Many expats bring first-time guests to Soul Food Mahanakorn because its reliably good Thai dishes cover a range of options and the drinks are innovative and strong. On the food front, that means creative spins on traditional street food. Standout dishes include the Chiang Mai classic khao soi (a Burmese-style curry with egg noodles), a banana flower salad, duck larb, and the tiger prawn satay. The owners offers more playful dishes, like a pulled pork khao soi burger, just down the road at The Commons (p. ###) and recently set up camp in Hong Kong.