Thipsamai (Bangkok) – Famous Pad Thai Restaurant Opens New Modern Outlet At IconSiam!

Famous pad thai restaurant Thipsami has opened a new branch at IconSiam. To be honest, I had pretty low expectations when I visited this outlet because I doubted that street food would taste good in a swanky mall restaurant. However, after trying the pad thai here I was blown away by how good it tasted!

Thipsamai

Thipsamai is one of the most famous pad thai restaurants in Bangkok. It is also known as “Thipsamai Pratoopee“, named after the original location of their first stall.

According to Thipsamai’s website, they are the “oldest Pad Thai restaurant” in Thailand, with a history that can be traced back to 1939.

Apparently, former Thai prime minister Pleak Phibunsongkhram tried their delicious pad thai and was so impressed that he declared it to be the “true and authentic taste of Pad Thai”.

Thipsamai currently has five branches in total.

The original and most famous branch is located along Maha Chai Road. This outlet has even been awarded the Michelin Bib Gourmand before.

There are also two other established branches at Phutthamonthon and King Power Complex (near Victory Monument).

Towards the end of 2018, Thipsami opened two new branches at IconSiam and Siam Paragon respectively.

The wife and I visited the IconSiam branch. We went on a Saturday at around 6.30pm and there was no queue, though the restaurant was almost fully packed.

Ambience

I was very impressed with the beautiful open-air design of Thipsamai IconSiam.

It is a space where tradition meets contemporary style, where delicious pad thais are savoured in a charming Thai “riverside” setting (a homage to the stall’s origins).

There are some round tables located directly in the water, but the wife and I didn’t manage to get these seats because they are reserved for bigger groups.

Instead, we got a small table at a quiet corner of the restaurant, which was pretty nice too.

Even though the IconSiam outlet has a completely different design from its Maha Chai branch, it has retained the iconic Thipsamai signage which constantly changes colour.

Menu (Click to enlarge)

The menu offers an interesting selection of Pad Thai variations.

The most popular signature dish is the Superb Pad Thai (THB129), which is cooked with shrimp oil, fresh deep-sea prawns and wrapped with an egg omelette.

If you are feeling rich, you can order the Superb Pad Thai with Tiger Prawns version, which costs THB249.

For something simpler and less savoury, go for the Classic Padthai Sen-Chan (THB159).

Thipsamai is also known for its orange juice, which costs THB119 for a small bottle and THB 199 for a big bottle. I didn’t buy any because I felt they were way-overpriced.

As expected, the prices at this mall outlet are significantly more expensive than the Maha Chai Road branch, but I feel they are still within a reasonable range.

Superb Pad Thai

Because we were quite full from our previous meal, the wife and I decided to share the signature Superb Pad Thai (THB129).

The dish arrived shortly after ordering, which was impressive considering that the restaurant was quite packed.

This tantalising dish consists of stir-fried noodles wrapped neatly in an egg omelette and paired with two prawns. It is topped with cilantro and red pepper slices.

The bean sprouts are served on a separate plate, which was fantastic because I dislike eating them and will usually tediously pick them out of my food.

After taking my first mouthful of the pad thai, I immediately understood the hype around Thipsamai.

The noodles were wonderfully savoury and delicately sweet, with a distinct shrimp seafood flavour and lovely charcoal roasted aftertaste.

The highlight was definitely the tasty egg wrap, a perfect compliment to the noodles.

I added some chilli flakes and sugar, which helped to elevate and bring out the best of the flavours.

On the whole this was one amazing plate of pad thai – simple yet complex, packed with flavours, and executed perfectly!

Conclusion

After checking out Thipsamai in IconSiam, I will never look at Pad Thai the same way again. This was the best pad thai I’ve ever eaten and I now understand why many people say this is one of the best eateries in Bangkok.

Thipsamai (IconSiam)
What to Order: Superb Pad Thai (THB129)
Address: 6th Floor, IconSiam, R602, R603 Charoen Nakhon Rd, Khlong Ton Sai, Khlong San District, Bangkok 10600, Thailand
Directions: 10 minutes by free IconSiam shuttle boat from Sathorn Pier
Opening Hours: Daily 10am to 10pm
Phone: +66 91 234 5678
Full list of branches: https://thipsamai.com/contact-us

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