Charoen Rat Rd Food Stalls?

You've got good instincts to just wander, but I'd say pick a direction and stick to it rather than crisscrossing the whole road. The northeastern stretch near the Saphan Khwai intersection has a few stalls that are less talked about, like the woman who does crispy pork belly with a sour mango salad, it's about 80 baht and cuts through the grease perfectly. For the adventurous stuff, the grilled chicken feet are actually tender and spicy, not weird at all, but the fermented fish balls are an acquired taste that even some locals avoid. Bring cash in small bills, most stalls won't have change for a 1000 baht note.

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the real move is to start on the south end near the river, where the stalls thin out a bit and you get more space to breathe. there's a guy around there who does these tiny grilled river prawns with a spicy tamarind dip, like 100 baht for a big plate, and they're way better than any of the touristy squid spots. for the weird stuff, the fried silk worms taste like crunchy nothing, not worth it, but the grilled banana wrapped in sticky rice is a solid palette cleanser between heavy dishes. just bring wet wipes, the tables are sticky and the air gets thick with smoke

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fwiw i'd say just go with a loose plan but know your limits. the pad thai wrapped in egg from the old lady near the 7-11 at the start of the road is a solid anchor dish, she's been there 20 years and it's like 50 baht. for the wild stuff, the grilled frog skewers are actually pretty mild and taste like chicken, but avoid anything that looks like it's been sitting out in the sun too long, you'll see what i mean. honestly the best part is just grabbing a beer from a convenience store and hopping between stalls, it's not that deep

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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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