BANGKOK
restaurants. However, this is still Thailand,
and if you can ignore the prefabricated at-
mosphere, the food can often be quite good.
If you don’t need air-con, stop by the nu-
merous food stalls (Map p 86 ; btwn Sois 5 & 6,
Siam Sq; dishes 30-40B; h7am-6pm; BTS Siam)
at Siam Sq for a quick Thai lunch.oMBK Food Court THAI $
(Map p 86 ; 6th fl oor, MBK Center, cnr Th Phra Ram I &
Th Phayathai; h10am-9pm; a; BTS National Stadi-
um) The granddaddy of Bangkok food courts
off ers dozens of vendors selling dishes from
virtually every corner of Thailand and be-
yond. It’s a great introduction to Thai food,
and standouts include an excellent vegetar-
ian food stall (stall C8) and a very decent
Isan food vendor (C22). To pay you must fi rst
exchange your cash for a temporary credit
card at one of several counters; your change
is refunded at the same desk.Crystal Jade La Mian Xiao
Long Bao CHINESE $$
(Map p 86 ; Urban Kitchen, basement, Erawan Bang-
kok, 494 Th Ploenchit; dishes 120-400B; hlunch &
dinner; a; BTS Chit Lom) The tongue-twistingly
long name of this excellent Singaporean
chain refers to the restaurant’s signature
wheat noodles (la mian) and the famous
Shanghainese steamed dumplings (x ia o
long pao). If you order the hand-pulled noo-
dles, allow the staff to cut them with kitchen
shears, otherwise you’ll end up with evi-
dence of your meal on your shirt.Erawan Tea Room THAI $$
Map p 86 ; 2nd fl Erawan Bangkok, 494 Th Ploenchit;
mains 170-450B; hlunch & dinner; a; BTS Chit
Lom) The oversized chairs, panoramic win-
dows and variety of hot drinks make this
one of Bangkok’s best places to catch up
with the paper. The lengthy menu, with an
emphasis on regional Thai dishes, will likely
encourage you to linger a bit longer.Coca Suki THAI-CHINESE $$
(Map p 86 ; 416/3-8 Th Henri Dunant; mains 60-
200B; h11am-11pm; a; BTS Siam) Immensely
popular with Thai families, sù·gêe takes the
form of a bubbling hotpot of broth and the
raw ingredients to dip therein. Coca is one
of the oldest purveyors of the dish, and the
Siam Sq branch refl ects the brand’s eff orts
to appear more modern.Sanguan Sri THAI $
(Map p 86 ; 59/1 Th Witthayu/Wireless Rd; mains 40-
150B; h10am-3pm Mon-Sat; a; BTS Ploen Chit) If
you don’t manage to walk right past it, join
the area’s hungry offi ce workers at this old-
school Thai eatery. There’s a limited English-
language menu, but simply pointing to the
delicious dishes being consumed around
you is probably a better strategy.New Light Coffee
House INTERNATIONAL-THAI $$
(Map p 86 ; 426/1-4 Siam Sq; dishes 60-200B;
h11am-2pm & 6-10pm; a; BTS Siam) Travel back
in time to 1960s-era Bangkok at this vintage
diner popular with students from nearby
Chulalongkorn University. Try old-style
Western dishes, all of which come accompa-
nied by a soft roll and green salad, or choose
from the extensive Thai menu.SUKHUMVIT
This seemingly endless ribbon of a road is
where to go if you wish to forget you’re in
Thailand. From Korean to Middle Eastern,
just about every cuisine has an outpost here.
We’ve mentioned a few Thai places follow-
ing, but most domestic eats in this area are
more miss than hit, and it’s really the place
to indulge in the fl avours you left at home. Lower Sukhumvit
Nasir al-Masri MIDDLE EASTERN $$
(Map p 92 ; 4/6 Soi 3/1, Th Sukhumvit; mains 80-
350B; h24hr; a; BTS Nana) One of several
similar Middle Eastern restaurants on Soi
3/1, Nasir al-Masri is easily recognisable
by its genuinely impressive fl oor-to-ceiling
stainless steel ‘theme’. Middle Eastern food
generally means meat, meat and more meat,
but there are also several delicious vegie-
based mezze.Bed Supperclub INTERNATIONAL $$$
(Map p 92 ; %0 2651 3537; 26 Soi 11, Th Sukhumvit;
mains 450-990B, set meals 790-1850B; h7.30-
10pm Tue-Thu, dinner 9pm Fri & Sat; a; BTS Nana)
Within this sleek and futuristic setting –
beds instead of tables and contemporaryDAY OFFFans of street food be forewarned that
all of Bangkok’s stalls close on Monday
for compulsory street cleaning (the
results of which are not entirely evident
come Tuesday morning). If you happen
to be in the city on this day, take ad-
vantage of the lull to perhaps visit one
of the city’s upscale hotel restaurants,
which virtually never close.