Kup Kup Kup is an Outstanding Slice of Southeast Asian Street Food Culture in Sanlitun

Trapped in the dining equivalent of purgatory in Taikooli North just off of Sanlitun's main drag, it can difficult for smaller restaurants to find their footing among the mixed bag of brands and venues. Two such victims of the mall's quiet, sunken basement were Cacha Cacha and then Klerm, a one-two attempt by shared management to put a Thai option on the map but which never quite stuck, despite their admirable attempts. With Klerm's closure last year, it's time for a third Southeast Asian restaurant to have a crack in the same spot; the low-key street-style workings of Kup Kup Kup.

Billed as an Asian food hall, the simple, open, colorful, yet blindingly bright (seriously, they may want to consider installing a dimmer switch) cafeteria-style space gives little clue as to the caliber and authenticity of the food to come. The two-sided pictureless menu may be a little overwhelming for some, especially Chinese diners, but rest assured, of the dozen dishes we tried, not a single one was a dud.

The key lies in Kup Kup Kup's full embrace of all the aromatic, spicy, and occasionally pungent flavors of SE Asian cooking. You won't find bastardized versions of the region's dishes here – hell, the light and moreish pad thai (RMB 78) is one of the best you'll find in the city – instead, the dishes pop in color and presentation, sticking obstinately to their humble but mouthwatering beginnings.

Kup Kup Kup offers five different options as part of their RMB 78 lunch set, all of which are available in the low-carb option (swapping regular noodles for radish noodles or a steamed egg). However in our opinion, the best way to enjoy the place is to come in a group and order with impunity. 

To start, skip the customary shrimp spring rolls (RMB 58) in favor of nem ran (RMB 52); Hanoi deep-fried rolls with skin as crisp and dark as caramelized sugar and stuffed with piping-hot minced pork. Simply wrap them in the lettuce, throw in a couple of sprigs of fresh mint and aniseed-like Thai basil, and dip in the accompanying chili sauce.

Alternatively, go the full-hog with the appetizer platter (RMB 128) packed with stubby sour sausages that pop between the teeth, crispy pork ears that will convert even the least adventurous of diners, chicken satay and sweet chili dipping sauce, and a piquant pork neck salad with slivers of tender meat marinated in fresh lime juice, fish sauce, and cut with shallots.

The mains are equally as hearty, with the mie bakso (RMB 68) proving a particular favorite. This gut-busting bowl of beef balls (from which the dish gets its name), succulent chunks of braised pork, marinated tofu, deep-fried wontons, and a luscious coating of sambal on the underlying yellow noodles is one of many reasons why we'd suggest visiting with friends to get the most out of a single visit.

"The unofficial national dish of Laos" larb muu ( RMB 68) is likely to be a little more divisive given the offal notes from chunks of pork liver dotted among the tangy ground pork and Chiang Mai chilies, while the decadently rich kapitein duck curry (RMB 78) proved a little fiddly to eat for its large chunks of cleavered bird.

Last but not least, no matter how full you may be, the coconut ice cream on Kaya toast (RMB 48) must not be skipped over. You'll be scraping to get the last dregs of coconut jam and crushed peanuts that mark the spot on the cutesy neon plate where the dessert used to lie.

Playful presentation makes its way to the cocktail menu as well, which may also be one of the best-priced around. A measly 38 kuai here scores you a margarita, colada, sangria, or our favorite, the Asian Jungle. It would be easy to scoff at a place that served your (pint of) drink with an inflatable pink flamingo and paper umbrella, but here it feels justified given the lack of pretense on the whole.

Soon, it was clear that the cocktails were the real deal and the lights started to burn just that little bit brighter, reminding us of the one downside of dining in this Southeast Asian haven, and bringing us back to where we'd never expect to be: the basement of Taikooli North.

Kup Kup Kup's not the only new SE Asian restaurant in town: don't forget to try Mulu in WF Central.

Kup Kup Kup
Daily 11am-10pm. NLG45, B1, Taikooli North, 11 Sanlitun Lu, Chaoyang District
朝阳区三里屯路11号院太古里北区地下一层NLG45

Photos courtesy of Kup Kup Kup, Tom Arnstein