SOI FOOD — “Where should we go for dinner?” can be a pretty divisive moment for a group. If you’re craving street food, you’ve already had to say goodbye to Soi 38 and the main drag of Yaowarat can be a bit cliche. To add somewhere new to the map, try Chinatown’s Soi Yotse.
Only a couple of bus stops or a short cab ride from BTS National Stadium, Yotse sits near Hua Chiew Hospital and has been long been a popular soi for getting your belly bulging cheaply. The popularity of Soi Yotse was established by its two famous sukiyaki restaurants, Maverick Suki and Elvis Suki, and the stakes were only heightened by the addition of the Ice-cream moh fai (ice-cream served in hot pot) that’s gained popularity in these streetside restaurants over the last few years.
For a half-decade, food vendors have been making on-point dinner and dessert for local Yotse-ans and Bangkokians from all over the city. Most of them are third or fourth-generation vendors in the area, whose yummy — and top-secret — recipes have been passed on by their parents and grandparents.
Maverick Suki
Stir fried sukiyaki with pork or soup sukiyaki (THB60)
The oldest food vendor on Soi Yotse, Maverick Suki, offers one of the best sukiyakis in town. Whether you’re a fan of suki haang (stir-fried sukiyaki) or suki nam (sukiyaki with soup), you can choose your favorite and pair it with chicken, beef, pork or squid. A bowl of suki is served with a spicy kick provided by Thai black pepper and big ol’ piece of pork. If you don’t like spicy, you can ask for less pepper in your suki. We won’t judge you.
Hours: 4pm – 10pm, everyday except Wednesday
Tel. (081) 005-2526
Kanom Whan Yotse
Did you complete the list of our Bok kia’s guide and still want more? Here at Kanom Whan Yotse, you can have a bok kia or any mixture of your favorite Thai dessert ingredients, mixed up in your own little bowl of heaven. Starting at THB30, you can also choose the base: brown syrup, longan syrup or kati (coconut syrup). What’s your sweet poison?
Hours: 6pm – 10:30pm, everyday
Yotse Pork Satay
Juicy pork satay with grilled bread is one of the city’s best appetizers. When you mix it with the perfect Yotse peanut sauce, it gets next-level delicious. It’s popular as a take home dish from Soi Yotse. You can tell yourself you’re going to have it for lunch tomorrow, but you know you’re going to be scarfing it down at midnight.
A satay skewer is THB6 each but try them with bread (THB5). They taste incredibly good together.
Hours: 4pm – 10pm, everyday
Elvis Suki & Seafood
In a constant battle for the title of “best sukiyaki on Yotse” is Elvis Suki & Seafood. They also offer both suki haang or suki nam (THB60) as well as seafood items such as clams. The sukiyaki here has more Thai pepper and softer pork. Does that sound like your style? Then you know where to go.
Hours: 5pm – 11pm, everyday
Hia Tua Noodles
Hia Tua Noodles is famous for its roasted duck noodles that won’t disappoint. Whether you are a duck lover or not, you can’t pass up the opportunity to sample this famous roast duck with soft noodles in a tasty soup (THB40). This spot also serves up a respectable rice soup with fish, shrimp and squid.
Hours: 6pm – 11pm, everyday
Tongue Fun Ice-cream
The original ice-cream in a hotpot was served here for years before new branches opened around the city. Tongue Fun Ice-cream offers a variety of homemade flavors including Redbull & vodka, Thai tea, Yakult pepo, banana cheese, Nutella and Thai beer, all served over dry ice (THB30 – THB200). Luckily, the menu is in Thai and English.
Pro tip: this place is packed with university students in the early evening. So, go at that time for the people-watching or avoid it for shorter lines.
Hours: 6pm – 11pm, everyday
Editor’s Note: This article was originally published in June 2016. Since the information it contains is still relevant and useful, Coconuts editors have brought it back from the archives — rest assured, we’ve reviewed and updated it to make sure it will still serve you well, dear readers.
