Solo dining Thai restaurant in Euljiro 3-ga: tom yum & som tam, Kkai 9

What kind of restaurant is Kkai 9?

Kkai 9 is a Thai restaurant right in front of Exit 9 of Euljiro 3-ga Station. Known as a lunch spot in Euljiro packed with office workers, but look closer and the share of Thai customers here is pretty high too.

The name is unusual. Looked it up... Kkai 9 means 'Ban Kai 9' in Thai. 'Ban' means 'our house,' 'Kai' is named after the owner's mother-in-law's zodiac sign (chicken), and 9 is Thailand's lucky number, meaning luck and progress. They make everything themselves — pho broth, bone stew, pad thai sauce, khao kha moo sauce, all simmered and hand-made in house.

Not tasty? Go watch the owner's mother-in-law's cooking skills in action. It's genuinely delicious. One of the best Thai restaurants I've had in my life. So tender... so good.

People who've traveled Thailand apparently feel a wave of nostalgia here. The careful, meticulous owner couple deliberately set up this little slice of Thailand in Euljiro.

Kkai 9 location and opening hours

Kkai 9 is right in front of Exit 9 of Euljiro 3-ga Station. Hours are 11:00 - 21:30.

Inside the restaurant

We did our best to make you feel Thailand

Honestly, I was most curious about the signature menu item, laab sab — a Thai-style braised ribs dish where you could apparently pile on the cilantro too. But since I was dining solo that day, I didn't have that option. I needed my tom yum goong fix.

Look at that back wall... open windows, that dive-bar vibe, plenty of lived-in wear and tear. Steel tables and plastic chairs. Perfect. This is exactly how a Thai restaurant should look. There can be a wait during lunch hours.

Three dishes ordered for a solo meal

This...this is so good...is this the mother-in-law's touch!? Perfect

Tom yum goong

Even so, I ordered three whole dishes despite coming alone. Why? Because I was desperate for Thai food, okay? Haha, crying laughing.

Coconut milk, tangy lemongrass, cilantro fragrance, spicy broth. How is this not soul food. Jjamppong vs tom yum goong — I'm tom yum goong. Comes with mushrooms, bean sprouts, onion, shrimp. I...I drank every last drop of that broth. Had to leave the noodles, too full, but the broth got completely wiped out.

Anyone watching would've thought I came here to cure a hangover.

Som tam (green papaya salad)

Som tam made only with fresh papaya, apparently

See those lime wedges. I'm dying. Chilies and peanuts hiding everywhere. I'm dying.

I love sour flavors so the sourness of Thai food drives me crazy. All my worries and troubles just melt away... (dramatic, I know)

Kho mu yang (grilled pork neck)

I had to be out and about all day, so I needed some meat too. This is grilled pork neck in a secret Thai seasoning sauce, cooked to order in 10-15 minutes. It's called khao kha moo. Genuinely delicious. Ate it two pieces at a time.

A sweet, fragrant grilled dish, kind of like jokbal (pig's trotters)

Grilled on the outside but tender inside like boiled pork. However they cook it... I worried I might leave some, but I finished it all. Not a single piece left. The fat was springy and the lean meat was incredibly tender. I want to bring like six people here and have a menu party. The table next to me was doing exactly that — so jealous.

Is Kkai 9 worth a visit in Euljiro?

Delicious..! So delicious! This place... you have to go find it!

Finished all the khao kha moo, finished all the som tam, finished the tom yum goong broth and everything in it, only some noodles left over. Am I some kind of competitive eater now? Owner, make lots of money and stay open for a long time. I'll be back...

Prices are also pretty typical. There's also a famous Nutella banana roti for dessert (seen a lot on Instagram) — hope to try that next time too.

There's even a celebrity autograph.

Need to periodically recharge that Euljiro feeling, right? Kkai 9.