This place claims to be the only Hong Kong-style suki in Bangkok, and its cozy atmosphere and convenient location make it an easy choice. It offers two ways to enjoy your suki: in small individual pots at the counter, or larger shared pots at four-seat tables. In total the eatery seats about 30 diners. We settled down at the counter so we could try a variety of different broth options. There are four to choose from, and since the bowls are divided each diner can sample two. Choices are satay, tom yum, yen ta fo and the usual pork stock. Don’t slip up, because if you want to change your soup order you’ll have to pay a surcharge. We tried all four and thought the satay, sweet and peanutty, was the best of the bunch. The tom yum smelled great, with all the right spices, but we were disappointed to find that the yummy aroma didn’t translate into taste. As the liquid evaporated, we felt like we were sipping mama tom yum (or was it just the familiar taste of MSG?). The yen ta fo was a startling chemical pink and super-sour—best avoided. The pork stock was good, as it should be. After choosing a soup, it’s time to order something to dip in it. We picked the pork set, a plate of thinly sliced pork with a boat-bowl of Chinese cabbage, morning glory, glass noodles and a few fish balls, as well as the seafood set. We added fish tofu, sweet corn and some extra puay leng (spinach). All the meat came in nice bite-sized pieces and sliced thinly enough to cook easily. The fish tofu turned out to be delicious, not the 90%-flour-content concoction at a lot of noodle shops. Two sauces came with our meals: the usual suki sauce and fermented soybean sauce. The first was great sidekick for the shabu but the second one needed a little seasoning since it was rather salty—you can order chopped garlic and chili at no extra charge. Though we could have been happier with some aspects of the meal, the overall impression was good—especially taking into consideration the reasonable prices and the comfortable, intimate atmosphere. This one will be on our list, even if it doesn’t make the top 10.
