Amarin
The Cook

Overall Score: 2.5/5
Vibe: 2/5. A modern décor in white, orange and yellow with a good number of seats. There are also some fake plants added to give a green touch, but they are a bit lame. Come here at lunch and you’ll have to fight for seats with the office workers.
Selection: 2/5. All Thai except one or two stalls. Vegetarian is very popular here. Prices start at B35 and B40 for a plate of boiled chicken with rice.
Cleanliness: 3/5. The place looks satisfyingly clean although lots of tables are left unclean for awhile before staff get to them.
Cost: 3/5. Nearly street-like, which is pretty good, given the neighborhood.
Top Stalls: Vegetarian Food, Nang Learng Rice & Curry and Jutathip Chicken Rice.
4/F, 496-502 Amarin Plaza, Ploenchit Rd., 02-256-9111. Open daily 8am-4pm. BTS chitlom

BIG C Rachaprasong
Food Park

Overall Score: 4.5/5
Vibe: 3/5. This extra-large space has a tropical forest theme so green, brown and white colors dominate the place. Walls are decorated with both fake and real green plants, and there’s a large pond with a fountain at the center. They’ve overdone the mixing and matching with the furniture, but we like the idea of their open-air area, and also the views afforded by the tall windows. For better or for worse, there are flat screen TVs as well.
Selection: 3/5. Sectioned into three categories: rice express, international and noodles. Inter includes Japanese, Indian, Chinese and Vietnamese. The guaytiew Sukhothai is lovely, but the fish balls in the kanom jin by Khun Lek taste like boiled flour.
Cleanliness: 3/5. Since the mall was recently renovated, everything looks very new. The staff seems to be a bit inactive, leaving some of the tables a mess for long minutes. We once spotted hair on a spoon—eek!—but other than that, the utensils look fairly clean.
Cost: 5/5. Cheap!
Top Stalls: Guay Tiew Sukhothai Mae Boon Rod
4/F, 97/11 Ratchadamri Rd., 02-250-4888. Open daily 9am-9:30pm

CentralWorld
Centerpoint Can-Teen

Overall Score: 2/5
Vibe: 2/5. CenterPoint Can-Teen, tucked away in CentralWorld’s massive teen center on the 7th floor, is a small food court where all the teens hang out. It’s a perfect place for a date if you’re 13 or 13 going on 30, but the dim lighting (not the good kind of dim) can get creepy. With electric blue and green signs plastered everywhere, and illustrated wallpaper, you’ll definitely feel like you’re in kiddie town.
Selection: 2/5. There’s not much going on for food other than the basics—kao pad, guaytiew, etc—and they’re not worth mentioning. But, it is a good place to find different kinds of ice cream desserts and crepes on the cheap. You can get a classic three-scoop banana split garnished with all the traditional add-ons, like strawberry syrup, crushed nuts, whipped cream and cherries for a mere B50, and an elaborate nutella and banana dessert crepe.
Cleanliness: 1/5. Though the stalls are kept tidy enough, they’re cluttered with empty boxes and cleaning products in full-view. The lack of light makes the stalls look even sketchier.
Cost: 4/5. B100 will buy you all the ice cream you can ever eat want to eat.
Top Stalls: The ice cream stall, in the middle.
7/F, CentralWorld, Ratchadamri Rd. BTS Chitlom. Open daily noon-8pm.

Central Ladprao,
Tops Market

Overall Score:4/5

Vibe: 4.5/5. Since the big revamp of Central Ladprao, the food court’s atmosphere is ten times better. The brand new table sets are in a lovely eggshell tone and the overall color palette is cloudy grey. Too bad the seating is very limited, compared to the abundance of food stalls. We even saw some customers having to share their table with strangers—the horror!
Selection: 4.5/5. Lots of Thai options, with decent choices for Japanese, Chinese, Vietnamese and Western food. The stall selection ranges from very ordinary tam sang (stir fries made to order), to a kebab place and a hi-so Italian chain, Scoozi, that does pastas starting at B100. Rarely seen in any other malls, Crepes & Co. and Chokchai Steak Burger also have outlets here—B120 for a pork burger.
Cleanliness: 4/5. Everything is clean and pleasant. Although, with seating spread out over three different areas, the cleaning staff has a hard time getting to all the tables.
Cost: 2/5. Not “food court cheap” but definitely cheaper than standalone counterparts.
Top Stalls: Tue Huan Ladprao 64, Krapor Pla Yaowarat and Vegetarian Food by Major General Jumlong Srimeung.
Basement, Central Ladprao. 1691 Paholyothin Rd., 02-541-1111. Open daily 10am-10pm. MRT Paholyothin.

Central Rama III
Food Park

Overall Score: 3/5
Vibe: 3.5/5. The décor has an underwater theme, so white and ocean blue are the main colors. The proportion between seating and empty space is not too cramped, and apart from regular tables and seats, there are also hi-so looking tables with black leather chairs which are set up along the glass-window corners offering a great sky and city view. There’s a toddlers’ ball pit and decent amount of arcades in the area, so expect screaming and noise. Tutors and high school students make up half the crowd.
Selection: 2.5/5. Choices are limited and mostly Thai with a few basic international additions like Japanese katsu curry rice and EZ sausages and steaks. The place does offer some interesting snack choices like the cold Japanese crepe and takoyaki. All dishes are priced under B100.
Cleanliness: 3/5. Stalls and utensils are sufficiently clean, but dirty tables don’t get noticed right away by the staff, so you may eat your meal next to a table piled up with leftover food.
Cost: 3/5. Average, but you can still fill up on B100.
Top Stalls: Guay Tiew Yhib Yum, Kamoo Nakorn Pathom and Cold Crepe.
6/F, 79/3 Satupradit Rd., 02-673-5555. Open daily 11am-9pm.

Chamchuree Square
Raintree Food Square

Overall Score: 2.5/5
Vibe: 4/5. Oriental meets modern tropical. There are various styles of seating including Chinese tea table sets, grey leather chairs and a few tall tables with bar stools. The place is crowded by Chula students and office workers at lunch time and appears to be used by some as a library in the afternoon. If you’re looking to enjoy your meal with a bit of entertainment, there’s live music every day at 5-9pm, if you call soft jazz on an electronic piano.
Selection: 1/5. Mainly Thai and noodles but there is also a stall selling Samyan style steaks. Somtam poo plara tastes like real Isaan but costs as high as B50 and B15 for sticky rice. Baked rice with chicken and chestnuts (B69) is probably the fanciest dish you can get here.
Cleanliness: 3.5/5. Floors and tables are exceptionally clean, as well as the utensils. Food displays at the stalls are pretty average, though.
Cost: 1.5/5. Given the student clientele, we expected street prices. Are Chula kids getting too much pocket money?
Top Stalls: Oab Aroi, and Guay Jab Samyan.
B/F, 315 Rama 4 Rd., 02-160-5454. Open daily 10am-10pm.

Five-Star View, but a Work in Progress

Emporium Food Hall

Overall Score:3/5

Vibe: 3/5. The eating area is open, with natural light coming from the huge windows that showcase a scenic view of Benjasiri Park. The faux book case along the walls and plants on every corner give it a homey, library feel. Unfortunately, it’s even more cramped during lunch hours and it’s hard to find a place to sit. Be ready to fight for your seat.
Selection: 2/5. There isn’t much choice: you can get combination seafood plates for B80-B100, noodle soups (B50) and rice noodles with shredded duck (B60)—not that they’re any good. If you’re into sweets, they have ruam mit, a traditional Thai dessert where you can choose from an assortment of jellies and syrups, cherry, coconut milk, or regular (B25 for two desserts, B10 for each additional one).
Cleanliness: 4/5. Maybe it’s the nice lighting and decor that makes it all seem cleaner than most mall eateries, but staff is also quick to clear tables.
Cost: 3/5. You’ll pay B60-B100, rarely more, rarely less. Kind of pricey, but it is Emporium.
Top stalls. White Kitchen does a mean fried rice with Thai sour sausage (B65) and garlic meat or combination seafood dishes (B55-B75). There are also more elaborate creations like their tom yum goong spaghetti with shrimp, squid or a combination of both (B90-B100).
5/F, Emporium Shopping Complex, Sukhumvit Soi 24. BTS Phrom Phong. Open daily 10am-8pm.

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