The deeper, older cut of som tum — salted black crab, the way the northeast actually eats it.
Spicy
$14
Where it comes from
Before som tum moved to the city and got polite, it was pounded with salted rice-paddy crab — funkier, saltier, closer to the Lao original. The brined crab releases a savory depth the dried-shrimp version cannot reach; it is the difference between a postcard of Isaan and a visit. Order sticky rice alongside and eat it the northeastern way: slowly, and with respect.
Not sure how to judge a plate like this? Read our field guide to the best Thai food in Orange County — five signs of a real Thai kitchen, and what to order once you’re in one.
