I have a handful of restaurants in Bangkok that I resort to when shepherding newbies through the city. In Bangkok, good food is not difficult to find. Whatever your price range, there are tons of restaurants, or food carts, that offer some of the most delicious food known to man. To make a night’s meal memorable, however, it often comes down to ambiance. It’s not just the food that needs to be special, but the restaurant needs to stand out too.

The luxurious spread offered as Sunday brunch at the Sheraton Grande Sukhumvit is always a good bet. Visitors and locals alike enjoy the opulence and classic Thai menu at The Blue Elephant. And pre-dinner drinks while watching the sun set on top of LeBua State Tower always impresses. But for sheer drop jaw What-In-The-Hell-Is-This?, nowhere else compares to Cabbages and Condoms.

The original branch in Bangkok has been around for decades. It’s easy to find, just a short walk up Soi 12 off Sukhumvit. Over the years the size of the restaurant has changed, slowly growing to spread out along the soi. The first time I ate there was with my friend Ann on one of my early trips to Bangkok. Ann had found out about the place though some guidebook. We were both enthralled. And immediately hooked. I’ve taken numerous friends from the U.S. there since then, and quite a few locals, too. Everyone of them has enjoyed the experience.

I don’t think there is a guidebook in existence that doesn’t include a listing for Cabbages and Condoms. The place seems to appeal to all ages and income levels. Even denizens of Khaosan are willing to make the trek out of their backpacker haven for a meal there; it’s ranked as the #1 thing to do in Bangkok by Lonely Planet travellers. That may be a bit high, or maybe Lonely Planet travellers are, but it is definitely a must-do dining experience in Bangkok.

If you haven’t been to the restaurant, the hook is the ‘Condoms’ part of its name. They’re everywhere. They’ve used condoms as part of the decor, even lamp shades are made of rubbers. All the wall art is condom related – the chart of international sizes is a hoot – there are mannequins displaying fanciful costumes all made of condoms, the wait staff often play with condoms (uh, no, not like that), condoms are even included with your change at the end of your meal. Come to think about it, having your first night’s meal at Cabbages and Condoms may be a good idea; you’ll have a good supply of rubbers to see you through the rest of the trip.

Cabbages and Condoms is the brainchild of Mechai Viravaidya, a former Thai Minister of Health and Thailand’s leading philanthropist. He founded the nonprofit organization The Population and Community Development Association in 1974. Proceeds from the sale of gift store merchandise and the restaurant’s meals all go to the organization which promotes birth control, environmental conservation, rural development and AIDS awareness. The name of his restaurant chain, “Cabbages and Condoms,” reflects his philosophy that contraception and condoms should be as accessible as produce in Thailand. The overindulgence in use of condoms at the restaurant is intended to promote a better understanding and acceptance of family planning.

Viravaidya, who has held four cabinet posts in the government, is as colorful as his restaurants are. In championing his goal to make condoms as common – and as accepted – as cabbages, he has passed them out to surprised CEOs at World Bank meetings, posed for cameras while drinking the same glass of water as an H.I.V.-positive person, offered free vasectomies at his restaurants, and paid farmers to paint ads and public service announcements for condoms on the sides of their water buffalo. Thailand’s birth rate has dropped below 1 percent a year, thanks in part to his effort.

A restaurant’s novelty isn’t enough to ensure its success, though; it always comes down to the food. Cabbages and Condoms’ menu of traditional Thai food evidently does the job as it is consistently voted as one of the best restaurants in Bangkok. The menu is extensive, and I’ve never been disappointed in any dish ordered. Their garlic prawns are to die for, and they have a little filled purple doughy appetizer I love and have never found elsewhere. (And I can never remember what it is called. But ask for a menu with pictures and it’ll be there.)

Even without all the condom paraphernalia, the setting is entrancing. There is a ground level outdoor area that twinkles with small lights hanging from the trees, and an upstairs open-air deck kept cool by large fans circulating a fine mist through the area, in addition to the main air-conditioned seating area. As popular as the restaurant is, I’ve never waited for more than a minute or two for a table. Guests I’ve taken there are usually too busy wandering about looking at all the condom art to head right for a table anyway.

After your meal and after grabbing a handful of free condoms, Cabbages and Condoms gift shop is worth taking a look at. Not surprisingly, almost all the merchandise is condom related. Every touri from the U.S. I’ve brought to the restaurant has bought a few of the condom flowers they sell. They also carry a variety of hand crafted items from villages across Thailand; unique, nicely made, and not the usual touri kitch you run across at street markets.

Great Thai food, a worthy cause, and a unique decor all make for a wonderful dining experience at Cabbages and Condoms. Best yet, as their motto goes: our food is guaranteed not to cause pregnancy.

Bangkok’s Cabbages and Condoms is open daily from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Dress is casual and no reservations are required.

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