Siam Orchid, Tokyo Station: Double Nines at the Thai Beer Dice Challenge

A note on the words: Yaechika is the nickname for the Yaesu Underground Shopping Mall directly connected to Tokyo Station, and yatai are open-air street food stalls, the model for this restaurant’s lively dining room. Among the dishes ordered here, som tam is a hot-and-sour green papaya salad dressed with lime, chili, and nam pla (Thai fish sauce) and topped with crushed peanuts and dried shrimp; khao man gai is tender poached chicken over rice cooked in the poaching broth; kung takrai is plump shrimp stir-fried over high heat with fragrant lemongrass; and khao soi is a Chiang Mai specialty of coconut-milk curry noodle soup topped with crunchy fried noodles over soft boiled noodles.

Siam Orchid Yaechika ten

Siam Orchid Yaechika ten on Tabelog (English) — opening hours, payment details and the Japanese address are kept up to date there, not here.

To everyone who loves Thai food, thank you for waiting — it is time for Hangover Meshi!

I love Thai food myself!

A Thai restaurant along the passage I often walk down when heading from the Yaesu side to the Keiyo Line had caught my eye, so I decided to step inside. Its name is “Siam Orchid”!

It is a Thai restaurant in Yaechika, the Yaesu underground shopping mall directly connected to Tokyo Station. It is said to belong to the Gourmet Kineya group and to be a sister shop of Tinun. The street-stall (yatai) style interior gets lively at night, and tom yum, gapao, and khao soi — all the regulars — are on the menu. Apparently it is a popular spot with a line at lunch. From 17:00 they also run a “Dice Challenge” where ordering a Thai beer lets you roll the dice, and doubles gets you one more bottle free! No way not to try this!

Doubles Gets You Another Beer — Wait Until You See What Came Up

Once seated, of course we had to jump right into the Dice Challenge.

The “Dice Challenge” runs from 17:00. Order a bottle of Thai beer (from 730 yen) and you roll two dice, with the roll deciding your prize. Double nine (9 and 9) is the jackpot: a Chang cooler bag or apron. Any other doubles gets you one more beer free! An even total wins Thai goods, and an odd total is no prize. Nine is said to be a lucky number in Thailand.

I am going to keep going until I hit!

Green Papaya Salad, Som Tam (900 yen)

A dish I always order at a Thai restaurant. It is a salad where the crisp bite of green papaya takes the lead. The sourness of lime and saltiness of fish sauce (nam pla) come first, and a beat later the chili pricks your tongue. Sweetness is just a hint, keeping the whole dish firmly on the hot-and-sour side. Once the savory crunch of crushed peanuts and dried shrimp mixes in, the flavor suddenly gains real depth. I actually really like how the vegetables soak in the liquid at the bottom as you keep eating, making the flavor richer as you go.

Fresh Spring Rolls (450 yen)

Another light, salad-like dish that makes a great starter. Bite past the chewy bounce of the wrapper and the freshness of the vegetables and glass noodles spills out. The seasoning on the filling is restrained, leaving the sweet-and-spicy dipping sauce on the side to play the lead role. I thought it was unusual to see something like thin omelet strips inside, though wait — do they normally have those in there? lol

Here is the first Dice Challenge! It is a beer made by the same company as Singha, and apparently it is an everyday staple in Thailand. Despite the leopard on the label, what is inside is mild and easy-drinking.

Missed!

Minced Pork Lettuce Wraps with Lemongrass, 3 pieces (840 yen)

This is the kind of dish you pick up in your hand and bite right into. After the crisp chill of the lettuce, the savory flavor of minced pork, the sourness of lime, and the heat of chili all rush in at once. Right through that floats the fresh aroma of chopped lemongrass — what a touch! The sharp bite of red onion works nicely too, keeping your mouth busy with every bite lol. If you love herbs, you cannot resist this!

This one is seriously delicious!

And now the second challenge. When it comes to Thai beer, this is the classic representative. It has a step more body than Leo, with malt richness and a light bitterness stepping right to the front. Not hitting at all.

Thai Chicken Rice, Khao Man Gai (1,030 yen)

Another staple, khao man gai. It pairs rice cooked in the broth from poaching the chicken with moist poached chicken. First, a bite without sauce to taste the chicken flavor soaked into the rice. Gently seasoned! Drizzle the spicy sauce over it, and the aroma of ginger and chili rises up, adding a punch that makes it even more delicious!

The third one is Chang! Familiar for its elephant mark, it splits popularity with Singha in Thailand. In the mouth the carbonation fizzes brightly, with light bitterness and a clean, dry finish. Missed again lol.

Or so I was saying, when…!!!!

My companion rolled double nines — 9 and 9 lol!

I got to witness some serious luck lol.

Stir-Fried Shrimp with Lemongrass, Kung Takrai (980 yen)

Well, after all that excitement lol,

Next is a dish of shrimp stir-fried over high heat with lemongrass. Bite into the plump shrimp and their sweetness spreads out, followed a moment later by the grassy scent of lemongrass passing through your nose. The seasoning is on the bold, sweet-savory side, pulled together by the richness of fish sauce. With the sweetness of onion and slight bitterness of green bell pepper joining in, it seems like it would go great with white rice too! The spice level is mild, so it might also be a good refuge for anyone who does not do well with spicy food!

Chiang Mai Curry Noodles, Khao Soi (1,100 yen)

To finish, we shared the Chiang Mai specialty curry noodles! The mellowness of coconut milk comes first, and then the heat and aroma of the spices slowly rise up.

The fried noodles on top are crunchy, then take on a different texture once they soak up the soup, making the contrast with the soft noodles underneath fun! A quick squeeze of lemon sharpens the outlines with its tartness, and the chicken is tender enough to fall apart. It was not that spicy, I think.

Thank you for the meal!

Man, I never thought double nines would actually come up lol. Even setting that aside, being directly connected to Tokyo Station and letting you enjoy a whole Thai street-stall night makes this a great spot! Prizes like another free beer hit fairly often, so how about enjoying the Dice Challenge alongside the hot-and-sour kick of som tam and yam (Thai spicy salads)! The entertainment value was spot on.

Here’s hoping you run into something delicious today too!

Menu and Prices

Siam Orchid Yaechika ten (Thai / Tokyo Station, Kyobashi Station, Takaracho Station)
Tabelog dinner rating ★★★☆☆ 3.6

I ate here and paid for it myself. Nothing on this site is a comped meal.

One more for the road?

Not Hardcore Chinese, but Hardcore Thai: Sia Tom Yum Kung Poachana, Ueno Thai Konro, Ebisu: Som Tam, Gai Yang and Cold Beer BIANCHI, Roppongi: Thai-Chinese for a night when you want to eat properly Bangkok 77, Kabukicho: Proper Thai Food in the Small Hours Shoryubo, Ikebukuro: Not Especially Good, but I Keep Going Asian Dining Yummy, Shinjuku: Curry as a Drinking Snack Agariko Shokudo, Ikebukuro: Rendang, Satay and a Bucket Highball 99出たぞーｗ 東京駅『サイアム オーキッド』のタイビール サイコロチャレンジ 東京車站「Siam Orchid Yaechika店」：點泰國啤酒擲骰子，竟然擲出99 Minsei Chahan, Yokohama Chinatown: Taipei’s Fried Rice Specialist, 1,300 Yen a Plate