Yayoi's Secret?

fwiw the river branch is one of the oldest Yayoi locations in Bangkok, been there since like the early 2000s. a lot of the original crew are still around because the management there actually gives proper benefits and overtime pay, which is rare for chain restaurants in the city. i've heard from a friend who used to work at CentralWorld that some of the river branch staff have been there 15+ years, so they're basically a second family at this point. the way they help each other with orders is prob just muscle memory from working together that long

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ngl you probably stumbled into a shift change or their weekly staff meal time. yayoi branches here do this thing where all the crew sits down together to eat family style before or after the rush, i've seen it at the Siam Paragon one too. the river branch is old school though, some of those ladies have been there since before the BTS even opened so they've basically grown up together in that kitchen.

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tbh that's just how yayoi runs their locations here. i know a few people who've worked there and they told me the company actually encourages hiring friends and family members of current staff. it's not some secret cult thing, it's literally their hiring policy for back-of-house positions. the turnover is super low compared to other japanese chains in bangkok, like probably half the industry average. so yeah you're gonna see that family vibe because half of them probably actually are related or grew up together

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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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