My Michelin Guide Discovery: The Famous Rama 5 Fried Banana (and Where to Find It!)

In recent months, Golden Place in Rama 9 has become one of my regular grocery stops. It’s a fascinating store, primarily known for carrying Royal Project products, but it actually offers so much more. For instance, Veggie First Cafe, one of my usual spots at The One Bangkok, even has a fresh food stall here, mainly for their excellent salads. But, most importantly, Golden Place is also home to a cluster of intriguing food stalls, and that’s where I made a delightful (and delicious!) discovery.

One day, passing by a particular fried banana stall, I noticed a remarkably long queue of customers. Intrigued, I asked a delivery rider if the food was any good. He shrugged, “No idea, but got a Michelin recognition (ได้มิชลิน), so that probably explains the crowd.” That instantly piqued my interest!

Unpacking the “Michelin” Mystery

The rider’s comment about “Michelin” immediately sent my internal fact-checker into overdrive. Having been corrected about such things before, I always make sure to clarify: is it a Michelin star, or simply a listing in the Michelin Guide?

A quick search for “Fried Banana Rama 5 (กล้วยแขกพระราม5)” confirmed my suspicions, and I even realized I’d come across this name before – specifically, the Nonthaburi branch (on Bang Kruai – Sai Noi Road). I’d seen social media posts raving about that original location and its unique oil-spinning machine. So, it was a delight to finally try it myself at the Golden Place branch, even though this particular outlet doesn’t display any Michelin signage.

My research also revealed another prominent branch at CentralwOrld, on the 7th floor food court. A peek there confirmed the “Michelin 2022/2023/2024/2025” sign prominently displayed! Not only that, further checking revealed their presence at the renowned Or Tor Kor market, and I am pretty sure it’s the very stall I usually frequent, without ever knowing the prestigious reputation that came with it.

It’s a common misconception, but Michelin stars are awarded to specific restaurants, not to chefs or entire restaurant chains. If one location within a chain earns a star, it doesn’t automatically extend to all others. In the case of Fried Banana Rama 5, it has earned a spot in the Michelin Guide with a Bib Gourmand rating. This distinction highlights establishments offering “good quality, good value cooking.” So, to be specific, it’s a Bib Gourmand rating – a well-deserved recognition for their delicious, affordable fried treats. Not quite a star, but most definitely not a consolation prize! This helps effectively dispel any “vague Michelin-starred fried banana” terms often seen online. And, to my understanding, the Bib Gourmand recognition applies broadly to their reputation across branches.

My Delicious Experience

On a subsequent visit to Golden Place in the late morning, before the lunch rush, I seized the opportunity when there were no customers at the stall. I bought a medium-sized portion of their famous fried banana for 60 baht and a small portion of sweet potato balls for 40 baht. (They also offer fried quail eggs, though that’s not quite our kind of thing.)

For those who like variety, a mixed order of fried items is also possible: 50 baht for a small size, and the same price at 60 baht for medium, or 80 baht for a large. This flexibility is great, and a common practice here in Thailand!

While the fried banana was truly excellent – perfectly crispy on the outside and wonderfully sweet within – the sweet potato balls, unfortunately, still didn’t quite hit the mark for my personal preference, especially when compared to the Malaysian version I’m familiar with.

But the fried banana? Absolutely top-notch. I just went back to the Golden Place branch on a weekday just after 12 PM, and found the fried banana tray empty, meaning we got a batch freshly out of the pan! It confirmed what I’d read: they indeed add grated coconut and white sesame to the frying batter. And getting to see their efficient oil draining machine in action was a bonus. It’s a treat I’ll definitely buy again and again! Thumbs up for a truly good fried banana.

A Note on Consistency: Price, Product, and Quality Across Branches (Updated September 2025)

I was excited to learn about a new branch at the recently opened Central Park Bangkok. This location offers more variety, with a bag of fried banana, fried taro, fried potato, or sweet potato balls all costing 60 baht. For those who want to try a bit of everything, a mixed bag is available for 100 baht.

Their presence seems to be expanding, as I also discovered a branch at Central Ladprao recently. Their menu offers 8 pieces for 50 baht (for fried banana, fried potato, or fried taro) and 15 pieces for 50 baht for sweet potato balls. It seems they have a significant presence in many Central malls!

I recently revisited the Golden Place branch today and picked up a small bag of fried banana. My niece counted exactly 7 pieces in the 40 baht bag, which works out to about 5.7 baht per piece. This stands in contrast to the CentralwOrld branch, where a small bag costs 50 baht for 8 pieces – about 6.25 baht each. This price difference likely reflects the higher rental costs in a city center shopping mall.

While fried taro wasn’t even on the menu at the Golden Place branch, I finally did it! After searching for it every time I visited the stalls at CentralwOrld, I finally managed to get my hands on the fried taro for my taro-loving husband. I got him a mixed bag of fried taro and fried banana for just 50 baht. The golden, crispy snacks were the perfect treat and definitely worth the wait! A nice touch at CentralwOrld was a sign offering complimentary crispy flakes—for those who want even more crunch, you can grab extra at no cost!

I also finally revisited the Or Tor Kor branch on a slow weekday. We bought a mixed bag of fried banana and sweet potato—10 pieces for 60 baht (6 baht per piece), with one piece thrown in as a complimentary gift due to the long wait and slow day. Unfortunately, the quality was the worst among the different branches, with a lifeless texture. I remember enjoying it when I bought from them before, so perhaps it had sat out too long due to a lack of customers.

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Do you have a favorite local fried snack in Bangkok, or a go-to Michelin Guide Bib Gourmand spot you love? Share your thoughts in the comments below!