Ilsan Thai restaurant for couples: Chiang Mai flavors at Drunken Thai

The weather has been heating up lately, and I've been desperate for a Southeast Asia trip. So my husband and I went to Drunken Thai Ilsan, a hot spot in Ilsan where you can teleport to Thailand in one second, no passport needed.

Where is Drunken Thai Ilsan, and what about parking?

Drunken Thai Ilsan (드렁킨타이 일산점) is at 15 Jeongbalsan-ro, 1F, at the entrance of Western Dom, across from Ilsan MBC. It's easy to reach on foot, and the building has plenty of parking, so we parked without any fuss. Hours are 11:00-21:00 on weekdays and 11:00-20:30 on weekends, with a break from 15:00 to 16:30.

Local-style interior like a Bangkok restaurant

The moment you open the door, the exotic interior makes you forget you're in the middle of Ilsan. Flashy pink neon signs, cute props that look like they were brought over from Thailand, and that trendy vibe, all of it!

I've actually eaten beef rice noodle soup in a restaurant with this exact kind of atmosphere in Bangkok!

There are high chairs too, and baskets for storing your bags are set up beside the tables.

As you'd expect from a proper Thai food hotspot, lots of celebrities seem to have come to eat here.

What two people ordered: tom yum goong, pad thai, pad kra pao moo sap

To really taste Thai local flavors, we ordered three dishes even though there were only two of us: tom yum goong (spicy-sour shrimp soup), my husband's favorite; pad thai (stir-fried rice noodles), my favorite; and pad kra pao moo sap (minced pork basil stir-fry over rice) to keep us full. The prices are friendly too!

If you write a receipt review, they also give you 5 spring rolls as a freebie, so don't forget to claim them.

Self-bar and free noodles and rice

At the self-bar you can grab water, pickles, chili fish sauce and sriracha yourself. I happily loaded up on chili fish sauce, which goes great with moo sap.

And noodles and rice are free, no extra charge! The owner is amazing!

The table itself has a real local feel, and I was so surprised that even the small details are local style. Peanut powder and chili flakes containers, utensils, even the utensil holder! I honestly thought I was in real Thailand.

Our piggy-eating couple's tom yum goong, pad thai and pad kra pao moo sap have arrived. Even the bowls ooze local vibes.

How is the tom yum goong? A broth that recalled my first meal in Chiang Mai

The tom yum goong at Drunken Thai Ilsan earned real approval from my husband, a tom yum maniac. He first tried tom yum when we were dating, and his eyes went wide the moment he tasted it. He said it was really good, and he's been seeking it out often ever since.

Lots of cilantro on top~ If you don't want it, just ask them to leave it out.

I tried the broth first, and it tasted like the tom yum place where I had my first meal in Chiang Mai, Thailand!

There's a ton of shrimp, and lots and lots of other ingredients too: mushrooms, cherry tomatoes, even fish balls.

I also really love tom yum noodles, and the generous portion of noodles made it the best. And rice soaking up the tom yum broth is a combo you can't miss!

Pad thai, my life food, tasting just like in Thailand

When I added lemon juice, chili flakes and peanut powder myself, the pad thai at Drunken Thai Ilsan tasted exactly like what I ate in Thailand. Pad thai is something I absolutely love, one of my life foods. I think I could eat it every day and never get tired of it.

I squeezed on lemon juice, sprinkled some chili flakes and mixed in the peanut powder well.

The sweet-salty sauce and tangy savory depth coat every single noodle, and it's just the best! It's the kind of taste that makes you slap your knee and say, "That's exactly the pad thai I had in Thailand!"

Pad kra pao moo sap, my daily meal during a month in Chiang Mai

The pad kra pao moo sap at Drunken Thai Ilsan is a stir-fried pork rice bowl topped with a runny fried egg, a hearty choice. Oh my, I ate so much pad kra pao moo sap during my month living in Chiang Mai, and it was delicious even every day.

Pop the runny fried egg and mix it with the stir-fried pork, and you can't put your spoon down.

Is Drunken Thai Ilsan worth going back to?

Drunken Thai Ilsan was more than just a meal, it left a warm afterglow, as if the two of us had taken a short trip to Thailand. If you want authentic local-style Thai food in Ilsan, run over without hesitation! We're planning to visit again soon for a Thai beer.