bamee kon sae lee review — *I bet these bright red colors are strategic marketing choice*

Bamee Kon Sae Lee holds a special place in my heart as this humble egg noodle street food shop has been around ever since I was in high school. Back then Bamee Kon Sae Lee wasn’t as popular as it is today, but it was still known by us locals as having some of the best egg noodles and crispy pork belly in the area.

Fast forwards to today Bamee Kon Sae Lee has become beast in the Bangkok street food scene and is now one of the most famous places in Bangkok to get a delicious bowl of egg noodles, wonton soup, chinese style fried rice and of course, crispy pork belly!

So it’s high time that I finally write a review for the egg noodle street food stall of my childhood :)

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Egg Noodles and Crispy Pork Belly

A little street food restaurant taking up a sliver of Thonglor’s roadside, Bamee Kon Sae Lee may look a bit unassuming from the outside but the staff’s bright red uniforms, posters, and signage will catch your attention. If that’s not enough then the myriad of hanging crispy pork belly and Chinese sausages on full display will surely make you stop and look.

Bamee Kon Sae Lee has been here since 1956 and they specialize in one thing, egg noodles. Freshly homemade egg noodles, known as “Bamee” in Thai. However, ask any local and they’ll tell you that The Crispy Pork Belly “Moo Krob” is even more famous than their egg noodles. Though I will also say that their fried rice menu is also no joke.

bamee kon sae lee history — *Bamee Kon Sae Lee has a very long and proud history*

Egg noodles aren’t wholly a Thai thing by the way, Bamee Kon Sae Lee is an example of a street food institution such as the ones in Yaowarat Chinatown which dates back to the early days of colonization where Thai cuisine is heavily influenced by Chinese migrants and culture.

So in a sense, eating a bowl of egg noodles at Bamee Kon Sae Lee is like being transported back to post World War 2 Thailand.

If you’re searching for more of Bangkok’s greatest noodles then might I recommended you explore Boat Noodle Alley? A mecca for boat noodles in Bangkok.

Bamee Kon Sae Lee’s Menu

bamee kon sae lee menu — *Only a handful of dish types but a lot of variety to choose from*

Bamee Kon Sae Lee’s menu is pretty varied considering they only serve 3 main types of dishes:

Egg Noodles - Classic handmade egg noodles (dry or with soup) seasoned with flavorful sauces, garlic, and (I think) sesame oil.
Wonton Soup - A clear peppery pork broth soup with shrimp and pork wontons
Fried Rice - Chinese style fried rice with a variety of toppings and good amount of wok hei (shoutout to Uncle Roger).

The main difference is the choice of toppings, you can get crispy pork, roasted duck, Chinese BBQ pork, Chinese sausage, wontons, and crab meat.

In addition you can also order the proteins separately on the side, say in case you want a whole plateful of moo krob ;)

Also vegetarian options are also available, replacing the meats with Shiitake mushrooms. But I mean… If you’re eating vegetarian here then that’s kind of sad…

Pricing

Right off the bat, pricing is a little expensive and portions are small, this has been an common criticism of Bamee Kon Sae Lee even before the restaurant became as popular among tourists as it is today.

Price ranges from 60 THB to 120 THB depending on the toppings. I’d recommend you MUST at least try their crispy pork belly, so you’re already spending 70 THB, that wouldn’t be an issue if one portion was enough.

I think if they maybe increase the portions of their egg noodles then it would be a better deal. For now, you’re gonna want 2 bowls to fill you up.

Egg Noodles with Roast Duck and Crispy Pork Belly

bamee kon sae lee egg noodles with wonton crispy pork belly roasted duck — *Isn’t that the most delicious looking bowl of egg noodles you have ever seen?*

I wanted to show you guys a little bit of everything, so I ordered the egg noodles with wontons, roasted duck, and of course, crispy pork belly :)

The egg noodles were really good, it’s a bit slimy due to the added sauce and oil but the flavor is delicious. A little garlicky, a little aromatic from the oil, and cooked to perfection. I added some chili vinegar as well as dried chili powder for some added kick and that definitely brought the noodles to a whole other dimension.

The Moo Krob was incredibly crispy, almost like a cracker in terms of texture. I will say though that it’s a bit dry but the flavor is still very porky and salty. The wontons were good, delicate wrapper, whole shrimps, although I couldn’t really taste any pork.

The star for me was actually the Roasted Duck. It was so juicy and very savory, especially the skin where it’s all fatty and juicy. The duck is skin also seems to be coated in a thin layer of a rich, almost gravy-like sauce which added to the flavor.

There is a bit of boiled greens at the bottom, they add a nice crunchy texture but that’s about it.

Wonton Soup with Chinese BBQ Pork

My wonton soup came out pretty quick, I ordered mine with the Chinese BBQ pork, in Thai that’s “Moo Daeng” meaning Red Pork due to its red outer layer.

The soup itself was surprisingly very tasty, the clear broth is actually hiding a lot of peppery, oily, and porky flavor, it’s a perfect complement to my dry egg noodles. The wontons were the same ones as the previous dish.

The Chinese BBQ Pork was surprisingly juicy and tender and I don’t mean from the soup, I mean like, There’s actual chunks of fat and some pieces could be pulled apart with ease. Often when you get Moo Daeng in Thailand, it’s like biting into a piece of bland pulpy cardboard.

A good comforting bowl of wonton soup, very light tasting as well.

Conclusion

Pros

Deliciously flavorful egg noodles, probably the best I’ve had in Bangkok
Their meats are all pretty good, and flavorful
Despite the limited seating and long lines, service is quick and efficient.

Cons

Pricing is a little expensive for the amount of food you’re getting

Overall I highly recommend you visit Bamee Kon Sae Lee, and it’s not a recommendation from my rose tinted glasses. The egg noodles were superb, the crispy pork belly and especially the roasted duck was awesome. And the service was pretty fast too, impressive considering this tiny restaurant is always packed full, not to mentioned the dozens of delivery orders going on at the same time.

The only real downside is that it’s a little too overpriced. Maybe if the increase the portion sizes by adding another fistful of noodles.

Bamee Kon Sae Lee | 9 / 10

Phone: +66 65 456 3625

Location: 1081 Sukhumvit Rd, Watthana, Bangkok 10110

Opening Hours: 6:30  AM - 11:00  PM | Mon - Sun (Closed Tue)

Pricing: ~100 THB | $$

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