YAOWARAT OLD MARKET

Yaowarat 6 (Soi Itsaranuphap)

Yaowarat Old Market is probably Bangkok’s biggest and most vibrant source of vegetarian food, especially during the festival. Since last week, Soi Itsaranuphap has been transformed into food shops and stalls offering meatless edibles. The street is lined with not just ready-to-eat dishes (mostly for takeaway) but also ingredients for vegetarian food such as mock duck, mock chicken, mock seafood, dried mushroom, wheat gluten products, vegetarian sauces and seasoning powder to name but a few. This is why the Yaowarat Old Market is being flocked by people who come to eat and restaurant owners who want to buy ingredients for the festival of compassion.

Shops and vendors at Yaowarat Old Market are mostly open all day, from the early morning. But due to high demand during this festive period, a visit before 10am might see a huge crowd. The soi is quite narrow — only about a few meters wide — but visitors often have to make way for motorcycles and delivery carts. Such a picture is the colour of this neighbourhood.

For 10 days, Yaowarat Road, which starts from Chinatown Gate (Odian Circle) to Chalerm Buri intersection is closed during the evening and becomes a vegetarian food street fair. Among the highlights are fried dumplings, takoyaki (a Japanese snack made from wheat flour and vegetables), deep-friend taro, tofu and spring rolls.