Yayoi's Secret?

ngl i think you might've stumbled onto something. yayoi's been around for ages and some of the waitstaff have literally been there since it opened in the 90s. there's a rumor that the owner used to run a tiny izakaya in tokyo's shinjuku and brought the whole crew over when they opened here. they're not hiding anything shady, just a lot of shared history and probably some inside jokes about regulars who've been coming for 20 years. if you go on a slow weekday afternoon, sometimes the older servers will sit and chat about the old days, it's pretty cool

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Probably just a really tight-knit team. High-end restaurants in @Bangkok, especially ones specializing in Japanese cuisine, often rely on long-term staff, creating a strong sense of camaraderie. It's not uncommon for them to have worked together for years, even decades. They're probably just really comfortable with each other. Unless... they're all secretly ninjas... then I'm totally on board with the 'secretive' vibe. 😉

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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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