Ji Jong Hwo

Ji Jong Hwo
Front façade of Ji Jong Hwo
Map
Restaurant information
Established1950
Owner(s)Wanna Horattanaruang
Previous owner(s)
  • Chaiyot Horattanaruang
Food type
Dress codeCasual
Street address872 Phiraphong rd, Wang Burapha Phirom, Phra Nakhon
CityBangkok
Postal/ZIP Code10200
CountryThailand

Ji Jong Hwo (Thai: จีจ้งหว่อ ภัตตาคาร; Chinese: 致中和; Jyutping: Zi3 Zung1 Wo4) is Chinese restaurant in Bangkok.

This old and humble restaurant has a long history, thanks to its location in the former shopping and entertainment district of Bangkok, Wang Burapha. A place that was extremely popular and flourished in the 1960s and 1970s. Its history is that it has been open since 1950. It was originally located in Chinatown quarter. Later, following a fire, it was moved to Wang Burapha. The founder and first owner heard that there was a project to make Wang Burapha area an entertainment centre with three cinemas, so he decided to settle here, located facing one of them, Queens, was known for showing Bollywood and Columbia Pictures movies.[1][2]

Ji Jong Hwo serves Cantonese cuisine. Popular dishes include stewed duck soup noodles and dumplings, beef rad na, roasted red pork fried rice, and steamed dumplings.[1][3]

According to Chaiyot Horattanaruang, the second-generation business owner, in the early days, a bowl of noodles cost 2 baht. At that time, Wang Burapha was very lively and his shop was doing very well. He spent five hrs stewing the duck to let the seasonings seep into the meat, so that even chewing the bones was flavourful.[2][4]

Within the restaurant

Before the restaurant was renovated, the cooking area was on the fourth floor, delivered via a hand-pulled dumbwaiter. The atmosphere inside was filled with charm and a feeling of the olden days, with it decorated in the original style from its heyday. As it is a meeting point or hangout spot for celebrities and popular actors, just like On Lok Yun, those in the same area. One of the regular customers was Dang Bireley, a famous teen gangster in the 1960s, whose story was made into a 1997 movie Dang Bireley's and Young Gangsters. Therefore, Ji Jong Hwo was also used as the filming location for the movie, in the coffee shop scene where Dang and his gang are introduced. The wooden benches that appear in the scene are actually from the restaurant, the second to last bench was his usual seat.[4][5][3]

The restaurant is currently run by Chaiyot's daughter, Wanna, who is considered the third generation business heir.[1]

  1. ^ a b c Panchuen, Pinanong (2024-10-12). "'จีจ้งหว่อ' ก๋วยเตี๋ยวเป็ดตุ๋นเจ้าเก่า 70 ปี 'วังบูรพา'". Bangkokbiz (in Thai). Retrieved 2024-06-08.
  2. ^ a b LINEกนก (2024-10-12). "Line กนก 13 กันยายน 2558 วังบูรพา 1 FULL". via YouTube (in Thai). Retrieved 2015-09-13.
  3. ^ a b Dekying Kampong (2024-10-12). "พาชิมตำนานบะหมี่เป็ดย่านโก๋หลังวังที่ 'จีจ้งหว่อ'". Trueid (in Thai). Retrieved 2020-01-20.
  4. ^ a b YingsakfoodTV (2024-10-12). "อ.ยิ่งศักดิ์ จีจ้งหว่อ บะหมี่เป็ดตุ๋น 06-01-57". via YouTube (in Thai). Retrieved 2014-01-09.
  5. ^ Wiens, Mark. "Ji Jong Wa (จีจ้งหว่า ภัตตาคาร) – A Place For Yellow Egg Noodles and Duck". Eatingthaifood.