Pa Kae Vietnamese Restaurant

123/205 Samsen Rd., Bangkok, 02-243-4788. Open daily 9am-6pm
The fifth generation Viet-Thai owner opened this restaurant when she was a young woman and now she’s a lovely grandma. The moo yor (pork sausage) is just a little peppery while the noodles are cooked to a nice chewy texture. Another dish we love is the nam nueng (Vietnamese meatballs, B50 for a stick) which tastes amazingly fresh. The best thing here is the rich and flavorful sauce, though. End your meal with the bua loy (taro balls in coconut milk, B20) which comes with very young coconut.

Khun Dang Guay Jub Yuan

68, Phra Athit Rd., Bangkok, 085-246-0111, 089-056-5777. Open Mon-Sat 11am-9pm
The special ingredients brought down from Ubon Ratchathani are the selling point of this shophouse. The noodle dishes are cooked one by one along with your choice of different toppings like eggs and mushrooms. Even though portions are small, the gooey soup is just amazing, plus the moo yor is peppery and fragrant thanks to the quality pork meat. Apart from guay jub yuan (B35), we recommend the moo yor salad (B30). Make sure to get a seat on the footpath if you don’t want to get all sweaty inside the steamy shophouse.

Xuan Mai

351/3 Thonglor Soi 17, Bangkok, 02-185-2619. Open Tue-Thu 11:30am-2:30pm; 6-10pm; Fri-Sun 11:30am-2:30pm; 6-10:30pm
Xuan Mai’s food keeps both diehard Bangkok foodies and picky Vietnamese expats coming back for more through a painstaking, inevitably endearing, attention to detail often missing in rivals. Forget rehashed versions of old favorites, we think the spring rolls (B120) and Vietnamese noodles (B150) available to try in the three styles of South, North and Central Vietnam here are pleasant, authentic and homey. We like the fresh greens and all the finer details—and there really is no detail too small for owner/chef, and ex-FBI agent, Chef Meyung.

Nong Khai Pa Su

466/8, Paholyothin Rd. (next to Government Savings Bank), Bangkok, 02-279-9398, 081-889-2451. www.nongkhaipasu.com. Open daily 9:30am-9pm
Since the owner grew up in Nong Khai, you can expect to find both Vietnamese and Isaan dishes served here. Her guay jub yuan (B60) might not be the best in town, but it tastes fresh and the soup is thick and gooey enough to hit the spot. Having started up the place some twenty years ago, she explains that her children now run the business and maintain the kitchen by themselves. And since you’re there, why not try the hard-to-find somtam Nong Khai (B50), which the owner claims is authentic, with moo yor nung (pork skin sausage, B80).

Where the Experts Eat

Ayusakorn Arayankoon

Chef at Four Garcons and Joe’s Table
“After giving it a lot of thought, I still prefer the guay jub yuan at Thien Duong, Dusit Thani Hotel (946, Rama 4 Rd., 02-200-9000), where I’ve enjoyed Vietnamese meals with my family for almost 20 years. I enjoy eating street food very much but when it comes to fresh vegetables or food that is not heated during preparation, if I don't wash or prepare them myself, then I only really trust a restaurant or chef team.”

Sirin Wongpanit

Author of several guide books at Circle Publishing and food blogger at www.ohsirin.com
“Platform 1 (1153/1, Nakhon Chaisi Rd., 02-617-0181) is my favorite. I think it’s quite delicious and very clean there. The soup has a good balance of flavors and fragrant spices while the noodles, imported from Vietnam, are cooked to a perfectly chewy texture. There’s also no MSG to make your skin go numb. I think cleanliness is an important factor for running a restaurant.”

Somying Treeneramitchai

Owner of Whale’s Belly
“Guay jub yuan is the one fiery dish I really like—it’s the dish that makes you sweat like you’re doing hot yoga. My favorite place to get a decent bowl is Khun Dang Guay Jub Yuan (see left). Their moo yor is exceptional and the broth has the perfect sizzle to it thanks to the pepper and fullness of flavors. I also like the bread and the yam moo yor here—they’re lovely appetizers.”

Know Your Noodles

Banh canh

Made from tapioca flour and rice, these noodles are thick and chewy. Usually served with a rich broth and any type of meat. Called guay jub yuan in Thai.

Pho

The dish that closely resembles our sen lek nam only the noodles are flatter and wider. Served in a clear broth often with fresh herb garnishes.

Gio lua

Vietnamese pork sausage known in Thai as moo yor. Normally sliced and eaten with noodles or in a spicy salad.