Bangkok (Thailand) Chinatown Food Trip: Trying Curry Rice, Rolled Rice Noodles, and More!

This article is part of the Bangkok Food Trip series. Check out the installments: Bangkok Food and Travel Guide | Chinatown Food Trip | Jodd Fairs Rama 9 Food Trip (Night Market) | Khao Gaeng Jek Pui (Thai Curry Rice) | MICHELIN Street Food Guide | Phed Mark (Pad Krapow or Holy Basil Stir-Fry) | On Lok Yun (Thai-Style Western Breakfast) | Polo Fried Chicken (Soi Polo) | Raan Jay Fai (MICHELIN-Starred Street Food) | SookSiam Food Trip | theCOMMONS Thonglor (Food Hall) | Wattana Panich (Beef Noodle Soup)

If you’re exploring a city but don’t know where to eat, a tested solution would be to go to the city’s Chinatown. There should be at least one good food spot there. But in Bangkok’s Chinatown, there’s definitely more than one!

Located in the Samphanthawang district, Bangkok’s Chinatown is one of the largest in the world. It is home to hip bars, fascinating temples, and, of course, delicious food.

At the heart of Bangkok’s Chinatown is Yaowarat Road, which comes alive at night when its sidewalks transforms into a night market. The famous road is lit with colorful signages and lined up with street food. No wonder both locals and tourists flock here to experience the beautiful chaos.

In this article, I’ll be sharing the food my wife and I tried around Bangkok’s Chinatown. Please take note that this is not an extensive guide. But I do hope that it will improve your Bangkok eat-inerary!

Blood Cockles at Pa Jin Cockle Yaowaraj

Blood cockles or clams is a kind of an edible clam that’s popular in Thailand and Southeast Asia. Locally called hoy kraeng, it derives its name from the blood-red liquid it produces.

We tried it at Pa Jin Cockle Yaowaraj. Named after its lady-owner Pa Jin, the street food cart sells boiled blood cockles and mussels.

Honestly, the blood cockles are plain by itself. But the accompanying Thai seafood dipping sauces instantly elevate it. There are two kinds but only one made an impression on me. It’s sweet, sour, and peanutty. And if I remember right, there’s also coriander in it, which I love!

Because of the dip, I’m regretting not trying the mussels!

Address: Phadung Dao Rd, Samphanthawong, Bangkok, Thailand | Operating Hours: TBA

Dough Fritters at Patonggo Savoey

Patonggo is a fried dough stick traditionally eaten for breakfast. But it has become a snack eaten at all times of the day and served with various dips. It’s like the Thai counterpart of the Chinese youtiao or the Spanish/Mexican churros.

One popular spot for Patonggo is Patonggo Savoey. It’s a popular cart in Yaowarat Road and has recently opened a cafe in Thanon Santiphap or Santiphap Road.

Their Patonggo is crispy, light, and simply addicting (take it away from me! LOL). It comes with a pandan (screwpine) dip, which is creamy, rightly sweet, and has a nice pandan flavor. It’s good to have it with soya milk, which is perfectly sweet.

Deep Fried *Patonggo* with *Pandan* Custard (Small Set/3pcs.: THB50; Big Set/7pcs.: THB80) and Cold Soy Milk (THB20)

I prefer the one in Santiphap Road than in Yaowarat Road, which serves grilled Patonggo. It also comes in different flavors. We tried the one with a chocolate drizzle.

While grilling it adds smokiness to the dough sticks, I prefer it simply deep-fried.

Grilled *Patonggo* with Chocolate Topping (THB50)

By the way, Patonggo Savoey has a MICHELIN recognition. So you know that it’s good!

Santiphap Branch Address: 7 Thanon Santiphap, Pom Prap, Pom Prap Sattru Phai, Bangkok, Thailand | Operating Hours: Tuesday-Sunday, 6AM-10PM | Contact No.: (+66) 63 565 5995 | Facebook | Instagram

Rolled Rice Noodle Soup at Guay Jub Ouan Pochana

Guay Jub (or Kway Chap) is a Thai-Chinese peppery noodle soup composed of pork belly, pig innards, and large, flat rice noodles that have been rolled. There are two MICHELIN-recognized Guay Jub stalls in Yaowarat Road: Guay Jub Ouan Pochana and Nai Ek Roll Noodles. We tried the former.

Awarded with a MICHELIN Bib Gourmand, Ouan Pochana has been selling its signature Guay Jub for more than fifty years. It’s now being run by the son of its founder.

Their Guay Jub’s broth is so peppery, reminding me of Bak Kut Teh, a Singaporean pork bone soup. The rolled rice noodles are soft, reminding me of macaroni in a Sopas, a Filipino chicken macaroni soup with milk (Guay Jub reminds me of a lot of dishes LOL). The pork belly, innards, and boiled egg all add texture to the dish.

*Guay Jub* (Small: THB60; Big: THB100; Boiled Egg: THB210)

Overall, it’s a tasty and comforting dish!

Address: 408 Yaowarat Rd., Samphanthawong, Bangkok, Thailand (in front of China Town Rama Cinema) | Operating Hours: Tuesday-Sunday, 11AM-12AM

Thai Curry and Rice at Khao Gaeng Jek Pui

A staple of Thai cuisine, Thai Curry (or Gaeng/Kaeng) in Thai is a dish made of a protein, coconut milk, and aromatics. Unlike Indian Curry that uses spice blends and is thick, it makes use of fresh herbs and is on the soupy side. It’s available in different varieties, in which Green, Red, Yellow, Massaman, and Panang are the most common ones.

We tried it at Khao Gaeng Jek Pui (or simply Jek Pui). Hidden in the alleys of Bangkok’s Chinatown (article coming soon), Jek Pui has been serving Khao Gaeng or Thai Curry and Rice for more than seventy years. While it’s popular for its delicious curries, it is also known for having no tables and only stools. In fact, it’s nicknamed “Musical Chairs Curry” because finding a seat there is like playing the classic party game.

To learn about our Jek Pui experience, check out my article here.

Address: 25 Mangkon Rd., Pom Prap, Pom Prap Sattru Phai, Bangkok, Thailand | Operating Hours: Daily, 3-7PM

Yaowarat Toasted Buns

It’s hard to miss Yaowarat Toasted Buns because of its perpetually long queues. They’re famous for selling grilled buns overstuffed with different fillings.

We tried the following fillings: Chocolate, Egg Custard (my favorite), Milk, and Thai Milk Tea.

The buns, quite honestly, aren’t the best bread you can get. But they’re soft inside and crisp outside. The fillings are sweet and overflowing so it can be messy to eat. I think that these filled buns will pair well with a nice hot cup of black coffee.

Address: 452 Yaowarat Rd., Samphanthawong, Bangkok, Thailand | Operating Hours: Daily, 6:00-11:30PM

What Chinatown food spot should I try next? Comment below!