The buzz: New Japanese restaurants on Sukhumvit are a dime a dozen lately, particularly all those semi-contemporary izakayas. But Yokoi Udon distinguishes itself from others with its assembly line/canteen dining concept. Located in a busy new development between Sukhumvit Soi 39 and Soi 31, at 39 Boulevard, the place is packed at mealtimes, more often than not with Japanese bachelors—a good sign, we think.

The décor: With high ceilings, tall windows and some Japanese lanterns, the vibe is more lofty than cozy. The room is decorated with simple wooden furniture and unadorned booths—there are even some low Japanese tables. One entire side of the restaurant is dedicated to the open kitchen/assembly line that dishes out the food.

The food: The menu is written in Japanese, and the English translations aren’t that helpful, so do come prepared for a bit of confusion. The specialty here is homemade udon noodles, served up by Japanese cooks (most speak impressive Thai). Udon dishes range from curry udon (B99 for small) to nikuoroshi udon (udon soup with pork, B99 for small). Then, you can drag your tray along and help yourself to some tempura offerings like ebi (fried prawn, B39 per piece) or nasu (eggplant, B29 per piece). Then there’s the station offering sushi pieces like inari (sushi rice wrapped with fried tofu, B19 per piece) and ume onigiri (rice and pickled plums, B35).

The drinks: Finally, before you pay at the register, you can pick your drink—though there’s a separate station that does free hot and cold tea. Not much happening by way of booze, but you can get a can of Heineken for B99.

The crowd: Hordes of Japanese professionals from the neighborhood who line up for a quick lunch and some random locals in the evening. Pieng-Or Mongkolkumnuankhet