MBK Center in Bangkok is a popular destination among visitors, and the mall has shops of all kinds. You can shop for clothes here, as with shoes. There is a whole level dedicated to IT gadgets, a cinema, hyper marts, and of course, lots of food options.

MBK’s very popular food court, located on the sixth floor of the building, is somewhere we love amongst all the restaurants in the mall. It may sound strange, but there really is a lot to love there!

The food court has more than 20 stalls, and what appeals to customers the most is definitely the inexpensive prices for better-than-average traditional Thai and street food.

Some stalls stand out above the rest, some are underwhelming. But to help you streamline your choices when you are there, here is our list of the 12 Must-East Dishes at MBK Center’s Food Court.

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BASIL PORK RICE

Thai Basil Pork Rice, or Pad Krapow Moo, is one classic staple in Bangkok – it is one of those wondrous one-dish meals that you can eat every day. Typically featuring a portion of minced meat (either pork or chicken) stir-fried in oyster sauce, basil and chili padi, and served with rice and a sunny side-up, this dish packs a punch and brings as much comfort as home-cooked food does.

At MBK food court, it costs THB55 (S$2.20) per plate.

THAI-STYLE KWAY CHAP

The Thai-style Kway Chap is pretty different from the regular Singapore versions that we are all familiar with. With a distinctively strong herbal note in the soup, the Thai-style has intense, full-bodied flavours that we fell in love with. Rice rolls are usually used, alongside braised intestines aplenty. The more adventurous ones would love the addition of pig’s blood cubes in this dish.

Priced at THB60 (S$2.40), MBK’s version is generously filled with pig intestines, pig’s tribes and pork slices. One serving might not be enough, though. They come in really small portions.

EGG NOODLE WITH SHRIMP WONTONS

This is essentially Thailand’s version of the Wonton Noodles. Everyone knows the ever-popular SabX2 in Pratunam, but this flavourful bowl at MBK food court deserves some attention too.

What made this bowl of noodles extra tasty for us, was the generous pork lard – an integral ingredient in Thai-style wonton noodles. While we do like the addition of BBQ pork, the crab meat did not leave an impression on us as it “disappeared” when tossed with the noodles.

The prices for this dish vary with the ingredients you prefer, but they are averagely THB60 (S$2.40).

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FRIED OYSTER

The Fried Oyster (our idea of oyster omelette) is the MVP (Most Valuable Player), and also one of the only stalls in MBK food court with a perpetual (long) queue.

If you are wondering whether the wait is worth it, well, it is. Generous plump oysters (we counted about 9-11) are fried with flour and egg to produce a delightful crisp. For THB75 (S$3), this is one of the best deals here.

FRIED RICE WITH PRAWN

You might strike this off because it is “just” fried rice,  but this dish is so much more.

While it might look far from surprising, this dish of Fried Rice with Prawn (THB60, S$2.40) is actually packed to the brim with flavours and boasts a very addictive wok hei. The stall offers a few other fried rice options, if you can’t take seafood or shrimp.

NOODLE SOUP WITH STEWED BEEF

Thais sure love their beef noodles. There are several variations everywhere, but the one at MBK food court does theirs with stewed beef really brilliantly.

With generous and tender chunks of stewed beef, fans of rich beef noodle broths will fall head over heels in love with this dish. For THB70 (S$2.80), you get a substantial bowl of heaven that is sure to warm your tummies up!

PAD THAI

If you have been following our posts over the years, you would know what huge fans of Pad Thai we are! The options in Bangkok are aplenty; even the street stalls do their Pad Thai well.

MBK food court’s version (THB50, S$2) is no exception. A classic dish as such is always great after a long day of shopping. More peanuts and chilli flakes, please!

SOM TUM

When in Thailand, eat Som Tum.

This Thai papaya salad (THB60, S$2.40) is a refreshing delight and serves as a good palate cleanser. Even if you are not a fan of salads, we still encourage you to have a go with this traditional Thai dish.

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STEWED PORK LEG RICE

We cannot lie, MBK’s Pork Leg Rice (THB60, S$2.40) was one of the best things we had at the food court.

Fork-tender pork, braised egg, salted vegetables and rice – this winning combination has our hearts, and MBK’s is the better renditions that we’ve tried in Bangkok thus far.

STIR-FRIED KWAY TEOW WITH SEAFOOD

You can see that this bowl of kway teow is nothing short of delicious seafood goodness. Thick, flat noodles stir-fried with garlic and sweet sauce, then served with sugar and chilli flakes. Each bite was better than the last and the copious amount of seafood made our tummies very happy.

For a mere THB70 (S$2.80), this dish is extremely value for money.

TOM YUM KUNG

Tom yum soup is a must-have when in Thailand.

We went straight for the classic Tom Yum Kung (THB90, S$3.60) at MBK food court. ‘Kung’ means prawns, and we were sure delighted to see so many huge and plump river prawns in the soup, alongside mushrooms and lemongrass. Have it with a bowl of steamed white rice and you are set.

YEN TA FO

The Yen Ta Fo (THB55, S$2.20) is basically Thailand’s version of the Yong Tau Foo.

What made this far superior to a generic Yong Tau Foo is the flavourful broth, springy fish balls and a multitude of other ingredients. Add some chilli powder and this dish is ready to impress.

For more recommendations, read our food & travel guides on the best places to go to in Bangkok.