Cabbages and Condoms, two most unrelated items are put together in the naming of a restaurant – the Cabbages and Condoms Restaurant in Bangkok. The restaurant is run by a non profit organization – Population and Community Development Association (PDA) which focuses on family planning and AIDS/HIV prevention with Mechai Viravaidya as the mastermind behind the organization, who is also dubbed as the condom king.
The mannequins displayed around the restaurants are dressed in flashy colored condoms, making bold fashion statements with a cause. Who would have thought condoms could be so versatile where they can be used to make cop uniforms, traditional Thai dresses,
hip hop clothing,
football jerseys,
and even wedding gowns ? These mannequins definitely make an unforgettable visual statement about family planning!
The lights in the hallways are made of condoms as well.
Various “safety” posters are displayed in the restaurant.
When we went to the restaurant, it was packed because the al fresco dining area was unavailable due to rain. No worries though because we had fun waiting at The Captain Condom Bar.
Lots of condom items here too like the condom ship and condom lamp.
The al fresco dining area would have been lovely but it was still wet from the rain so we ate indoors.
Cabbages and Condoms’ menu offers traditional Thai food and it’s written on the menu that “Our Food is Garuanteed Not To Cause Pregnancy”, pretty witty way of raising awareness in family planning which makes you chuckle !
The appetizer “Mileng Khum” (120 Baht)is one of Cabbages & Condoms’ signature dish and it is also something that I don’t see in a typical Thai restaurant. The dish is an ancient dish that is beautifully presented where dried shrimps, deep fried coconut bits, roasted ginger, peanuts, and lemon are to be wrapped up in betel leaves; and you experience different levels of aromatic crunchiness with a tangy zest.
We ordered a variation of the pad thai, where the noodles came wrapped in a thin layer of egg omelette – the Phad Thai Gun Sod (150 Baht). The dish was not spicy at all, not really what I was expecting but the chewy noodles kept everyone happy.
The deep fried pork (170 Baht) was jerky-like with the white sesame seeds adding a faint nutty flavor to the dish.
The Tom Yum soup (200 Baht) was definitely our most ordered dish during our time in Bangkok and they never failed to disappoint with the addictive combination of herbs and spices. The Tom Yum soup at Cabbages & Condoms was extra creamy and rich with the additional splash of coconut milk.
Our simple glass noodle with stir fried vegetable (120 Baht).
The restaurant really has done an ingenious way of raising awareness about family planning not just in Bangkok but throughout Thailand as they have six other branches in Pattaya, Chiangrai, Saptai and more. From the beginning through the end of dinning experience, from condom costumes to condoms as mint-replacements, I think people will think about family planning in a new light!
The restaurant has a souvenir shop retailing handicrafts made by villagers from rural areas and hilarious souvenirs like 4GB memory d*cks (instead of memory sticks) so it’s worthwhile to check it out for a good laugh!
More Info
Cabbages and Condoms Official Website
Address: 6 Sukhunvit Soi 12, Sukhumvit Road, Khong Toei, Bangkok 10110 Thailand.
Opening Hours: Daily 11am – 10pm
Phone: +99 222 94610
Getting there:
Take the sky train on BTS Sukhumvit Line to Asok Station. Look for Soi 12 and the restaurant is within 5 minutes walk from the station.
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Your blog is cool. But its so annoying and irritating how the “like my FB” thingy keeps popping out after scrolling 2 times. It continues to pop out even after Ive liked it which is really displeasing . Id suggest a banner at the side so that we can make our choices whether to ‘like’ or not instead of forcefully promoting it. Thank u & greetings from Mexico.
Regards,
Jaki Jesselle Brown
Hi Jaki . Thanks for your feedback. I think the setting was by default, so I didn’t realize how it would impact the readers. I’ve changed the setting so that it only pop up once, I hope this would help with your reading experience. Cheers KJ.