A celebration of spices

Published on November 30, 2007

Yod Lab Ped Udon is a long-established place that serves typical Isaan dishes and much more.

Garlicky grilled chicken, a pot of warm sticky rice and a plate of crunchy sweet and sour somtam can easily enliven the appetite for many even when they're not hungry.

Isaan dishes, and a lot more, are the popular staples in the lives of many Thai people and we just could not get enough of a decent and clean restaurant that serves those favourites.

Yod Lab Ped Udon is a long-established place that serves typical Isaan dishes and much more. I got to know about this place from a good friend who loved it for its ambience and comprehensive menu, which includes not only Isaan cuisine but also seafood and some simple Thai dishes that make the place suitable for big groups. She also praised the free corkage the place has to offer when her group enjoyed their dishes with a bottle of wine brought from outside.

In a converted house on a quiet soi, Yod's greets passers-by with a big charcoal-griller, which gives off that signature smell of charcoal-flavoured food. The place has two seating areas - outdoor in the garden and in an air-conditioned room.

We visited the place during lunchtime and found the outdoor seating pleasant enough. We skimmed through the big menu and found that this place can actually serve everyone - from those who crave an authentic Isaan meal to those needing a quick bite to seafood aficionados.

But we were there for an Isaan treat and I ordered my favourites which include Thai-style somtam (an adapted version of somtam that is milder and sweeter than the original) and string bean somtam with crispy pork (Bt30 and Bt60). Both dishes taste good with the ingredient doused in zesty sauce typical to somtam. Also, they are packed with crunchy elements of toasted peanuts, dried shrimps and lime skins to add the piquant edge which is also good.

Then, we tried the house speciality: laab ped (spicy salad of minced duck meat and giblets tossed with Thai herbs, toasted chilli flakes, fresh lime, nam pla and toasted and powdered rice grains, Bt60). While the duck meat is tasty, its distinct scent is unpleasantly strong. But the meat is well tossed with aromatic toasted rice powder and finely cut herbs. It is served with garlic pickle and dried whole red chillies. You might want to roll up a ball of sticky rice and dunk it in the sauce to tame the fiery flavours.

Siriporn "Emmie" na Nongkhai is the daughter in law of the late Yodying na Nongkhai, the founder of the restaurant, and a Udon Thani native. She explains that laab ped is Udon's favourite dish but not everyone can make the dish delicious.

"The trick is to know how to prepare the duck meat," says Siriporn. "If not properly treated, the duck can give out unpleasant aroma, which ruins the taste. But here, we prepare the duck by ourselves to make sure that the duck meat not only smells good but is also tender."

Seafood and fish dishes are prominent at Yod's with a selection of fish available for any cooking style that you like. We tried their deep-fried pla neur-on (whisker sheatfish, Bt180) with crispy garlic. Pla neur-on is a favourite freshwater fish for Isaan meals. It tastes best when deep-fried and served with seafood sauce. At Yod's, the fish comes whole and tasty and fresh.

We also tried salt-fried freshwater shrimps (Bt80). The friend who recommended us this place tried a more daring dish of the fresh and alive shrimps served with spicy sauce, but I was too squeamish of the idea. So the salt-fried was my option which is nice if you happen to like a lot of shrimps in one bite with every bit of its body parts still on for extra calcium.

Yod's has more than enough food to satiate your craving for Isaan dishes and simple seafood in an easy going ambience. Parking is available kerbside.

Yod Lab Ped Udon

106 Rama VI Road,

Soi 49, Suan Luang

Daily, 11am to 11.30pm

(02) 718 3111,

(02) 718 9866

Sirin P Wongpanit  

For more food reviews, go to www.ohsirin.blogspot.com.