปูผัดผงกะหรี่), my favorite Thai seafood dish.
And I love Chercher seafood’s version even more as they use meaty crab nuggets rather than full pieces of crab with the shell. Some people enjoy the primal feeling of wrestling with the crab shell but that’s just not my thing.
What’s not to love? Juicy chunks of crab stir fried with eggs, onions, green onions, and that flavor packed curry powder. This is a dish that you must pair with rice.
It’s a flavor explosion in our mouth, if cozy and comforting was a taste profile, then Pad Pong Karee is exactly that. And I love the little bits of onion and green onion in there, it gives the dish a fresh aromatic flavor.
This is a dish that I highly recommend, you must get Crab Pad Pong Karee when you come to Chercher Seafood Restaurant.
Conclusion
Pros
Great beach-side atmosphere, enjoy the ocean view and breeze with the lounge seating.
The portions are massive and they give you a lot of seafood, well worth the price.
Everything tasted incredible, with the exception of the Gaeng Som which can be too sweet for some. Fresh seafood and quality ingredients.
A large menu means that you can find everything and anything seafood related to satisfy your cravings.
Cons
The restaurant is often packed, so booking needs to be made in advance, especially for the outdoor lounge seats.
Overall I totally recommend you come to Chercher Seafood restaurant whenever you are looking for the best seafood in Rayong. The atmosphere is great, the food portions were massive, and everything tasted delicious.
The only downside is that you’ll need to make a reservation if you are planning to dine in the evening as the restaurant is often full.
Chercher Seafood Restaurant was a beautiful place for me and my partner to reconnect while we are in our long distance relationship, beautiful vibes, beautiful food, and beautiful company. What’s not to love?
Chercher Seafood Restaurant | 9 / 10
Phone: +66 062 862 4288
Location: M757+V87 ถนน เลียบชายฝั่ง Tambon Pak Nam, Mueang Rayong District, Rayong 21000
Opening Hours: 11:00AM - 11:00PM | Mon - Sun
Pricing: 200 - 400 THB | $$$
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