Let’s play a little game. You have a free day, about two hundred baht in your pocket, and a stomach that needs convincing. Is it possible to eat well, and I mean actually well, without overspending? In Bangkok, usually yes. And if you happen to be near Bang Waek or Taling Chan, one grandma-style noodle shop makes the challenge almost too easy. I’ll walk you through how I’d plan it, and if you want the full menu and service details before you go, you can อ่านเพิ่มเติม from their website.
The rules of the game
Here’s the setup. The spot is Yai Som, a chicken noodle restaurant with two branches in western Bangkok, one in Bang Waek Market and one in Taling Chan. The food is built around a traditional family recipe, with a slow-simmered broth and fresh ingredients. Prices are friendly: most noodle bowls start at ฿50, and chicken rice is ฿55 for the regular plate. That means a full day of eating fits inside our budget with room to spare.
I’m not claiming you’d eat three meals here every single day. It’s just a fun way to see how far a little money and a good recipe can go.
Breakfast: keep it light
Chicken noodle soup for breakfast might sound odd if you grew up on cereal, but in much of Asia, a warm bowl in the morning is totally normal. It’s gentle on an empty stomach and wakes you up better than a sugary pastry ever could.
For the first meal of the day, I’d go with the all-meat chicken noodle bowl at ฿50. It’s simple and tender, with a clean broth that doesn’t weigh you down. You get a proper meal, you feel human again, and you’ve barely dented the budget.
Running total: ฿50.
Lunch: go bigger
By midday you’ll want something more filling, and this is where the chicken rice comes in. The regular plate is ฿55, served with tender thigh meat and the house dipping sauce. Honestly, the sauce is half the reason to order it. If you’re extra hungry, the special plate is ฿65 and gives you a little more to enjoy.
Pair it with a cold drink from the menu, which includes blended drinks and other beverages, and you’ve got yourself a satisfying lunch. If you want to treat yourself, the chopped chicken plate in the small size at ฿90 is a nice way to switch things up, though it’ll push you toward the top of the budget faster.
Running total: roughly ฿105 to ฿115 for the day so far, depending on whether you went regular or special.
Afternoon: the dessert detour
Every good food day needs an afternoon break, and Yai Som’s menu has you covered. There are desserts and shaved-ice bingsu, which is exactly what you want when Bangkok’s heat starts melting your plans. I’d save a little room for something sweet and cold, because there’s nothing quite like it in the middle of a sticky afternoon.
I’m not quoting a price here, since dessert costs vary by item, so check the menu when you arrive. Just keep a little buffer in your budget and you’ll be fine.
Dinner: the grand finale
For the last meal, you’ve got two options, and both are good. If you’re still going strong, order the mixed chicken noodle bowl at ฿50, which comes with shredded chicken, a chicken foot and some of the bigger joints. It’s perfect for people who love variety and a little texture adventure.
If you’re feeling a bit more daring, the chicken feet bowl is ฿55, and it’s a favorite for fans of that soft, collagen-rich bite. Or go all out with the giant chicken-frame bowl at ฿70 if you somehow have room left.
Running total: somewhere around ฿160 to ฿190 for the whole day, which means we’ve stayed under the limit, and we ate pretty well along the way.
What about drinks and snacks?
If you want to stretch things a little, the menu also lists fried dishes, spicy dishes, small snacks and more drinks. Order one or two to share with a friend and you’ll see how quickly a casual table turns into a feast. There’s also draft and bottled beer for the evening, though that will take you past our budget, so consider it a bonus round.
If you can’t leave the house
Not in the mood to travel? Fair. The restaurant is on Grab Food, Shopee Food and LINE MAN, so you can run the same game from your sofa. Search for “ก๋วยเตี๋ยวไก่ยายโสม” in your favorite app, choose your meals, and let the delivery rider do the walking. Keep in mind that delivery fees can change your totals, so you may have to rebalance your budget.
Why this works
The reason a day like this works isn’t some clever trick. It comes down to a restaurant that keeps things honest: a focused menu, familiar flavors and prices that respect your wallet. When a kitchen puts its energy into the broth and the chicken instead of fancy presentation, you get better food for less money.
It also helps that the dishes are varied enough to avoid boredom. Noodles, rice, snacks and sweets all live under one roof, so you can eat three different meals without ever repeating yourself.
Your turn
So here’s my challenge to you. Next time you’ve got a free day in western Bangkok and a loose plan, try the ฿200 game. Start with a morning bowl, move on to chicken rice, treat yourself to something sweet and finish with a hearty dinner. Take a few photos, text your friends and see how close you get to the limit.
And if you want to dig deeper before you head out, check the menu pages and branch details online so you know exactly where you’re going. A little planning makes the day even tastier.
