Sizzling beef and somtam: True Isaan feast waits on On Nut

COCONUTS HOT SPOT — Have you heard of the famous grilled beef at “Lamduan Nuea Yang” on On Nut? If not, maybe it’s time you get yourself updated with the trendy food joint, as photos of its famous hot plates are everywhere — and trust me, you will want to try them.

Even before its fame took off due to the internet, Lamduan has been a local favorite for 26 years. Starting off as a street-side hawker store, the joint did not have a permanent location for almost 7 years, until it secured its shop-house store at the corner of On Nut Soi 52. It’s become more and more popular over the years, and possibly hasn’t seen a quiet day since.

I can see why this is the case. Lamduan serves everyone’s favorites: somtam, grills, spicy Isaan dishes, and beef.

The highlight of Lamduan’s menu is its delicious meat grills. Its Beef Hot Plate (THB230) serves up hearty local beef on a DIY hot plate. The beef is nice and tasty, and most importantly, it’s not frozen.  When you order your first plate, a generous portion of cut up beef — raw and red — comes sitting on a chunk of butter, which will quickly melt and sizzle onto the hot plate. Soaked in that buttery fat, the meat is so overwhelmingly satisfying to the tastebuds that you will not be able to resist a second helping.

Beef-Shank Refill

For the refill, you can choose a different cut of beef. My recommendation is to go for the Beef-Shank Refill (THB200), which is my favorite. Unlike the original signature dish, the beef shank has a lot more marbling tendon to chew on. The texture is different — bouncier and crunchier, yet still very tender. This cut is very fast to cook on the hot plate, as the piece is much thinner. It makes a good medium-rare piece that is much easier to perfect. Just count seconds before it turns into a half-brown-half-red slice, then it’s pretty much ready to be swooped up from the grill.

Lamduan’s Grilled Tongue

If you find the beef tendon appealing to your taste and liking, please do not miss on the Lamduan’s Grilled Tongue (THB80). Yes, it’s a barbecued cow tongue, served with Nam Jim Jaew (spicy dipping sauce). But set aside any fears you have of trying unusual animal parts for a second (as it’s not that unusual a part anyway) and you will discover just how much happiness a cow can bring to you.  

Spicy papaya salad with salted eggs

For those who are up for more Thai food, let me just introduce to you a few items that will help complete a meal of spicy guilty-pleasures. My recommended items are Somtam Kai Kem (Spicy papaya salad with salted eggs — THB65), Tom Sab Nuea Lai (Spicy beef soup — THB200), Luak Jim Nuea Lai (Boiled beef with spicy dipping — THB85). Last but not least, it wouldn’t hurt to also order a portion of their Grilled Chicken with Fried Garlic (THB150) with Sticky Rice (THB10). It’s a classic.

Tom Sab Nuea Lai

Fried chicken with garlic

As well as these crowd favorites, Lamduan keeps reinventing dishes to suit its customers’ tastes.

Khun Lamduan — the chef who still cooks at the station in front of the restaurant every day — takes customer comments very seriously. Her husband (the boss at the cashier) said: “Sometimes when someone requests a dish they had somewhere else, we try to make it ourselves, and give it a trial run on the special menu.”

I just couldn’t help but notice just how proud he was of Khun Lamduan’s inventions and her cooking skills. This proves the saying that “it’s not just the place, it’s also the people” when it comes to dining out. No wonder their customers are so willing to recommend the place with such great enthusiasm.

My pro tip is that it’s more fun to go to Lamduan as a group. Sharing is a big part of enjoying an Isaan meal, and in some cases, the spicier, the more fun.

 

FIND IT:

Lamduan Nuea Yang

Hours 12pm – 11:30pm

On Nut Soi 52

 



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