Massaman curry -- where is the good stuff?

[Jingthing]

Once in the while I feel like Massaman curry. A local place I used to go for some half decent Massaman curry has closed. So now I don't know where to go for it. The other day I saw it on a menu in Naklua at a Thai place that appeared to be promising, and it was really awful. Chicken meat in pieces, not whole on the bone, the curry clearly directly out of a mix packet, a tiny portion of potatoes, and 4 or 5 peanuts thrown on top. So now I know where NOT to go for Massaman curry.

Anyway, please suggest local places that do this dish justice.

[David48]

JT ... a food topic we can agree on without dissension.

I love the stuff ... preferable from a beef base.

There is one place on Suk Soi 11 ... but that's Bangkok.

If you find a nice place in Patts ... I'll be reading.

.

[TaaSaparot]

The best one I had in the area, was the Roast Duck Mussaman at Cabbage & Condoms.

It seems everyone raves about Daeng Dams on Glang, but it waay too sweet for me.

[somtampet]

My house, the best in Thailand

[joepattaya1961]

I did have a lovely Masman at Vientiane along Nern Pleb Waan a few months ago.

[NanLaew]

When my ex wife I was buying up houses on Soi Jiraporn back in 1986, the muslim lady next door used to make a big bowl for me once a month along with the home made roti. I haven't had anything that has come close since. Even the Soi is gone!

Interesting that Vientiane on NPW gets a mention as I recall that the place was given a general thumbs down when compared to their 'big house' on the east end of Tai. Of course their long-gone WS venture was easily their best incarnation.

I may have to give the Cabbages & Condoms duck variation a try when I get back. They seem to have a more thumbs up than down on most things they do. I wonder if you can tell them to use less sugar at Daeng Dams?

Good OP (as usual) JT, I am in the Philippines right now where even a packet of Ma-ma oodles would hit the spot.

[chickenslegs]

The best one I had in the area, was the Roast Duck Mussaman at Cabbage & Condoms.

It seems everyone raves about Daeng Dams on Glang, but it waay too sweet for me.

The lamb Massaman there is equally good.

[SparklingCascades]

For close to home-made Massaman the Thai side of my family (when down in Pattaya about once each month) go over to Soi 1, Off Pattaya Beach Road. Exactly half-way down the Soi - if your back is to the beach - is a restaurant on the left side. Has a garden out the front and a hedge running round it (no walls). Its low-key and very easy to miss the place.

The restaurant is a Thai family affair. My grandma says it started as a very tiny shop selling Thai food to mostly fisher folk about 30+ years back. It has grown and now sits 50 people. Still run by the same Thai couple - who have aged. The man often serves food whilst the wife can be seen in the kitchen. The masaman is probably one of the best we've had in Thai restaurants. Gravy is thick & red, peanut-y with healthy chicken sections. The chicken seems to be marinated for some time (like the real recipe). Its something which many restaurants offering masaman do not bother to do and it ends up like a watery stew. You also get an aroma of the Southern spices when its served. The place serves lots of other authentically prepared Thai foods & even excel with Continental foods - since the owner (the man) worked on a ship for many years where he learned Continental cuisine, I am told.

The place never advertises and does a roaring business mostly from Thais who love the place & some tourists who've heard by word-of-mouth.

ok I must go now. bye.

[Jingthing]

WOW!

Actually I think I know the place but haven't tried their Massaman.

Somsakdi's Restaurant, yes?

http://pattayamail.com/diningout/somsakdi-revisited-7552

Edited October 13, 2013 by Jingthing

[Traxster]

So from where does Massaman/massuman curry originate ?

i always thought it was Malaysian

but now I'm beginning to wonder.

Anybody got any ideas on it's origin?

[AyG]

It's derived from Indian muslim food. In the past there was a lot of trade between southern Siam and India, and some traders settled and married locals. That's why it uses dried spices (including cardamom, cinnamon and cloves) which are rarely used in traditional native Thai cuisine. The technique of starting with a curry paste, however, is a traditional Thai technique. Traditionally it was made with beef so belying its muslim roots.

You'll also see Indian influence in khao mok kai (chicken with yellow rice), which is derived from chicken biriani.

Whilst the Indian influence is most noticeable in southern Thai cuisine, there's also an Indian influence on a few northern dishes such as kang hang lae, though here the influence has been filtered through Burma.

Edited October 14, 2013 by AyG

[ice4351]

Daeng Dams on Pattaya Klang and also in the back of the Avenues Mall on ground level has a great Massaman. It is sweet, but I love it. Also great price!

[bob4you]

I love Massaman curry and buy it regularly at Big C Extra in the prepared foods section of the butcher shop section. I forget the cost but B59 sounds right, only take away in bags that contain at least 1 whole thigh, sometimes a leg, large potatoes, peanuts and great gravy. I buy 2 or 3, throw in freezer, heat in microwave when I need a quick dinner (my version of TV dinners) other times I put a bag in my crock pot, add a little beer or wine, more onions, potatoes, even pork tenderloin, some more vegetables and have a great meal for a few days.

[winstonc]

unfortunatly if your down south phang-nga -phuket way youl find fantastic curries there ..yes a muslim dish.excellant food..like trying to find a great indian curry here..still no joy..we had to go to vietnam to get ours..i gorged for 3 days until my stomach lining started to dissolve ....but it was worth the pain....or if you dont mind a little trip i suggest east london ...make sure there only cooking with one hand though..

[Bcgardener]

The best beef massaman I have ever tasted anywhere was at a restaurant called the Green Pearl. beautiful chunks of beef that only just held together until you touched them, then just fell apart. A curry that was thick and spicy but not over the top, certainly not sweet, and potatoes that were cooked just right.

It was heaven.... Unfortunately the restaurant is in Sydney, not really helpful for the OP unless he is planning a visit in the near future

[stickylies]

the best sofar:

- RANONG

- SATUN

[overherebc]

My house, the best in Thailand

MIL's in BKK. Chicken on the bone, potatoes perfectly cooked, spicy but not too spicy and the sauce creamy smooth.

[LennyW]

The best beef massaman i have found is at a small halal restaurant near Ban Chang, just off sukhumvit more or less opposite the entrance to Au Tapao airport, far better than any i ever found in Pattaya.

[NanLaew]

WOW!

Actually I think I know the place but haven't tried their Massaman.

Somsakdi's Restaurant, yes?

http://pattayamail.com/diningout/somsakdi-revisited-7552

Used to be Somsak's on 2nd Road many, many years ago. Must be one of the longest, most consistently good restaurants in Pattaya regardless of the relocations?

Says there's a garden out front? Last time I went (maybe 3 years ago) it was parking out front.

Check it out JT!

[Oishii]

I have to get my monthly fix from the night market in Chaiyaphum, the one near Lotus. About half way through the market, on the left, there is a Muslim couple who make a great Massaman curry and delicious roti.

We only visit Chaiyaphum once per month, to visit the wife's family. I want to live there, but the wife's job if deeper into Issan country.

[doublephil]

What about a decent Massaman in Chiang Mai? Any recommendations? I used to get a really good authentic massaman from a local muslim shop near the Chang Klan mosque - but the owner has retired now and her son runs the shop - and doesn't sell the massaman curry now. I got a half decent massaman at the WildFlower restaurant on Ratchamakka Road (directly across the moat from Loy Kroh Road and next to the Lost Bookshop). They do some fairly good British food too

[NCFC]

Plenty of great Muslim food in the Ramkhamhaeng area of BKK. Excellent mussaman at talad nam khwam-riang. And a great open air Muslim restaurant at the corner of Rama IX/Ram. Local prices

[Ron19]

I make my own after having tried some awful offerings.One had been pre-made,frozen and then microwaved when ordered and one thing i've found is that the potato doesn't come out to well after being frozen and then microwaved.

[flyingdoc]

There are even some free tourist postcards around, that sport an excellent recipe for a Massaman curry. Any outlet that has a rack of free take-away postcards!

[phitsanulokjohn]

Whenever i visit Jomtien there's a restaurant along the beach road called the surf kitchen.Even when Jomtien is quiet this restaurant always has people in.I always have massaman there and it's always been delicious.

[phitsanulokjohn]

Whenever i visit Jomtien there's a restaurant along the beach road called the surf kitchen.Even when Jomtien is quiet this restaurant always has people in.I always have massaman there and it's always been delicious.

[Jingthing]

Whenever i visit Jomtien there's a restaurant along the beach road called the surf kitchen.Even when Jomtien is quiet this restaurant always has people in.I always have massaman there and it's always been delicious.

Strangely, I've never ordered that dish there. I definitely will. More tempting to me there has been their hor mok talay in a coconut at 120 baht (one of the best food deals in all of Jomtien). Yeah, I can imagine they do Massaman decently there as well. I assume it's chicken. Can I ask if it's chicken on the bone or fillet chunks? I much prefer on the bone for Massaman.

About Surf Kitchen, not everything there is particularly good, but they have some dishes worth checking out, and most everything is at least OK.

Edited October 14, 2013 by Jingthing

[TaaSaparot]

For close to home-made Massaman the Thai side of my family (when down in Pattaya about once each month) go over to Soi 1, Off Pattaya Beach Road. Exactly half-way down the Soi - if your back is to the beach - is a restaurant on the left side. Has a garden out the front and a hedge running round it (no walls). Its low-key and very easy to miss the place.

The restaurant is a Thai family affair. My grandma says it started as a very tiny shop selling Thai food to mostly fisher folk about 30+ years back. It has grown and now sits 50 people. Still run by the same Thai couple - who have aged. The man often serves food whilst the wife can be seen in the kitchen. The masaman is probably one of the best we've had in Thai restaurants. Gravy is thick & red, peanut-y with healthy chicken sections. The chicken seems to be marinated for some time (like the real recipe). Its something which many restaurants offering masaman do not bother to do and it ends up like a watery stew. You also get an aroma of the Southern spices when its served. The place serves lots of other authentically prepared Thai foods & even excel with Continental foods - since the owner (the man) worked on a ship for many years where he learned Continental cuisine, I am told.

The place never advertises and does a roaring business mostly from Thais who love the place & some tourists who've heard by word-of-mouth.

ok I must go now. bye.

I admit, I will be disappointed if this does turn out to be Somsaks.

No doubt Somsaks is an institution in Pattaya, but is used more by Foreigners rather than Thais, and has had an advert in the Pattaya Mail since issue 1.

Always advertises his deep fried ice cream as the house speciality.

Cant remember it being on 2nd road, but remember when it was on the other side of the soi from its present location.

Used to have a Toucan tied to a tree !

Food is so-so, and many places have opened over the years that just do it better IMHO.

[Jingthing]

I used to go there too and found the food just OK. Nothing to write home about. But I haven't tried their Massaman. Sometimes restaurants that are generally mediocre do some dishes well. I won't judge without the experience.

[Minnehaha]

unfortunatly if your down south phang-nga -phuket way youl find fantastic curries there ..yes a muslim dish.excellant food..like trying to find a great indian curry here..still no joy..we had to go to vietnam to get ours..i gorged for 3 days until my stomach lining started to dissolve ....but it was worth the pain....or if you dont mind a little trip i suggest east london ...make sure there only cooking with one hand though..

Its true. The best Indian food is in London.

It is sad that Massaman curry is so disappointing in Bangkok and much of Thailand. I never see Thais eating it, but there it is in the food court. Probably the same one every day, just re-heated. The wife hates it. I quite like it, so will read thru this forum.