Lek Sung Ramen has broken one of the golden rules of running a successful restaurant—location is everything. Over the past years, this little ramen place has moved to many shabby, mysterious locations: the soi behind Satriwitthaya School, Mahidol University’s Salaya Campus and Soi Rambuttri. But for some reason, its regulars, us included, always navigate their way back to this little treasure. Its present home is tucked away in a dark, unassuming alley next to the Banglampoo branch of Kasikorn Bank. Once you locate the building (a worn-out shophouse sitting just before the bridge), you’re left to climb up a dizzyingly steep flight of stairs to the second floor. Inside, it’s pretty eclectic, if not tacky, with cartwheels used as tables and vivid flowery hand-painted murals. The food makes up for the rather tasteless décor, warranting repeat visits from Japanese expats and young adults from the neighborhood. The Ramentei-like menu features a small yet satisfying selection of ramen, side dishes and rice specialties. All come with hearty potions, and the prices are incredibly reasonable. Katsu curry rice comes complete with a big deep-fried breaded pork cutlet, a soft-boiled egg, chunks of beef and carrot slices—the beef could have been more tender, though. The star of Lek Sung Ramen is, of course, ramen. There are various toppings and soups to go with the firm noodles, such as chashu, crab omelet or chicken curry. Our favorite is the seafood ramen with its generous portion of seafood and veggies. Such savory, flavorful broth makes the ramen terrific comfort food for those days where you need a little tenderness. Another mood-lifting recipe, especially for the health-conscious, is the tamago (egg) soup. Lek Sung continues to impress with its stir-fried dishes, like mabo tofu (tofu cubes with minced beef in spicy gravy sauce) or stir-fried pork liver with miso-based sauce. The set menus that are available for both lunch and dinner are only B80, and each of the 10 hearty sets includes a bowl of rice, clear soup, a side dish and your choice of main course—now that’s impressive! The delicious, home style cooking is topped off with convivial service and big smiles that come at no “plus plus.” Forgiven for its off-the-beaten-path locations and questionable decor, Lek Sung Ramen still gets a special place in our hearts for cheap, delicious food and friendly service.