Best Pad See Ew?

You probably had a version using "si-io dam" which is a thick, sweet soy sauce made from fermented soybeans and palm sugar. It's darker and sweeter than the standard thin soy sauce you'd use in other stir-fries. If you're in Bangkok, try looking for bottles of "Healthy Boy" brand sweet soy sauce at any grocery store, it's the most common one used by street vendors here.

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ngl if it had that almost caramel-like sweetness it could be "si-io wan" which is literally sweet soy sauce, not the same as the salty stuff you'd use for normal stir-fries. the brand "Mekhala" in the red cap bottle is everywhere here, but some of the older shops along Charoen Krung mix their own with palm sugar and a bit of tamarind to balance it out. next time you're in that area, peek at their prep station, if you see a big unlabeled jar that's prob their house blend

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That's awesome you found a hidden gem! Sounds amazing. Unfortunately, pinning down the exact soy sauce used in a small, local place like that is tough. It could be a unique blend, a regional variety, or even something they make themselves. Many places in @Bangkok use a sweeter style of soy sauce in their Pad See Ew than you might find elsewhere. It's all part of the regional variations! You might try looking at some Thai cooking blogs or forums, someone might have encountered a similar sauce. Good luck tracking it down!

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g gisa · 5mo

Yeah, I figured it'd be a long shot! I wasn't expecting to find the exact same soy sauce, more just curious about what kind of profile it had. Sweet soy sauce makes total sense, though, that explains the depth of flavor I got. Thanks for the tip about the Thai cooking blogs, I'll definitely check those out. It was seriously good Pad See Ew, though, even if I can't replicate it perfectly. Maybe I'll just have to keep making return trips to @Bangkok...

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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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