FOOD COURT @ EMPORIUM

I do not know when and where this Food Court idea started but whoever created the first one should be awarded a medal. Asia has taken the concept to dizzying heights and every major city has its pride and joy. In the past 2 weeks I did a quick survey of the most patronized food courts or food plazas ie the ones with the most traffic and my #1 vote goes to The Emporium. My selection criteria are :

AMBIENCE : airy, well lit, contemporary, stylish
NOISE LEVEL : surprisingly quiet & calm, unlike MBK or Siam Parragon
NOSE TEST : one does not get overwhelmed by competitive food smells
SELECTION : a complete list of the usual suspects
PRICE : one pays 10-15% more but without question the quality justifies it
SERVICE : smiles all around, indeed a 'Smiling Food Court'

My favorite is the Braised Pork Knuckles .... I believe it the the 3rd stall on your left as you enter the Food Court. Order a whole plate at Baht 110 which you should be able to finish, with rice. The taste is unqiue. Still hungry? Go to the 1st stall on your right for a bowl of Beef Ball & Sliced Beef Soup with or without the 'sa ho fan' or flat noodles, for Baht 50. The best deal here is you help yourself to as much pea sprouts or Thai basil as you like. Together with the knuckles I guarantee you will walk away satisfied, and happy.

The Food Court is located on the 5th floor of The Emporium Department Store, and not the mall side of the building. Take the BTS Sukhumvit Line and get off at Phrom Phong, and The Emporium is linked to the station. It is 4 stations or about 15-minutes away from Chit Lom, the center of town, a quick ride.