Chula 50 Kitchen

A student canteen-style Thai kitchen tucked down Soi Chula 50, this little spot runs on speed and spice. It opens early for breakfast plates and doesn’t let up till early evening, feeding Chula kids and office workers with wok-fried comfort food at student-friendly prices. Expect a queue at lunch – the line moves fast. Regulars come for the crab. The best-sellers are crabmeat scrambled egg rice (rich, buttery eggs folded with sweet lump crab) and a curry-scrambled crab over rice that brings a gentle heat. Add a bowl of creamy tom yum or go for a crisp-fried seabass if you want something bigger. Portions are generous enough for a quick one-plate meal, with add-ons if you want to share. Space is tight – a narrow room with a handful of tables – so it’s more of an in-and-out feed than a linger. Come off-peak if you can: late morning around 10am or after 2pm is easiest. You’ll find it a short walk from Sam Yan MRT in the Chula back lanes, at 262 Soi Chulalongkorn 50. Open Monday–Saturday, 7am–7pm; closed Sunday.