Thai restaurant in Seongdong, Seoul for first pad thai: Soi Nana

Have you never tried pad thai? I tried it for the first time at Soi Nana (소이나나) in Seongsu this time. I had heard it was known for rice noodles and pad thai, so I went in with high expectations—and came away completely won over by this new flavor.

Soi Nana’s location and weekday visit information

Soi Nana is on the first floor at 37 Seongsui-ro 22-gil, Seongdong-gu, Seoul. It is open weekdays from 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m., with a break from 3 to 5 p.m. It is regularly closed on Saturdays and Sundays, so it is worth keeping that in mind if you were planning a weekend visit.

You can use nearby alternative parking, and I heard parking support may also be available when you dine at the restaurant, so it would be good to check before visiting. The yellow sign stands out, making it easy to spot even from a distance.

What did my first pad thai taste like?

Pad thai is Thailand’s signature stir-fried rice noodle dish.

Wide rice noodles are stir-fried with shrimp or meat, bean sprouts, egg, and more, then seasoned with a sweet, sour, and savory sauce. They say it is a national favorite that is easy to find at any street stall in Thailand. Since it was my first time trying it, I was a little worried about what it would taste like, but from the first bite, the umami hit me and I kept wanting more noodles.

I had thought it would simply be a stir-fried noodle dish, so I never expected it to have such a deep flavor.

The sweet-and-sour sauce had soaked evenly into the noodles, making it one of those addictive dishes where you reach for the next chopstickful as soon as you finish the first.

Pu pad pong curry and fried cha gio on the side

We ordered a variety of dishes besides pad thai, and I recommend ordering several to share, just like we did.

For the curry, we ordered pu pad pong curry with fried crab. The fried crab was crisp on the outside, while the rich crab meat flavor came through inside. The curry itself went down smoothly, and eating it with the fried crab made the contrast in textures especially fun.

It was also my first time trying fried cha gio, and it was a unique combination of sweet potato and shrimp flavors.

The crispy-outside, tender-inside fritter paired beautifully with its sweet, nutty filling, making it another dish I kept reaching for.

Review event tip

If you join the review event, you receive a complimentary salad. It is an elevated version with burrata cheese and pineapple, so I definitely recommend taking part when you visit.

Even the complimentary pho broth had such a deep flavor that I could tell from one sip that this was the real deal. We did not order pho this time, but it made me want to come back and try it properly next time.

Southeast Asian-inspired interior and final thoughts

Soi Nana was not only delicious; the atmosphere was really lovely too. The interior was decorated to evoke Southeast Asia, so there was plenty to enjoy visually while waiting for the food. Its exotic feel makes it a great date spot, and it is also perfect for comfortably trying new food with friends.

To sum it up, Soi Nana was a great Thai restaurant in Seongsu where every dish—from pad thai and pu pad pong curry to the fried items—had a clearly satisfying flavor. Every first-time dish exceeded my expectations, and next time I want to work my way through the pho and other menu items too.

Recommended for

• Anyone who has not tried pad thai yet
• Anyone looking for new flavors in Seongsu-dong
• Anyone who wants an exotic setting for a date

If you have been looking for somewhere with a different kind of flavor in Seongsu-dong, I recommend visiting Soi Nana. Even if Thai food is new to you, it is a place where you can enjoy it without any pressure.