Ting Tai Fu (Ramkhamhaeng)

Ting Tai Fu does a great job of pulling in loud Chinese families on Saturday nights with its Shanghai-inspired comfort food, and, at first glance, it’s hard to see why. From the framed newspaper reviews on the wall to the glossy, glass-topped wooden tables, it comes across as your typical Thai noodle shop, big soup pot and all. But when the food arrives, you’ll get what the fuss is about. The stir-fried dishes such as garlic eggplant (B90), ma poh tofu (B80) and pork ribs in red sauce (B130) are sinfully greasy and, as a consequence, very tasty. Be sure to have plenty of plain rice (B10) at the ready. The braised beef noodle soup is a different story, tasting very fresh and made with noodles expertly pulled right before they get boiled. The five-spice flavor is very strong, and the braised beef melts in your mouth. The meat alone is still greasy, but comes together perfectly as a dish. Ting Tai Fu also knows how to make awesome siew long pau (broth-filled steamed dumplings, B80), and at a much better price than mall-favorite Din Tai Fung. The small lion-head meatballs (B40 each) seem a little pricey for a restaurant like this, but they arrive in an intensely aromatic soy-based broth accompanied by braised cabbage that keeps us coming back for more. The dessert menu may seem uninventive but the in-house-made deep-fried bun (B60) is sweet, fluffy and enjoyable with every bite. The mango pudding topped with regular UHT milk (B50), though again simple, packs a rich and hearty burst of ripe, yellow mango goodness. If you love Chinese food, and bear no shame in your enjoyment of greasy food, then Ting Tai Fu is a wallet-friendly, epicurean heaven.