Fine dining (vegetarian?)

sounds like b diet is a solid option for your dates - they do a tasting menu that's fully vegetarian and thai inspired, no need to ask for subs. it's one chef's project and the flavors are really clean, not heavy. for street food, the boon tong koo area near bangkok university has a few stalls that do kao mun jay (veggie version of chicken rice) with tofu skin instead of meat, way easier than trying to customize at a regular spot. just look for the yellow flags with the red circle and star, those are jay stalls and they'll have mock meat or tofu options ready to go

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jay fai is the obvious michelin star spot but honestly her crab omelet is the main draw so probably not ideal for your friend. for thai inspired fine dining with a veg menu, i'd check out sorn - they do a really good job accommodating dietary stuff if you tell them in advance, just book way ahead since they fill up fast

for street food, the trick is to look for stalls that already do jay (vegetarian) versions of dishes. bangkok's chinatown (yaowarat) has a few jay stalls that use mock meat instead of real meat, much easier than asking a regular vendor to sub tofu mid-order. at a normal stall, saying "mai sai neua" (no meat) usually works but they might just remove it rather than replace it with anything

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For fine dining, you could try R-Haan. They do a royal Thai tasting menu and are happy to prepare a vegetarian version if you call a day ahead. The chef focuses on traditional recipes from different regions, so your friend would get real variety instead of just the same curry repeated.

On the street food side, the best bet is heading to the vegetarian street near Wat Bowonniwet. There's a cluster of stalls that serve only jay food, so no need to negotiate. The fried spring rolls with black bean sauce from the corner lady are excellent, about 20 baht for a bagful.

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Krua Dok Mai Kao is solid but I've always found their som tam a bit tame on the pla ra. If you want the real funky version, try the shophouse spots along Soi Udomsuk 26, near the night market end. They pound it fresh with fermented fish that'll clear your sinuses, and it's like 60 baht. Different style from the On Nut places, more Lao-leaning.

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for som tam specifically i'd say the Isaan spots in Chatuchak are underrated, weekdays only though since the weekend crowd ruins the vibe. there's a stall near gate 2 that does tam pa with fermented bamboo shoots, super sour and funky, not something you see much in On Nut. if you're already heading north for Or Tor Kor anyway its worth the detour.

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honestly the som tam at Krua Dok Mai Kao is good but what got me hooked is their nam prik pla raa dip with the raw veggies, that funk hits way harder than the papaya does. think most people sleep on it cuz they just order the som tam and gai yang. also pro tip, go before noon on weekdays, after that teh pla ra gets milder cuz they batch it for the lunch rush

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