Harden's survey result
Summary
“Food just like you get in Thailand” – “the quality and the range of flavours are superb” – can be found at this “amazing and very cool” five-year-old in a former factory near Spitalfields Market. “Zingy and authentic”, “each dish looks and tastes like it’s comprised of ingredients you’d be hard-pressed to source yourself”. “Vegan options are plentiful”, and “one price for ‘eat as much rice as you want’ feels generous”. There’s also a serious list of drinks that can cope with such highly flavoured cooking – including a “great Riesling menu”.
Summary
“Possibly the most authentic Thai cooking in town” (“fresh”, “fragrant” and focused on fiery, north-eastern-Thai cuisine), plus some “delicious cocktails” have carved a major culinary reputation for this trendy four-year-old, in a converted factory south of Spitalfields Market. Its ratings were dragged down this year though by a few less rapturous reports: “perfectly good, but not the outstanding blow-out we expected from some reviews”.
Summary
“Possibly the most authentic Thai cooking in town” (“fresh”, “fragrant” and focused on fiery, north-eastern-Thai cuisine), plus some “delicious cocktails” have carved a major culinary reputation for this trendy three-year-old, in a converted factory south of Spitalfields Market. Its ratings were dragged down this year though by a few less rapturous reports: “perfectly good, but not the outstanding blow-out we expected from some reviews”.
Summary
“Taste explosions abound” – “a variety of flavours, with inventiveness and fun as well as staying true to authentic Thai cooking” – at this hip Spitalfields two-year-old, which also features “a spacious bar with very good cocktails”. For many reporters, “it’s simply the best Thai food I’ve had in London” (“Thai food is a favourite of mine, I’ve tried lots of places over the last 36 years, and this beats ’em all!”)
For 31 years we've been curating reviews of the UK's most notable restaurant. In a typical year, diners submit over 50,000 reviews to create the most authoritative restaurant guide in the UK. Each year, the guide is re-written from scratch based on this survey (although for the 2021 edition, reviews are little changed from 2020 as no survey could run for that year).
Have you eaten at Som Saa?
Restaurant details
Som Saa Restaurant Diner Reviews
"Superb food. Very hot but with delicate flavours. Deep fried sea bass is often a disappointment elsewhere (a triumph of presentation over substance) but here it’s the star. Eat every part - super crispy and flavoursome "
"We had heard great things but now suspect this place is past its exciting best. Friendly, slightly inept service and food that was inoffensive but nothing special especially at this high price point. The excitement and balance of really well flavoured Thai food just wasn’t there. Even the chillies seem to have found somewhere more interesting to hang out. Toned down Thai for tourists unfortunately."
Prices
 Drinks |
|
|---|---|
| Wine per bottle | £26.00 |
| Filter Coffee | £3.50 |
 Extras |
|
|---|---|
| Service | 12.50% |
43a Commercial Street, London, E1 6BD
Opening hours
| Monday | 6 pm‑10 pm |
| Tuesday | 6 pm‑10 pm |
| Wednesday | 12 pm‑2:30 pm, 6 pm‑10 pm |
| Thursday | 12 pm‑2:30 pm, 6 pm‑10:30 pm |
| Friday | 12 pm‑2:30 pm, 6 pm‑10:30 pm |
| Saturday | 12 pm‑2:30 pm, 6 pm‑10:30 pm |
| Sunday | 12 pm‑3 pm, 5 pm‑9 pm |
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