Looking for great som tam

[vagabond48]

As I mentioned in previous thread, I'll be here for 6 days. I used to go for years to place not far from where I lived to get great som tam. Unfortunately, she is way too far from where we are. Plus, who knows if she is still there. Can I get some good recommendations to get som tam where we can seat down preferable in the evening for a light veggie meal. Perhaps the Chiang Mai Gate area or the Warorot Night market and of course within the Old City.

[Bill97]

What is great somtom exactly?


Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect

[OneMoreFarang]

There is a very easy solution and it works all over Thailand. Ask the locals!

I am sure the motorcycle taxi drivers or maids or security guards will be delighted to tell you where to go.

[CGW]

18 minutes ago, Bill97 said:

What is great somtom exactly?

Yep! my idea of great somtom and my wife's idea are worlds apart! if I consume my wife's version there is a lot more "pain" involved during the consumption, digestion & the grand finale just ????           -  ???? 

Edited July 24, 2019 by CGW

[Bill97]

There is a very easy solution and it works all over Thailand. Ask the locals!
I am sure the motorcycle taxi drivers or maids or security guards will be delighted to tell you where to go.

What? More than half the folks can not speak enough Thai or are scared shitless of talking to one outside of a few very restricted situations like their bank and the three restaurants they frequent.


Sent from my iPhone using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

[vagabond48]

Point taken regarding what great is but if you like it A LOT maybe I'll like it too, rating it from 5 - 10. I'll give you a minimum rating of 5 just because your opinion counts ???? .

[vagabond48]

1 hour ago, OneMoreFarang said:

There is a very easy solution and it works all over Thailand. Ask the locals!

I am sure the motorcycle taxi drivers or maids or security guards will be delighted to tell you where to go.

Do you mean they'll tell me to go F**** myself or go to their wife's, husband's ,sister's, brother's, cousin's, uncle's etc. etc. etc. for a small commission, of course.

[OneMoreFarang]

57 minutes ago, Bill97 said:

What? More than half the folks can not speak enough Thai or are scared shitless of talking to one outside of a few very restricted situations like their bank and the three restaurants they frequent.


Sent from my iPhone using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

In this case it's: Som Nam Naa   and not Somtam  ???? 

[vagabond48]

Damn, it feels like ol times being on TV.

[OneMoreFarang]

1 minute ago, vagabond48 said:

Do you mean they'll tell me to go F**** myself or go to their wife's, husband's ,sister's, brother's, cousin's, uncle's etc. etc. etc. for a small commission, of course.

It seems your opinion of Thais is a little tainted.

I got some good tips from them. And if you don't like A you can try B.

As mentioned above many people have different ideas about good taste.

[vagabond48]

7 minutes ago, OneMoreFarang said:

It seems your opinion of Thais is a little tainted.

I got some good tips from them. And if you don't like A you can try B.

As mentioned above many people have different ideas about good taste.

I forgot to put the wink emoji at the end but yes, my opinion of "some" Thais is just "a tiny winy" tainted.

[vagabond48]

It was probably silly to post this request since I haven't had som tam for over 4 years and will most likely enjoy any version.

[Puwa]

Outside your radius but here's the good stuff:

https://goo.gl/maps/KLjLeQ1x2b5LeWJ86

[stament]

Udon Somtam isn't bad near plaza89 Nong Hoi. They have a couple of other branches too.

 

 

My favourite som tam is the one my wife makes.

 

 

 

 

[jackdd]

13 hours ago, OneMoreFarang said:

There is a very easy solution and it works all over Thailand. Ask the locals!

I am sure the motorcycle taxi drivers or maids or security guards will be delighted to tell you where to go.

Depends on which kind of som tum he likes.

 

Imho people in the north just don't know how to make good som tum, and this does at least apply to "som tum dam thai" which i like, as well as "som tum pu pala" which my girlfriend likes. Before we lived in Udon and Bangkok, no problem to find som tum there which we like (we like the isaan style).

Here in Chiang Mai you order a "som tum dam thai" and it's just not sour, or they at loads of sugar and it's way too sweet (of course it has to be sweet to some degree). Or in a "som tum pu pala" they also like to add sugar and soy beans, this was the first time in my GFs life she got som tum like this. And the biggest monstrosity: Many places like to cut the pappaya early in the morning (or maybe the day before, who knows) and then keep it in water for many hours. This pappaya reminds me of "krautsalat" (like people in Germany make it), this is just not som tum.

 

We've probably tried twenty places so far, including "som tum udon" in hang dong, and at most places the som tum is just bad to mediocre.

So far we've found one place where both of us really like the som tum, but this is about 30kms outside of the city. I asked her where she is from... Khon Kaen

[1FinickyOne]

20 hours ago, vagabond48 said:

It was probably silly to post this request

not silly - you just will need more information, like dna samples from each poster so that you can check for taste proclivities and such... you are a thorough guy...

 

me, pretty much all som tam tastes the same... are you coming from a world of no som tam? plenty of places and markets in that area... 

[tandor]

Nat's Bistro in Charoenprathet Rd (in front of Diamond River Hotel). ..was there yesterday and had it...delicious and made to your liking.

Edited July 25, 2019 by tandor

[tandor]

1 hour ago, kenk24 said:

not silly - you just will need more information, like dna samples from each poster so that you can check for taste proclivities and such... you are a thorough guy...

 

me, pretty much all som tam tastes the same... are you coming from a world of no som tam? plenty of places and markets in that area... 

...i love it when you talk dirty.

[Dazinoz]

My ex gf used to say she wanted to eat somtam. Sounded like she says sometime. I said what do you mean sometime, you like to eat ALL the time.

[moe666]

On 7/24/2019 at 12:06 PM, vagabond48 said:

Point taken regarding what great is but if you like it A LOT maybe I'll like it too, rating it from 5 - 10. I'll give you a minimum rating of 5 just because your opinion counts ???? .

check out som tum so lao it is on google map, a short distance from huey khao the road is the first light befor nimanama rd. orange building front on east side of the road. sorry I do not have spelling of road it is on.

[elektrified]

I also recommend Somtam So Lao. There are a few of them. The one in Meechok Plaza (Sansai) is very good. More expensive than the others, but higher-quality and the restaurants are more comfortable.

 

Som Tam Udon (also several branches) is pretty good too. I would avoid the one near Big C Super Highway as there is a klong of stagnant water next to the restaurant and you will spend your entire meal shooing away mosquitoes and flies. The original location in Santitham is best IMO.

[sunnyboy2018]

A Bangkok shpping mall has an outlet with about 30 types of Somtan.

[ByblosYuNaiSoi]

I LOVED this place when I lived in CNX - many different kinds of "tams." If you want their excellent grilled chicken, go for lunchtime - otherwise they run out. The difficulty is getting there without your own transport. 

 

SomTam Udon

 

https://goo.gl/maps/5tEPLBZFu4e1bXU57

Edited July 25, 2019 by ByblosYuNaiSoi
link bad

[crutchy26]

Do like the Som tum. Not too much sugar, 2-3 chillis.

My local BBQ chicken shop have a supply of the small brown-skinned onions. Finely sliced and crushed in to som tum. A nice little touch IMHO. Thus: each to their own