Chinatown Night Bowl · Five-Spice Broth

Kuay Chap (Peppery Rolled Noodle Soup)

Photo: Bitterschoko / Wikimedia Commons · CC0

The noodles are cut from fresh rice sheets that curl into little tubes when they hit the hot broth, which is why the dish is often called rolled noodle soup in English.

Rolled sheets of rice noodle are simmered in a dark, five-spice pork broth heavy with white pepper, then piled with crispy pork belly, boiled egg and pork offal. Chinatown vendors keep the pot simmering late into the night for a rotating crowd of diners.

Why it's made this way: Like much of Yaowarat's street menu, kuay chap descends from Teochew Chinese cooking, and Bangkok's version — built around crispy pork belly and heavy white pepper — has become distinct enough from its Chinese roots to be considered a Bangkok specialty in its own right.