anhdeluxe Posted August 23, 2014 Share Posted August 23, 2014 Is there a place in the DMV to get Issan-style Khao Soi? I had this coconut curry noodle soup with chicken at Pok Pok in Portland and have to get it more often than just when I am back home visiting! Bangkok Golden had it on their menu but have told me that they don't offer it anymore because it was so rarely ordered. --- [The following posts have been split into separate threads: Tsunami Sushi and Lounge (Al the Pal)] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cheezepowder Posted August 23, 2014 Share Posted August 23, 2014 Is there a place in the DMV to get Issan-style Khao Soi? I had this coconut curry noodle soup with chicken at Pok Pok in Portland and have to get it more often than just when I am back home visiting! Bangkok Golden had it on their menu but have told me that they don't offer it anymore because it was so rarely ordered. I've had Khao Soi at Soi 38 and Doi Moi, and it's still listed on their menus. I've also had Khao Soi at Thai Taste in Wheaton, but their online menu doesn't have it anymore. Although I've been to Pok Pok, I didn't have the Khao Soi so can't tell you how the versions compare. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anhdeluxe Posted August 23, 2014 Author Share Posted August 23, 2014 Thanks! I can't wait to get going on this list! I also have not had the khao soi at Pok Pok NYC but I suppose if I get desperate I can hop a dragon wagon up north too I did have the fish sauce wings up there and they were smaller and too salty... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fishinnards Posted August 24, 2014 Share Posted August 24, 2014 Khao Soi is not an Issan (Northeast Thai) dish. It is considered Northern Thai, but is most likely Burmese in origin. Although Khao soi means cut rice in Thai, it doesn't make much sense in this context, as wheat noodles are what's normally used. The Burmese word for noodles is (transliterated) Kyauk Swe and pronounced more or less the same. The Burmese dish On No Kyauk Swe is a coconut milk based chicken curry served over wheat noodles and garnished with deep fried wheat noodles and other things. On No is the Burmese word for coconut milk. Interestingly, coconut is almost never used in traditional Northern Thai cooking, except for this outlier. AFAIK The Burmese version of this dish is available at Burmese restaurants in the area, as it is very popular with Burmese people. You may be interested in trying this version as well. To add to the confusion, in Northern Laos they call another dish Khao Soi, a dish that is essentially the same as Kanom Jeen Nam Ngiaw. A dish from the Shan (Thai Yai) people of Burma and also found in Northern Thailand. Bangkok 54 Grocery used to have Khao Soi (coconut milk, chicken curry version) in the take-out area on occasion. (it's still closed from the fire right now, but will re-open shortly). Elephant Jumps has had it in the past, and they definitely had Kanom Jeen Nam Ngiaw as a special a week or two ago. 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biscuit Girl Posted August 24, 2014 Share Posted August 24, 2014 Rabieng in Baileys Crossroads does a nice job with this dish. They call it Provincial Chicken on the menu but it's Khao Soi. I also have a recipe for it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandynva Posted August 27, 2014 Share Posted August 27, 2014 My mom partially grew up in burma and she fondly remembers a dish called Khao Soi, said it was very popular, A server at mandalay confirmed this--the first time i went there, i asked if they had this, and he told me that many, many indians who spent time in burma came in and asked the same thing (and were sadly told mandalay doesn't make it). does anyone know if any of the places listed above do a vegetarian version? till now all i've been able to give her is the trader joe's version.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fishinnards Posted September 12, 2014 Share Posted September 12, 2014 Elephant Jumps has it this week. Link from their instagram Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anhdeluxe Posted November 7, 2014 Author Share Posted November 7, 2014 The Khao Soi at Doi Moi is fine but a smaller portion than a full meal -- better order it as a starter. Very little broth, and kinda stingy with the soft egg noodles. I have also heard that DC Noodle has it and will be checking it out next. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lhollers Posted November 9, 2014 Share Posted November 9, 2014 Soi 38 also has Khao Soi, described on the menu as: "Khao Soi / $12chicken leg, khao soi curry, egg noodles, sour cabbage" Had it last week when we dined there, and it was just ok. No picture - my apologies. I prefer the more curry-style Khao Soi with pork rind, bean sprouts, cilantro, etc. Soi 38's is more bare bones and soup-like. I haven't found superior in the city, but that's not saying much, as I have yet to try Doi Moi's (saw it on the menu when we dined there, but had already over-ordered. as usual.). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joshua Grinnell Posted November 16, 2014 Share Posted November 16, 2014 Thai Luang in Herndon has it as one of their lunch specials, though I haven't tried it yet. It's on the list, because Khao Soi is a hard itch to scratch at home. Per Fishinnards post above, you can find a similar dish at Burmese restaurants as Kauk Shwe (which I think just means fried noodles). Khao Soi, Kauk Shwe, if you say it out loud you can kind of hear it. I've noticed in Thai places it's closer to a soup while the Burmese version is a thicker curry. Taste of Burma in Sterling has it - the curry broth is amazing, but the noodles are kind of unremarkable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fishinnards Posted November 16, 2014 Share Posted November 16, 2014 Leela at Shesmmers.com just made a quick post about Thai geography, specifically pointing out that the North and the Northeast of Thailand "are separate and distinct in terms of food, dialect, culture, and geography". I've been seeing them conflated in many places on the web recently (including this thread, Khao Soi is still not an Issan dish). Take a look at the post. It's short, but it has a map. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MSPB3434 Posted November 17, 2014 Share Posted November 17, 2014 Had this dish off the specials menu at Nava Thai last night. I'm not too familiar with it, so can't compare it to other local versions or judge its authenticity. But I liked it a lot. Reminded me of laksa. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joshua Grinnell Posted November 17, 2014 Share Posted November 17, 2014 Still waiting for a Shesimmers khao soi recipe - my wife has really enjoyed tinkering with her others so far. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anhdeluxe Posted November 22, 2014 Author Share Posted November 22, 2014 Featured this week on dcist.com - looks like I'm not the only one obsessed with this soup right now! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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