Portland Thai Gem 🥢 Somtum Thai

Thai-Owned, Raw Marinated Salmon That’s Fresh to Jump, Papaya Salad Spicy Enough to Sweat—Can’t Stop! Stumbled upon a "Thai street food" spot in Portland—Somtum Thai. Walking in, we were greeted in Thai, with all staff being Thai, and even the aroma of spices matching Chiang Mai night markets. The biggest surprise: raw marinated salmon and shrimp! Finding this "Thai-style fresh" in North America feels like suddenly stepping into a Bangkok seafood stall🦐 🍣 Marinated Raw Hits: Salmon and Shrimp, Both Amazingly Fresh Came for the "raw marinated" dishes first, and they didn’t disappoint: Raw Marinated Salmon The salmon isn’t super fatty, but it’s fresh—firm, slightly springy flesh coated in Thai marinade (the owner said it has fish sauce, lime juice, garlic, and a little sugar). Sour-fresh with a hint of spice, no fishiness at all. Each bite tastes like "dancing freshness"; paired with sticky rice, the marinade’s aroma mixes with rice, so fresh it makes you squint. A friend said it’s better than what she had in Phuket～ Raw Marinated Shrimp (Highly Recommended by Friend) Didn’t try it this time, but my friend raved: "Different vibe from the salmon!" The shrimp are deveined, with lemongrass shavings in the marinade, adding herbal freshness. Less spicy than the salmon, highlighting the shrimp’s natural sweetness. It’s already on my "next must-order list"—just thinking about that springy shrimp makes me hungry～ 🥗 Papaya Salad: Spicy Enough to Warm You Up, Perfect with Sticky Rice The soul of Thai food, papaya salad here is so authentic: Served bright green, with thin, crispy papaya shreds, peanut crumbs, dried shrimp, and whole bird’s eye chilies🌶️ The spiciness is "slow-burn": first bite brings sour-freshness (thanks to fish sauce and lime), then the chili heat creeps up from the back of your tongue—but it doesn’t burn your throat or lips. It’s a "warm-to-the-bones" spice, making you feel toasty in winter. If you can’t handle spice, definitely ask for "baby spicy" or "mild"! We tried medium first, and ended up inhaling sticky rice🍚 while fanning ourselves—it’s that addictive. One bowl of rice vanished in no time! 🍲 Pork Soup: Lemongrass Aroma Warms to the Stomach, Better Than Chicken The Tom Sap Kradook On (pork soup) in the set made us vow "to order it again": The soup looks clear but is rich—plenty of pork chunks, stewed until fork-tender, even the gristle is soft. Fresh lemongrass adds a bright aroma, no spice—just meaty richness mixed with herbal scent. We fished out every last bit. The owner said "many guests come just to take this soup to go"—it’s more memorable than typical Thai chicken soup, warming you from head to toe in winter. ❌ Heads Up: Skip This Set Tried the "Pa Khao Yai set" first, and it’s a miss: Piled with fried pork, lettuce, cucumber, rice noodles… too many random things, and the fried pork is greasy. Better to order a la carte—you’ll get exactly what you love, and it’s more worth it. 🌟 Other Nice Touches: ~$30-40 per person, filling enough (2 marinated dishes + 1 salad + 1 soup + sticky rice feeds 2 easily); Located on the second floor (1924 SW Broadway Second floor), with a cute bubble tea shop downstairs—grab a Thai milk tea after, perfect to balance spice; The owner speaks basic Chinese, patiently recommending spice levels, feeling like "a neighbor’s cozy spot." Leaving, my mouth still held the freshness of marinated seafood and the spice of papaya salad, with a Thai milk tea in hand. Suddenly, I thought: finding this "authentic Thai spicy-fresh" in Portland is pure happiness. Next time, either the raw shrimp or I—one of us will be there～ 📍 Somtum Thai Kitchen，1924 SW Broadway Second floor, Portland, OR 97201 #PortlandEats #ThaiFood #RawMarinated #FoodieFind