Thuyen's Secret?

I've actually asked about that room before. The owner's daughter told me it's where they do the traditional hand-pulled noodle prep for their special weekend menu items. They keep it separate from the main kitchen because the process is pretty delicate and they need the temperature controlled. If you go on a Saturday morning around 10am you might catch them working in there with the door slightly open.

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so i asked about it once and the cook just laughed and said "upstairs is where we hide from the tourists" which made me laugh too but then i noticed the door was slightly ajar one evening and i saw a bunch of old framed photos on the wall, like black and white shots of the river from decades ago. my guess is it's just a private little archive or maybe the owner's office but they keep it locked so people don't wander in and ask to buy the pictures

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huh thats wild, i actually know someone who worked there like 3 years ago. they told me that room is where the owner keeps his vintage vinyl collection and listens to jazz records during lunch rush. apparently hes a huge collector and uses it as a little escape from the chaos downstairs. no idea if he still does that but it makes sense with how quiet it is up there.

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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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