Why should you go there and how do you do it right?

49 baht is the going rate here. Most stalls in this renovated third-floor food court offer at least one dish for that price, including chicken rice and khao soi. The clientele is mostly locals, with many older regulars meeting here daily. That's usually the clearest sign that you're in the right place.

You order at the individual stalls and eat at communal tables that can easily be pushed together for groups of six to eight people. It's clean, air-conditioned, and pleasantly unpretentious – quite unlike the touristy glitz of the newer shopping malls. You absolutely must try Khao Soi Pad, a wok-fried version of the northern Thai noodle dish, which is otherwise hard to find in Bangkok. Otherwise, you can simply stroll along the stalls and join the longest queue.