We love Thonglor. The neighborhood assembles some of the city’s first names in the dining and entertainment scene. But it’s not necessarily what you’d call a budget area—cheap and wallet-friendly eats have proven to be tough finds especially following the eradication of street food stalls from the entire Soi Sukhumvit 55 stretch a few years back.
Chris Foo, the gastro-preneur behind beer dens like HOBS and Beer Cap, has seized the opportunity and opened Saphan 55, a gigantic complex devoted to street eats that are considered cheap, at least for Thonglor standards.
The food center takes inspiration from folksy wooden houses seen in far-flung riverside markets in Amphawa. A sense of nostalgia looms over the three-story space, which features reclaimed old wood, colorful decor similar to what you’d see in traditional Thai restaurants, and vintage Thai movie posters. Bands perform live in the evening, giving Saphan 55 the feel of a suan arharn-style eatery.
The pocket-friendly offerings span street favorites, from khao kha moo (rice with braised pork knuckles in five-spice soup) to kuay teaw reur (boat noodles) to arharn tarm sang (made-to-order stir-fries) that are priced below B100. If you’re after Western bites, Stax Burger dishes out a decent burger starting from B99. The second floor is home to Baan Saphan, an eatery that will be churning out budget-conscious Thai fare.
Right now, the stalls at Saphan 55 are still waiting to be filled up by vendors and food options are still limited. But once all the vendors are in place in the near future, we can see Saphan 55 becoming one of the most popular places in Thonglor.