The vibe: From the exterior at Siam Patumwan House, Soma can be easy to miss, but inside is a splash of color and a seriously art-forward design. Large canvases from kitschy artists adorn the walls of this fairly unique dining venue. Opposite the large open kitchen, partitions throughout give the space a sort of gallery appeal, though keeping the design in earth tones and warm browns.  

 

 

The food: We start off with the crispy rice noodles with caramelized passion fruit on betel leaf (B150), a classic, simple little amuse bouche, followed by the less simple crispy sago with minced pork (B150), which has a very interesting mouthfeel to pair with the savory starter. 

 

It’s clear that the flavors here are going for familiar but bold, and it’s with this that we move into the beef shank massaman with roasted sweet potato (B650), accompanied by a rose water ajaad, the Thai style cucumber relish. Once upon a time, it was somewhat rare to get a massaman with high-quality beef, but Bangkok’s dining scene has changed. That said, if you’re going to try one, this version is heavy on a thick, savory flavor to compliment both the beef and the sweet potatoes. Similarly, the tomato curry with grilled pork jowl (B350) is found in fermented pork sauce with peanut, and while the wild topping of ginger is a little intimidating, it works wonders with the tartness of the tomato. Another familiar dish is the kolae chicken (B260) served with a curry salad that refreshes the palate. 

 

 

On the seafood front, the grilled river prawn (B770) is simple in itself, but the art is in the salad tossed over the prawn with naam-prik-kapi and fried cha-om. But, the real treat is in the fresh oyster (B250), sliding off the shell, you feel a pleasing crunch of pork rind beneath and a sweet touch of chilli jam.

 

To round off the meal, the menu stays very Thai in ingredients and flavor if not in origin, with the coconut ice cream (B180) sitting atop a gel-like mochi with strong longan tea flavors and covered in puffy, fried kao mao. Similarly, the ice cream sandwich (B189) doesn’t go too sweet and relies on touches of chrysanthemum and coconut. 

 

 

Why we’d go back: Is it casual or is it fine dining? Who cares? This is Thai food done with care and precision. We like to see one of Bangkok’s premier chefs cooking with love, so when there’s a chance to try his pad kaphrao and crispy pork belly, you take it.