Travel journalist Paula Morgan from Thailand Awaits reveals her secrets from Bangkok's Chinatown…

Yaowarat is Bangkok's Thai-Chinese quarter, where locals queue daily for their favorite dishes, and most tourists only eat there in the evening. The streets are full of vendors who have been preparing their specialties for their regular customers for decades. The prices are reasonable, the food is good, and there's always something to see. I recommend trying all three meals if possible; each visit offers a unique experience of the same neighborhood.

Breakfast: Jok at Jae Hmoy Kia pork porridge

After visiting Thailand for ten years, I tried jok for the first time at Jae Hmoy Kia. I wasn't sure if I would like it, so my partner and I ordered a bowl to share. We enjoyed it so much that we immediately ordered another one.

The jok is served warm and contains homemade pork meatballs, a poached egg, ginger, and spring onions. It comes with a bowl of small Chinese doughnut pieces. You can season it yourself with chili flakes, soy sauce, white pepper, or, if you like it spicier, fresh chili vinegar. There's also a popular version with offal, if that's your thing—I haven't dared to try it yet. A warm, hearty breakfast for 69 baht.

Jae Hmoy Kia is located on a quiet street in Talat Noi, lined with traditional shophouses. Guests sit outside at spotless stainless steel tables and watch the locals begin their day.

The store opens at 5:30 am and closes at 10:00 am, then reopens at 4:00 pm, closed on Mondays.

Where: 330/14 Soi Sukorn 2, Talat Noi, Samphanthawong, Bangkok.

After breakfast, it's a 6-minute walk to Wat Tramit (Temple of the Golden Buddha) to admire the 5.5-ton Buddha statue. Afterwards, a coffee at Recordoffee (yes, that's how it's spelled) is highly recommended. The owner is friendly and always up for a chat. The café has a quiet, musical atmosphere and serves excellent coffee specialties. The decor combines traditional Chinese shop elements with modern art. The coffee is roasted on-site, and the espresso is prepared with a lever machine.

Lunch: Pork noodles at Bamee Jabkang

Bamee Jabkang serves both dry noodles and soup. The pork wonton soup option costs 60 baht and comes with a huge mound of tender egg noodles, generous slices of pork neck, large wontons, and green vegetables in a spicy broth. It's a massive portion.

The menu is in Thai, so it's best to have a translation app on your phone or simply point to it. The specialty is usually sold out before noon. If it's gone, you'll get what's left. If you have the choice, go for the wonton with extra vegetables.

The atmosphere here is in stark contrast to our breakfast spot: a dark, often chaotic alley with a small dining room that looks like it hasn't seen a paintbrush in decades. The service is fast, it's always packed, so the staff barely have time for a chat – although you might get a smile out of them if you greet them in Thai. Despite that, we come back every time we're in Bangkok.

Where: Bamee Jabkang is located in an alley, Soi Charoen Krung 23, next to the Wat Mangkon MRT station.

After lunch, we continued on to Wat Mangkon Kamalawat (Dragon Temple), which is only about 100 meters away. It is one of Bangkok's most famous Chinese temples. Admission is free. The atmosphere is calm and peaceful, and the temple is air-conditioned. Visitors come here to do good deeds, to pray, and simply to admire the magnificent architecture.

After visiting the temple, stroll through the market stalls of Sampang Market to Songwat Road. Take your time for a leisurely walk and plan your arrival so you can enjoy afternoon tea and other drinks.

Dinner: Green curry at Jek Pui

Jek Pui boasts a 70-year history. It's nicknamed "Musical Chairs" because there are no tables, only red plastic stools. Once you've finished eating, you simply give up your seat for the next guest. The restaurant was featured in the Netflix documentary "Street Food Asia" and is therefore no longer a hidden gem. Arrive early if you want to snag a stool.

The menu offers ten dishes, with a choice of Chinese sausage or boiled eggs as a side. I ordered green curry with steamed rice and added a hard-boiled egg in sweet brown sauce. It looked dry on the outside but had a perfectly cooked yolk.

The green curry wasn't spicy, but if you prefer it hotter, you can add chili to taste. The red curry with beef is milder, in case you don't like it too spicy. There's also a Penang curry with pork and several stir-fries.

Address: 25 Mangkon Road, Pom Prap, Sattru Phai, Bangkok. 300 meters from Wat Mangkon MRT station. Opening hours: Daily from 3:00 PM to 7:00 PM. Closed on Mondays.

The adventure continues: After dinner, you'll find yourself right on the brightly lit Yaowarat Road. Stroll through the alleys and soak up the atmosphere. For drinks, try the bar in the entrance area of ​​the Shanghai Mansion or the Gen Z Rooftop Bar, about a 5-minute walk away, with its panoramic views.

You can find out more about food in Thailand on Paula's website.