Lek & Rut Seafood

Lek & Rut is one of the two rival seafood operations facing each other across the mouth of Soi Phadung Dao, better known as Soi Texas, on Yaowarat Road. From early evening the corner fills with plastic tables, charcoal grills and staff in matching aprons ferrying plates of prawns, crab and fish.

It is a classic Chinatown night out rather than a quiet meal: noisy, crowded and fast, with prices a little above ordinary street food because the seafood is the draw. The grilled freshwater prawns are the house speciality, with their rich head fat. It stays open into the early hours.

What to order

• Grilled river prawns (goong pao): the house speciality, best eaten with the head fat
• Squid steamed with lime and garlic: sharp, spicy and fresh
• Fried shrimp cakes (tod man goong): crisp patties with a plum dipping sauce
• Stir-fried water mimosa: a crunchy green side to balance the seafood

Good to know

• Arrive soon after the stalls set up in the early evening; queues build after 19:00.
• Agree on market-price items such as large prawns or crab before ordering.
• MRT Wat Mangkon is the closest station; Hua Lamphong is about ten minutes on foot.