Somsak Pu-ob — Restaurant in Khlong San Subdistrict

To preface, I LOVE street food and it's one of the main things I pursue when traveling and its probably 75% of my travel diet in countries that support it. When I heard about this Michelin Star street food vendor it was immediately prioritized for my next trip to Thailand.

I took a 35 minute cab ride to arrive at 8:25pm on a Thursday, there were two tables open and most of the tables were still waiting for food. I ordered the egg crab, mussels, cockles, and a water. They were out of mussels and cockles but it's the crab we're here for, figure its my own fault for getting there 35 mins before close. I say just the egg crab and water then.

After a little over half an hour, they bring me a bowl of sauce - false hope. Still no sign of the water I ordered, by now I figure they'll just bring it with the food. At 9:30 I get the crab. Definitely was not prepared for the one hour wait, but alls well that ends well, right?

Noodles are a bit dry and clumped together. Could really use that water I ordered now, but thankfully the sauce on the side isn't Thai level hot. I wave to a server...she stares. I keep waving....she waves back. Can't make this up.

I ask a different server, her English is pretty good so I think I'm saved. She walks off...and starts folding tables and cleaning up. She comes around almost ten minutes later folding up the table next to me. Makes eye contact with me. Then points at me and yells for one of the guy servers to bring me a water.

Good news, the water comes with a cup of ice at least. The crab dish ingredients were all clearly fresh and prepared well. The gravy with the crab tastes quite nice and has a good consistency, but was hard to enjoy since there was so little of it and had a ton of white peppercorns in it- for 600 baht you'd think a spice bag could be used. The noodles tasted mediocre and a lot of it was stuck to the side of the metal plate.

Overall taste was good, but I'm not sure if its worth the Michelin Star, the hour wait, or the dedicated trip. Definitely give it a shot if you're in the area and have a couple hours to kill,...

Review:

I recently dined at Somsak Clay Pot (Charoenrat Branch), a Michelin-starred street food spot that truly lives up to its acclaim. This place is renowned for its exceptional seafood dishes.

Food: The steamed cockles and steamed mussels are outstanding—fresh, new, and naturally sweet. Additionally, the restaurant offers a variety of crabs, including meat crabs and egg crabs. If you’re lucky, you might get to try the ladyboy crabs, which are known for their unique sweetness that surpasses the other types of crabs. The shrimp are also a must-try, perfectly cooked and flavorful. Each dish highlights the restaurant’s commitment to high-quality, fresh ingredients.

Service: Service can be slow, as there is only one chef in the kitchen. Be prepared to wait at least two hours for your food. If you’re in a rush, this might not be the ideal choice. However, the quality of the dishes makes the wait worthwhile.

Atmosphere: The atmosphere is typical of a busy street food stall—simple and focused on the food rather than the setting. It’s a casual place where the Michelin star recognition is evident through the exceptional culinary offerings rather than the ambiance.

Value for Money: Given the Michelin star and the quality of the seafood, the prices are reasonable. The value for money is excellent, particularly for those who appreciate fresh, high-quality seafood.

Overall Experience: Overall, Somsak Clay Pot (Charoenrat Branch) provides a top-tier street food experience. While the wait time can be lengthy due to the single chef, the delicious steamed cockles, mussels, shrimp, and special crabs make it worth the visit. I recommend this restaurant for seafood enthusiasts who don’t mind waiting for a truly exceptional meal.

Tips:

• Expect a wait of at least two hours. • Try the ladyboy crabs if they’re available for a unique and...

Long wait and it isn’t due to having too many customers waiting to try this 5-year Michelin Guide winner. I arrived at 6.15pm on a Tuesday and there were many empty tables. The long wait is because it takes 10-15 mins for just 1 dish to be prepared. So if there are 5 tables and each order 1-2 dishes, you will need to expect 1 hour for your food at least.

Skip the glass noodle with crab and just order glass noodle with crab egg. It is essentially the same thing except it comes additionally with the roe and more gravy and flavours on the noodles. It was A LOT better than the version with only the crab, which was dry and less flavorful (I wonder why they even list this on the menu?). Was it worth the long wait? Yes for the crab with egg version, no if you’re only getting the crab version.

Compared to the other outlet nearby (which did not win Michelin Guide award) - while I have not tried but they seem to be on many food delivery apps (suggesting they may be cooking a lot faster) and the crowd seem to be more tourists, perhaps coz there’s air cond.

Compared to Emquartier store that bears the same name, it can’t be compared to this store. So skip the mall and come over to wait it out and eat by the road side. Oh, there is no sink but they do have a pail of lime in water. Do...