You may have been served tom yum goong from an elevated donut-shaped metal bowl with a candle in the middle, but at Heng Chun Seng (เฮ้งชุนเส็ง) they serve rich beefy soup smoldering hot by a fiery furnace in the center!

They specialize in something known as “maw fai หม้อไฟ” which directly translates to “fire pot,” – and that’s about as accurate as anyone could describe it.

While pork is much more popular in Bangkok, beef is what Heng Chun Seng (เฮ้งชุนเส็ง) is really famous for.

It’s not that tough chewy beef, but rather fall apart tender thumb sized chunks of boiled beef (neua toon), just like what they use to flavor my favorite Thai beef noodles.

We ordered our fire pot (maw fai หม้อไฟ) packed with chunks of beef and beef balls mixed with morning glory and submerged in their signature carnivorous broth.

A few bowls of rice to go with the main dish and a self-mixed side of sauce which included chili flakes, vinegar and a splash of fish sauce, and we were ready to start fishing.

I found it easiest to grab some beef and morning glory, place them on top of my rice and then scoop on some chili for extra flavor. Then I’d dip my spoon in the communal fire pot every few bites to make sure I was taking full advantage of the fragrant soup.

If you happen to finish all the beef, but still want more (like we did), you can always order another plate of beef or bowl of morning glory to add to the still hot soup.

The broth was slightly sweet, perfectly salty and the generous addition of fried garlic slivers was the flavor that really made me happy.

The Bottom Line

Eating beef soup from a fire pot (maw fai หม้อไฟ) is pretty unique, it’s not all that common in Bangkok and this place does it extremely well. They are nearly always busy and if you go at peak times you may even have to wait for a table. The majority of the restaurant sprawls onto the sidewalk, but they also have an air-conditioned side room.

If you like beef soup, with real meat flavor, you’ll really enjoy this!

Heng Chun Seng (เฮ้งชุนเส็ง)

Address: 133 Thanon Sunthon Kosa, Khlong Toey, Bangkok 10110
Phone: 0-2249-2329
Hours: Monday – Saturday: 6 am – 5:30 pm, Sunday close at 5 pm
Prices: 1 fire pot, extra beef and extra morning glory, plus 5 bowls of rice came to 255 THB (for 3 of us) – expect to spend 50 – 100 THB per person

133 ถนนสุนทรโกษา แขวงคลองเตย เขตคลองเตย กรุงเทพฯ 10110

How to Get There

Heng Chun Seng (เฮ้งชุนเส็ง) is located on the edge of Khlong Toey Market. It is closest to Queen Sirikit MRT station, and from there you can either walk (probably 15 – 20 minutes and you’ll need to walk through the market) or jump in a quick taxi.

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