It isn’t every day that the two star custodians of Thai soft power join forces, even if only for the duration of a meal in a small restaurant on Maha Chai Road. After all, this was a meeting of world-renowned K-pop star Lalisa ‘Lisa’ Manobal of Blackpink, and Chef Supinya ‘Jay Fai’ Junsuta of the eponymous Michelin-starred street food restaurant Jay Fai. Whilst social media coverage of the encounter has been endearing, we wanted to take things a step further: inspired by her music, what was on the menu for Lisa Blackpink at Jay Fai?
No matter the festive chaos, PM 2.5, or traffic on the way to get there, nothing is quite as heartwarming as watching two incredible icons in their respective fields come together and embrace one another. It’s like when Marvel superheroes from different universes come together, except if one was a record-breaking Thai megastar who performs in Korean, and the other was an 89-year-old female chef who attained the first-ever Michelin star in Thailand for a street food restaurant (and continues to do so, 7 years and counting). The force is strong with these two, and the internet loved to see it.
[Hero and Featured Image Credit: @jayfaibangkok/Instagram]
Jay Fai’s Instagram account is no stranger to the celebrity visit, and on Sunday night the restaurant thanked “Little Miss Sunshine” Lisa and her mother for visiting, and how they managed to “effortlessly illuminate our night.” They even added a twist on the ‘Blackpink in your area’ hashtag by adding “#LisaInMyArea.”
Whilst many were quick to comment on the sweet moment between the two, the foodies in us couldn’t help but wonder: what did Lisa Blackpink eat at Jay Fai? Did she go for the famous dishes? Does she enjoy spicy food? Did she leave with an ultimate food coma?
Naturally, we turned to Lalisa Manobal’s discography for inspiration. Blinks, here’s how you order from Jay Fai next time you manage to get a table, Lisa Blackpink style.
What did Lisa Blackpink eat at Jay Fai? A few ideas
We assume Lalisa dropped some ‘Money’ on the infamous Crab Omelette
It would be a crime to visit Jay Fai and not try her most famous dish. Where Lisa performs on stage with Blackpink and is well-known for her choreography, watching Jay Fai make her crab omelette is also an art form. Into scalding hot oil goes the whisked egg, and famously large chunks of fresh crab meat. On top of it all, the chef too wears a performative outfit to make the dish: protective goggles and a black beanie, to shield her from all that heat.
We hope Jay Fai hit her with that ‘Ddu-du Ddu-du’ Dr-unken Noodle
Thai drunken noodles are a favourite amongst not only the drunk crowd, but also the crowd that prefers to go less mainstream than your classic Pad Thai or Pad See-Ew. At Jay Fai, the Pad Kee Mao Talay comes with generous portions of seafood, chewy rice noodles, and plenty of basil and fresh chilis. Maybe, Lalisa ate this and exclaimed, “Ddu-du Ddu-du Dd-elicious!”
We’re not sure if Lisa Blackpink is a soup person, ‘How You Like That’ Tom Yum?
Tom Yum is a classic Thai staple dish, and whilst many of Jay Fai’s dishes are lesser conventional, her Tom Yum is a popular choice for locals and tourists alike. She even serves it in a dry version. Slightly sour, lightly spicy, and packed with yet another generous portion of prawn, squid, and mushroom, we can’t help but wonder: How You Like That, Lisa?
It’s not quite ‘Pink Venom’ but we have a feeling Lisa Blackpink enjoyed the Yellow Curry with Crab
Blackpink’s Lisa may take a break from pink and opt for yellow at Jay Fai, especially if she went for the yellow curry with crab. Whilst red or green curry often takes the spotlight in Thai cuisine, many locals enjoy yellow curry, with its slightly more fragrant aroma. It is most commonly served with crab, and Jay Fai delivers on that front with massive chunks of crab meat in her rendition. We can imagine the chef presenting it and saying, “Lalisa love me!”
Lastly, perhaps Lisa said ‘Kill This Love’ and opted for the famous Jay Fai Dry Congee over regular congee
Whilst regular congee is easily found all over Bangkok, dry congee is a lesser known version of the popular breakfast and late-night dish. Here, the rice porridge is served ‘dry,’ accompanied by seafood if you like, and topped with the classic ginger and scallion garnish. Unconvetional, but so satisfying. When at Jay Fai, right, Lisa?
Jay Fai, 327 Maha Chai Road, Phra Nakhon, Bangkok. Open 9am-7.30pm Wed-Sat. Walk-in only.