Quotes of the Day

1. Mirasuddeen Mosque Close by the seedier end of Silom Road, claimed by tailors, jewelers and antique dealers of many nations, is the diminutive and historic Mirasuddeen Mosque.

2. Sri Maha Mariamman At the entrance to Thanon Pan you'll find Sri Maha Mariamman, or Wat Khaek (Indian Temple) in Thai, a luridly carved Tamil enclave built in 1879 and packed ever since with devotees of the Hindu goddess Uma.

3. Yentafo Thanks to Wat Khaek and the mixed congregation of restaurants that surrounds it, Bangkok's role as an Asian crossroads is made clear. This Chinese place, tel: (66-2) 691 3827, marks the beginning of Thanon Pan's delectable confusion. Try the noodles served in a curiously pink broth made from tofu and grilled octopus. (See the top 10 food trends of 2008.)

4. Chennai Kitchen As you make your way down the road, holes-in-the-wall featuring folding chairs and rock-bottom prices alternate with purveyors of Ganesh statuary (and, blissfully, not one massage joint). For hungry penitents, Chennai Kitchen, tel: (66-2) 234 1266, does scrupulously made south Indian crepes, like tomato-topped uttapham and chili-charred Mysore dosas. An adjoining shop sells strictly vegan, if Thai, curry-topped fermented rice noodles.

5. Mashoor's Boasting a delectable outdoor display of typical Indian sweets, Mashoor's, tel: (66-2) 635 2211, is run by Dan Bahadu, who calls himself Nepali though raised in Burma. The treat here is the laphet thoke, or Burmese tea-leaf salad, a wonderfully pungent mélange of pickled leaves, fried yellow dal, chilies and tomatoes. (See pictures of high-tea in Malaysia.)

6. Persia Restaurant Likewise whetting a sense of discovery is the basic Persia Restaurant, tel: (66-2) 635 2674, and its baghla polo, or green rice, with broad beans, lamb, dill and hints of lime.

7. Annapurna A few doors down lies Annapurna, tel: (66-2) 635 2211. It's also owned by Bahadu, and serves similar food to Mashoor's but in more upscale surroundings.

8. Taling Pling Thanon Pan's most famed restaurant is Taling Pling, tel: (66-2) 236 4830. Many dishes here are traditional Thai gone the bland way of all tourism. But order wisely to score a rare northeastern-style curry of thick greens with hed thob (tiny mushrooms) or thousand-year eggs deep fried with basil. Besides, Taling Pling serves one mean caramel-lined banana cream pie.

9. Lalot Vietnamese Thanks to its large Modernist canvases, this Vietnamese joint, tel: (66-2) 635 3680, has more atmosphere than the typical Thanon Pan eatery. Don't miss the prawns-stuffed ban xeo pancakes.

10. St. Louis Hospital Inside this medical facility, you'll find a shrine to the Virgin Mary. It's decked with garlands by Thais who, though mostly Buddhist, are evenhanded when it comes to worship — especially on ecumenical Thanon Pan.

See 10 things to do in Hong Kong.

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• John Krich
• Thanon Pan (Pan Road) is Bangkok at its most interdenominational. Here are the places to look for