A note on the words: “gachi-chuka” is Japanese slang for no-compromise, authentic Chinese food, and “gachi-Tai” plays on it to mean hardcore authentic Thai. Phat phak bung is stir-fried morning glory (water spinach) with garlic and chili. Som tam pu pla ra is a Northeastern Thai (Isan) green papaya salad with pla ra (fermented fish) and small freshwater crabs. Pla thot kratiam phrik thai is a whole deep-fried fish, here tilapia, with garlic and pepper, served with nam chim, a Thai dipping sauce. Khao man gai is Thai-style chicken rice. Khao niao is sticky rice, here served in a woven bamboo basket and eaten by hand. Mekhong is a Thai spirit often called Thai whisky.
Sia Tom Yum Kung Poachana on Tabelog (English) — opening hours, payment details and the Japanese address are kept up to date there, not here.
To all the Thai food lovers out there, thank you for waiting! It’s time for Hangover Meshi!
This time, I visited Sia Tom Yum Kung Poachana in Ueno. It’s a Thai restaurant on the third floor of a commercial building right across from Ueno Marui! It has been running in Ueno for over 15 years, with cooks and staff all from Thailand, and Thai spoken all around—a truly serious Thai spot. How could I not go? Seasonings and spices are reportedly sourced directly from Thailand as well.
Not “gachi-chuka”—the Japanese slang for no-compromise authentic Chinese food—but hardcore authentic Thai!
Now then, let’s get started!
When you think of Thailand, you think of Chang beer!
Japan gets hotter and muggier every year, so a light, crisp beer like this is great.
It’s stir-fried morning glory! Phat phak bung—a name you just want to say out loud. Spicy stir-fried water spinach with garlic and chili; the stems are thick and have a great crisp crunch. When you bite into them, delicious broth gushes right out from inside. The sauce pooled at the bottom of the plate is nice and rich, and coating the greens in it gives an extra boost of flavor that is so good! It’s the classic stir-fried vegetable dish!
And here is another staple: khao man gai! As you loosen the rice, the aroma of jasmine and chicken fat rises together. Each grain has properly absorbed the broth, so the rice alone has plenty of flavor. The chicken is moist and thick, and the fat under the skin just melts on your tongue! Pour on a little of the sauce served on the side, and from behind the sweetness comes the saltiness of fermented soybeans and the kick of ginger, instantly dialing up that Thai feel!
And now, finally, experiencing the true essence of the real thing!
Now, this is som tam, one of my absolute favorites. But I heard they had a Northeastern Thai style called pu pla ra, made with fermented fish and small freshwater crabs, with an intense flavor and serious heat. It was my first time seeing it, so I decided to order it! The staff asked me, “It’s spicy, you OK?” but with a firm resolve, I answered, “I’m fine!”
The first thing that hits you is the fermented smell of the preserved fish! Oh yes, this feels real! And taking a bite, there is a clear, distinct saltiness, and the umami from the freshwater crabs is incredible. Raw cabbage is served on the side, and eating it together might make it a bit easier to handle. As for the crucial heat, it’s somewhat spicy, but completely the delicious kind of spicy. The crisp freshness of green papaya combined with this intense fermented funk is somehow totally addictive, haha.
Tilapia!!!
I’ve never had tilapia, haha. Serving this whole fish is as hardcore as it gets!
It’s a whole fish, practically spilling off the plate. The skin is fried to a crisp all the way to the edges, snapping under your chopsticks to reveal surprisingly white, fluffy flesh inside. There’s no fishy smell at all, and it might just be really good. The fried garlic clinging to the surface is wonderfully aromatic, followed by a peppery kick from behind. Dab a bit of the accompanying nam chim sauce, and the sweetness, acidity, and chili rush in all at once, blowing away any heaviness from the frying.
The sticky rice they recommended to me, saying “This is so good!”
It comes in a woven bamboo basket, still inside its bag. They told me you eat it by scooping it with your hands, haha, so trying it straight with my fingers, it’s packed with natural sweetness and so delicious! It really is just plain sticky rice, but it is amazingly good. Placing a piece of the fried fish on top, adding a dab of nam chim, and popping it into your mouth is sublime.
Hardcore authentic Thai, completely satisfying!
It definitely lived up to its hardcore reputation! It was my first time ever seeing tilapia at a Thai restaurant. It was also my first time realizing what kind of shape this fish actually has. And then the khao niao—I had no idea plain sticky rice could be this good. It pairs wonderfully with the flavors of Thai food. The crowning glory was the pu pla ra. The aroma is quite strong, but I think anyone comfortable with fish sauce or stinky tofu could thoroughly enjoy it. Classic Ueno! Deep, fun Thai food. I highly recommend it!
Here’s hoping you come across something delicious today too!
[Sia Tom Yum Kung Poachana] Menu & Prices
SALAD
Som tam comes in two regional styles. That is one of this restaurant’s real highlights.
Northeastern Thai-style som tam. Rich and pungent with fermented fish and freshwater crabs, with quite strong heat.
Central Thai style. A sweet, sour, and mildly spicy green papaya salad with dried shrimp and peanuts.
A sour and spicy glass noodle salad with minced pork, boiled shelled shrimp, and aromatic herbs.
An Isan specialty. A salad made with plenty of minced meat and fresh herbs.
A spicy Northeastern Thai dish of seared pork jowl.
A seafood salad of shrimp, scallops, and squid with aromatic vegetables.
There are 10 salads in total, including others such as Yam Pla Muek (1,450 yen), Yam Kho Mu Yang (1,500 yen), Yam Naem (1,350 yen), and Kung Phla (1,500 yen).
FOOD (A La Carte)
Spicy stir-fried water spinach with garlic and chili.
Crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside. Grilled chicken seasoned with Thai soy sauce.
Grilled pork jowl served with a special dipping sauce.
Stir-fried minced meat with basil. Choice of pork or chicken.
Stir-fried soft-shell crab with curry powder and egg.
Thai-style omelet with minced pork.
Seafood Dishes
Deep-fried whole fish (tilapia) with garlic and pepper.
Deep-fried fish topped with chili sauce.
Steamed fish (tilapia) with manao (Thai lime).
Sweet-and-savory steamed shrimp and glass noodles.
Shrimp with spicy fish sauce.
RICE
Fried rice and seasoned rice made with Thai jasmine rice. Sticky rice is also available.
Seasoned rice topped with poached chicken.
Rice topped with basil stir-fried pork and a fried egg. Chicken also available.
Thai-style fried rice. Choice of pork or chicken.
Fried rice with kapi (shrimp paste), topped with egg, scallions, ginger, and shallots.
Fried rice packed with ingredients, served inside a pineapple.
DRINKS
For highballs, you can choose from four base spirits, including Thailand’s Mekhong.
You can choose from Kakubin, Mekhong (from Thailand), Ballantine’s, or Jim Beam.
SOUP
A spicy shrimp soup loaded with herbs and spices. The dish featured in the restaurant’s name.
A hot-and-sour soup with shrimp, squid, mussels, and fish.
A mild soup made from chicken broth with tofu, minced meat dumplings, and shiitake mushrooms.
Thai Suki (Set)
Finish with “ojiya” (rice porridge) cooked in the broth. Portioned for 2 to 3 people.
Shrimp, squid, chicken, pork, meatballs, shrimp balls, wood ear mushrooms, enoki mushrooms, glass noodles, vegetables, tofu + ojiya set (rice).
Northeastern Thai-style Thai suki (Thai hot pot). Made with an herbal broth that is richer than standard Thai suki.
For either set, extra meat, shrimp, squid, chicken, shrimp balls, vegetables, etc. can be added for 530 yen each.
*From the menu outside the restaurant during my visit in August 2026. In addition to the above, there are appetizers, noodles, curries, and desserts, totaling over 50 items. Prices include tax; menu items are subject to change. Please check the official website or at the restaurant for the latest information.
Sia Tom Yum Kung Poachana (Thai / Keisei-Ueno Station, Naka-Okachimachi Station, Ueno-Okachimachi 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?
