What is it?: For Bangkokians, Ongtong needs no introduction at this point. Starting as a humble shophouse restaurant in Aree, they now have locations all over the city (this writer might be slurping on a wee bowl at the Commons as he writes), and have become the khao soi we all think of.
Why we love it: What has propelled Ongtong to success? In our mind, it’s two things. One is the early recognition from Michelin, who gave it he Bib Gourmand (a distinction they no longer hold, sadly), and the other was the proliferation of delivery services. For many of us, an inexpensive bowl of Ongtong’s classic khao soi delivered by a bold motorcycle courier helped take the edge off the pandemic. While khao soi is very much the order of the day, don’t shy away from their interpretations of other Northern staples – their sai ua is damn fine as well, whether ordered as a side dish or made into a simple fried rice.
Time Out tip: Especially given Ongtong’s appeal with both international visitors and health-conscious urbanites, they are one of the few places outside the vegan paradise of Chiang Mai that offer a plant-based version of khao soi, with some pretty awesome tofu to boot.