[Thailand's Hidden Gem] Google Maps reviews: "Extremely Few." The diner I found in the Isan wilderness was Michelin-level incredible.

The moment I rented a car at Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi Airport and stepped on the gas,
my adventure began.

My destination is north, the Isan region.
"Wait, where's that?"
If you thought that, you're right (lol).

Even if you open a guidebook,
the pages for Phuket and Chiang Mai are
so thick,
but the coverage of Isan is surprisingly thin.
A few pages is on the generous side.

Even for someone like me who calls myself a Thailand lover,
visiting Thailand once every two years,
this was a place that had been completely off my radar until now.

That's exactly why
I thought,
"I'm going for it!"

If there's no information on the internet,
then I'll just have to become the information.

That mysterious sense of mission and
simple curiosity drove me forward.

By the way, driving in Thailand is
surprisingly easy.

They drive on the left just like in Japan, and
once you get past the
chaotic traffic in Bangkok,
the rest of the way is like
peaceful roads similar to Hokkaido.

After a comfortable drive,
I checked into my accommodation for the night,
the "iRabbit Hotel,"
at dusk.

Now, I'm hungry.
I search for places around the hotel
on Google Maps.

There are, of course,
no restaurants for tourists.

A single name appeared on the screen:
"Saeb Isan"
.

The reviews are... sparse.
Actually, there are almost none.
However, my
"delicious food radar"
is flashing intensely, telling me to go here.

I drove for a few minutes
and arrived at the shop.

An open-air, semi-outdoor structure.
It has a truly local
atmosphere.

I made up my mind and stepped inside,
where a few Thai people were
sitting around a table chatting.

"Oh, there are other customers,"
I thought, but in that instant,
they all looked at me at once.

Then, they all stood up,
smiled,
and said,
"Sawasdee ka (Welcome)."

......Ah, they were all staff members (lol).

I was the only customer.
Facing me were the staff
(or rather, the family running it)
totaling 5 or 6 people.

A completely away game.
Or should I say, VIP treatment.

The menu I was handed
refreshingly
only had Thai written on it.

There wasn't even a single letter of English.
This is where the tools of civilization
—my smartphone—come into play.

Making full use of translation apps and AI,
like deciphering a code,
I began to read through the menu.

Isan hot pot (Jim Jum)
Grilled pork neck (Kor Moo Yang)
and something that smelled a bit dangerous,
raw organ meat salad (Soi Ju),
among other things.

While waiting for the food, I looked toward the kitchen and saw
the mother preparing the pot,
the father grilling the meat,
and the daughter washing the vegetables.
It was truly a full-family operation.

And every time a dish was brought out,
the whole family would come over to my table
with big smiles on their faces.

Their gazes seemed to say,
Is it delicious?
Is it too spicy?

Ah, there are no times like these
when I curse my lack of language skills more.

It's frustrating that I can only say
Aroi (delicious)!
but even so, their warmth
comes through loud and clear.

As for the food itself,
it was shockingly delicious.

First up is the Isan specialty 'Jim Jum'.

Inside the clay pot,
herbs and soup are boiling away,
and you dip the meat and vegetables in
to eat them,
but the richness of the soup is off the charts.

The freshness of the lemongrass and
some kind of stock (probably pork bone and love)
intertwine complexly,
soaking right into your stomach.

And then, the 'pork neck meat'.

It's a cut similar to pork toro
that's been grilled over charcoal,
and when you dip it in the special sauce
(which is spicy and delicious),
it makes you want to eat an infinite amount of rice.

The highlight was the 'offal yukhoe'.

Fresh liver and tripe are
tossed with herbs and spices.
There is zero gamey smell.
All that remains is a rich umami and
the violent kick of chili peppers.

It's not just that it goes well with beer.
It's a flavor that melts your reason away.

Let me share a little
trivia about the
Isan region.

Actually, the Isan region is
said to be one of the
economically poorest areas in Thailand.

Because the soil is poor
and crops are difficult to grow,
they go away to work.

Many of the taxi drivers in Bangkok and
construction workers
are from Isan.

And this Isan cuisine is
the very source of their strength.

To preserve food,
fermented foods
(such as Pla Ra, a fermented fish seasoning)
are used extensively,
and the seasoning is intensely spicy and strong
so that a large amount of 'Khao Niao' (sticky rice)
can be eaten
even with just a little side dish.

In other words, Isan cuisine is
a 'power food'
for surviving in a harsh environment.

Perhaps there is such a resilient
history
behind that family's smiles as well.

If you
are tired of Thailand's tourist spots,
I want you to rent a car
and head north.

There,
extraordinary smiles
and spicy happiness that aren't in the guidebooks
are sure to be waiting for you.

The Isan clay pot dish
'Jim Jum'
was truly delicious.

The aroma of herbs and the umami of the broth.
Eating a hot pot
while sweating in a hot country
is also quite a refined experience.

That said,
I can't exactly commute to Isan every day,
and even in Japan, the nights in winter—or rather, early spring—
are still quite chilly.

Hot pot is justice, after all.
It's delicious whenever you eat it,
and above all, it's healthy because you can get plenty of vegetables.

"I want to cook for myself, but making dashi is a hassle."
"If I live alone, hot pot seasoning packets go to waste."
For those starting a new life with such worries,
this is what I wholeheartedly recommend.

Ajinomoto Nabe Cube 5-Variety 35-Piece Set

A magic cube that perfects the flavor
just by popping it in.

Chicken dashi savory salt, rich paitan,
savory spicy kimchi...

It's great to be able to choose the soup
based on how I'm feeling that day.

Especially if you add pork and chives
to the "savory spicy kimchi" flavor,
you'll feel a little bit like you're in Isan...
Wait, maybe more like Korea (lol).

It's perfect for solo hot pot,
and can even handle
impromptu parties when friends come over.

It also makes for an excellent,
thoughtful gift
for someone starting a new life.

Why not start a delicious new life
with these cubes that lower the hurdle of cooking
to the absolute minimum?

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