If you’ve spent even a moderate amount of time in Thai Town and don’t know the wonders of Sapp Coffee Shop’s boat noodles or jade noodles, you haven’t dug very deep. That said, Bangkok native Jintana Noochlaor has created more than two noteworthy dishes since opening in 1982. Yes, there are many reasons why Noochlaor selected the name Sapp, which translates from Thai as “delicious” and still holds true after 30+ years.

On my latest visit, my table also hosted Preserved Duck Eggs ($6.75) aka century eggs, which are hard-boiled eggs soaked in a paste that could include ash, black tea, salt and lime, resulting in dark, gelatinous “whites” and firm, pungent, black yolks. This type of egg frequently tops congee, but I really enjoyed slices stir-fried in a wok until puffy. Juicy ground pork joined spicy Thai chiles, seeds and all, along with garlic and basil. You’ll definitely want steamed white rice with your preserved duck eggs to help tame the dish’s pungency. That is, unless you really like to crank up the funk. In that case, request house-made salted fish and roasted green chile dip, which unleashes fierce umami to the 10th power.