Nai Ek Roll Noodle

From stir-fried pad see ew to silky jok (rice congee) and comforting bowls of guay tiew noodle soup, many of Thailand’s most iconic dishes trace their roots to Chinese kitchens. Centuries of migration from (mostly) southern China have shaped the country’s culinary identity, and, over time, regional flavors and cooking techniques have fused into what’s now considered Thai–Chinese cuisine.

Among the standout crossovers is guay jab: a peppery, pork-laden broth with slightly chewy rolled rice flour “noodles,” of which you’ll find one of the best versions in—where else?—the heart of Bangkok’s Chinatown.

Nai Ek Roll Noodle began life as a humble street stall more than 60 years ago and has since grown into a Chinatown institution, serving quick and consistently excellent food to a steady stream of locals and in-the-know tourists. Orders are taken with assembly-line efficiency via a picture menu: just choose the size of your bowl and the meaty add-ons you want. Must-haves include the crackling shards of perfectly crispy pork belly and chunks of minced pork, while more adventurous eaters can level up with slivers of braised liver, kidney, stomach, or tongue.

Aside from the signature guay jab, which Nai Ek serves topped with fried garlic and coriander, don’t overlook the kitchen’s other standout dishes. There are double-boiled soups made with duck and winter melon or pork spare ribs and Chinese herbs, and rice plates with braised pork rump or a more generous serving of those ultra-addictive cuts of roasted-to-a-crisp pork belly.