Open for 23 years, Hia Buay’s Ancient Noodles attracts office workers, celebrities, and tourists alike, but recently the small shop has been given a jolt by politicians. After Move Forward Party’s Pita Limjaroenrat—who recently very nearly became our PM—ordered the Rich Tom Yum, he was followed swiftly by adoring supporters, all keen to try the same dish.
He’s not the only politician to put the shop on the map; last year, during Chadchart mania, Bangkok’s governor Chadchart Sittpunt also sent an army of hungry diners to check out his usual order: flat noodles, pork, fish balls, with a bowl of broth, and no mung bean sprouts (to be precise).
The old-timey shop is decorated with miscellaneous family photos, knickknacks from the aughts, and a classic wall of famous diners. Sitting down at the wooden table, you can eavesdrop and catch up on your local gossip with the cooks, delivery man, and customers. Conversation headlines include, “Oh you went back to your second wife?”; “Has the governor come back to eat yet?”; and endearing notes like, “I’m dining in-person today.” This fuels the spirit of Hia Buay.
Photo: Hia Buay's pork noodles
“It’s amazing how there’s new people discovering this spot everyday. For the past month, we have a customer who just started working around the area and he hasn’t skipped a single lunch here, except for weekends,” says Hia Buay, the eponymous owner.
Hia Buay didn’t start out to be a chef, only getting into the culinary scene because his grocery store wasn’t doing too well.
“The recipes were originally from my sister-in-law but we slowly adapted it and added more dishes throughout the years,” Hia Buay tells BK.
Photo: Hia Buay's Yentafo
Photo: Hia Buay's braised pork kaprao
Apart from the dishes recommended by Pita and Chadchart, other crowd pleasing dishes are the yentafo (Thai pink noodle soup), dry rice porridge, and braised pork kaprao. Hia Buay also makes dry-dishes as takeaways, wrapped in traditional banana leaf to elevate the dish with its natural aroma. Best of all, the shop is known for its generous portions and friendly price tags (B60-120).
10, Sanam Khli Soi 2, 02-252-0801. Open daily 7am-4pm.
