[Bangkok] Som Tam Nua

Our three favourites from Som Tam Nua – from left, clockwise: Green papaya salad, fried chicken wings and fried fish.

Som Tam is the Thai name for green papaya salad and we found a great-tasting one at Som Tam Nua at Siam Square, right in the heart of Bangkok city. We discovered Som Tam Nua accidentally one day. We were walking in the area when we noticed a huge crowd of people queuing outside. We googled the restaurant name and found out that it is a popular restaurant most famous for its green papaya salad. We tried it and were hooked. Subsequently, our Bangkok trips were never complete without dropping by at least once for our favourite green papaya salad, fried chicken wings and Thai fried fish. These photos were compiled from our recent trips.

Don’t worry if you see a long queue outside. The restaurant looks bigger on the inside with two stories and we waited for under 30 minutes. When there is a huge crowd, the food is freshly prepared and the chicken wings, for example, arrives pipping hot and freshly deep fried. There was once where we visited near to closing hours,  and we were served cold chicken wings to our disappointment. So personally I prefer to visit during the busy peak dining hours.

Outside the restaurant, the shop proudly displays this award from CNNGo.com.

Thai papaya salad (75 baht). It comes with generous toppings of pig skin (pork rind), ham slices, peanuts and dried shrimps.

The green papaya is sweet and sour at the same time, making the whole dish very appetizing.

Deep-fried crispy pig skin which I earlier mistook for fried fish maw. A common northern topping for green papaya salad. I wished they sell a plate of just the fried pig skin as it was really yummy.

Fried chicken (98 baht for small serving/130 for large serving) were really good.

Each chicken piece was fried to crispy and golden brown perfection.

They had two kinds of chilli.

Hot and spicy crispy fish (95 baht). I think 95 baht for a whole cooked fish is incredible value (especially when an iced tea cost 40 baht). Love the crispy skin and the aromatic shallot toppings.

Northwest style spicy soup with pork bone (97 baht). Contrary to its clear appearance, this was extremely hot and spicy – a bit too much for us.

But the plus point was that the pork meat was really tender.

Fish cakes and mushrooms were found in the soup.

We sometimes ordered sticky rice to share. It arrives in a cute mini steaming basket.

I wonder if it’s safe to steam the rice with the plastic sheet? They also have normal white rice.

Fried Thai rice-flour noodles (97 baht). The noodles were a bit too soft for my liking but decent tasting.

Thai iced tea (40 baht)

We ordered the coconut drink once and never ordered again, as the drink was bland and the coconut flesh was tough :P

Coca-Cola (30 baht)

Som Tam Nua
Address: 392/14 Siam Square Soi 5, Rama 1 Road, Bangkok
Opening Hours: Daily, 10.45 am – 9.30 pm
Nearest BTS: Siam Station
Walking Directions: From Siam BTS station, exit the side opposite Siam Paragon. Look for Soi 5 and walk along the row of shop houses. You will see Som Tam Nua on your left after walking for around 3 minutes.

What’s nearby
Mango Tango (less than a minute walk from Som Tam Nua when walking from the direction of BTS Siam station)
Ban Khun Mae (Right across the road from Mango Tango)

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