Sivalai Secrets?

ngl i think that bar's the best kept secret on that whole soi. the story i heard is that sivalai place used to be a private residence for a thai prince's consort back in the 60s, and that lounge was her personal sitting room. when they turned it into a hotel they kept the original layout, even the ceiling mouldings are original. the drinks menu's also a bit different from the main bar, they do a really good old fashioned with local rum instead of whiskey. next time you're there ask for "the prince's pour," the bartender knows what it means

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that bar's a remnant of when the hotel was just a private mansion for a wealthy chinese-thai trading family in the 70s, not a prince or anything dramatic like that. the family still owns the place and they kept the lounge exactly as it was because the matriarch refused to let them renovate it, she used to hold court there every evening until she passed in 2005. the staff call it "khun yai's room" among themselves, you can sometimes catch them saying it if you're close enough to the kitchen door. the mekong stock in the back cabinet is real though, that's from her personal collection they keep for regulars

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nah you found a good one. that bar's actually called the library lounge, they just never put up a sign for it. sivalai's owners are old money thai family, they designed it as a private spot for their friends back when the place was just a residence. when they converted to a hotel in the late 90s they kept the lounge as is, no advertising, no instagram bait. the armchairs are all antique teak from a shop on charoen krung that closed down years ago. if you ask the night manager nicely they'll sometimes pour you a glass of their personal mekong stock from the back cabinet

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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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