Best Pad See Ew?

A few people have mentioned the ba mee, and they're right, the thin egg noodles are the real draw at Nai Kao. But if you want to stick with the flat rice noodles, the trick is finding a stall that uses a proper charcoal wok, not a gas burner. There's a guy on Sukhumvit 38, near the BTS exit, who runs a tiny cart and his char is noticeably deeper from the charcoal heat. The texture difference is night and day.

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You probably ordered the standard flat rice noodles, which is what most people get. The real move at Nai Kao is the ba mee pad see ew with the thin egg noodles, they get way more charred and have a better texture against the sauce. Also, the quality there really depends on which wok station your order comes from, the guy on the far left has been there longest and his heat control is noticeably better.

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fwiw i think nai kao's thing is the egg noodles, not the flat rice ones. their ba mee pad see ew is where it's at, the egg noodles hold that smoky flavor way better. if u want the flat kind done right, try the guy on charoen krung soi 51 around 6pm, he's been there like 30 years and his wok hei is proper intense. also the sweetness at nai kao can be inconsistent depending on who's cooking, that might've been part of it

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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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