Banh Somtum

Small restaurant with about 10 tables. The food was delicious and came out in a timely manner. Service was also excellent. We got the papaya salad lao style and i double checked if they used padaek which they do! Unfortunately, it was a little on the sweeter end closer to thai style just without the peanuts. Thai boat noodle soup was super tasty and the dark broth was full of flavor. I believe they also make the thai tea in house too which is a major plus. This is definitely a great spot if you want good lao/thai food that can pass off as “authentic”. I would definitely come back here to bring my parents (who are from pakse).

I was meeting a friend near the airport and were in the mood for Thai food and they had previous been to this restaurant so suggest we go there. The restaurant is small but the service is generally quick. I ordered the Pad Si Ew which was pad Thai but with thick noodles and more veggies. The flavor of the noodles and the tofu were really good and it was a decent portion size enough to fill you up. My friend ordered two dishes and both were good in terms of portion size and flavor

Food and staff here at Banh Somtum is always amazing and delicious. We stopped by here and ordered some of our favorite along with their new absolutely delicious squid stir fry dish. Always leaving us wanting to come back for more. Compliments to the chefs.

**Update: Came back with my Laos-Thai (Isan) in laws and they actually liked the food, which says a lot because they are really picky with their culture food. Everything was still good like last time. The crispy chicken skin was amazing, the fried rice was cooked with a nice wok flavor, and the Isan style papaya salad was bold, strong, and spicy just how they like it. Service was great too. Still one of the better Laos-Thai spots in Houston. My husband and I came here for the first time in August after hearing so many good things about this place. We just moved to Houston a few months ago, and since my husband is from the Isan region, we were very excited to try it. We saw a lot of people online saying the food here tastes really authentic, so we had to check it out. The restaurant is small but cozy, and when we came for Sunday lunch, it was almost full. That made me even more excited to try the food. Luckily, there was no wait at all. My husband tried to order in his language, but the staff did not understand, and that was when we realized this restaurant is fully Thai, not Isan. Even though they did not have real Isan dishes, the service was very nice. The waitress was patient and careful with our order, especially since we had a few special requests, and everything came out exactly right. Here is what we ordered: Lao Sausage (Sai Gok): Served with sticky rice and a spicy tomato dipping sauce. The sausage was juicy and a good size, but I wish it had a little more spicy. Crispy Chicken Skin: This was the best dish for both of us. Super crispy, flavorful, and it even came with sticky rice and dipping sauce. My husband said this was his number one favorite. Nam Tok Neua (Grilled Beef Salad): This dish was okay, but for our taste, it was not as spicy or sour as we like. Still good, just a bit mild. Papaya Salad (Thum Mak Hoong): We ordered the Isan version, and it came out really delicious. It was not the best we have ever had, but still better than most places we have tried. Tom Yum Soup: Very flavorful, spicy, and served in a generous portion. We both enjoyed this one a lot. We ordered everything at the Thai Hot level, which is the highest spice level, and everything came out exactly how we wanted. If you cannot handle spice very well, I recommend starting with level one. Overall, we had a great experience. The food was tasty, the service was friendly, and we left full and happy. It may not taste exactly like true Isan food, but the flavor is still close and really good. Definitely recommend trying this place if you are in Houston.

Nice spot for Thai in Houston, I try to make it by here anytime I'm in the area. If you like more authentic Thai, this is the spot. I have had many of their dishes and it always is as close to eating in Thailand as they can make it.