Bangkok is a food paradise with over 320,000 restaurants, and many tourists enjoy dining at the most popular joints in the city, like Michelin-starred street stall Jay Fai. But a taxi driver I met in Bangkok told me locals prefer eating at roadside restaurants and eateries in malls.
"Locals love eating at shopping centers," Nakhon Ratchapong, the taxi driver, told me. "The best food surprisingly comes from the food court. It's also very cheap."
I heeded Ratchapong's advice and had breakfast at a market-style food court in Iconsiam, a popular mall in Bangkok. I paid only 200 baht, or $5.60, for a plate of kow klook gapi, or shrimp paste rice, five spicy dumplings, and a bottle of fresh juice. It was a delicious meal for an affordable price.