Po Siam, Arlandria - Mom-n-Pop Authentic Thai Now Closed After 25 Years In Business

[goldenticket]

couldn't agree with you more DonRocks.

I love the space, its beautifully done with modernistic simplicity while still retaining an ethnic flavor. I always stop for a few minutes at the open kitcken in the rear.

I love pork belly and after reading Bilrus's all thums up post gave it a shot. The pork was so crisp ( dry?) that I had a tough time chewing and the sauce was nothing to write home about and too little at that. Perhaps it was the chef's night off.

My vote goes to Po-Siam in Alexandria ( they do not have pork belly though).

While this ^ is the only mention I could find of Po Siam (and from the Bangkok 54 thread), it will soon be added to the list of closed restaurants, after 25+ years in Arlandria. On a positive note, there is already another locally-owned business lined up for the space: a to-be-named Sri Lankan/Indian restaurant.

[plunk]

Too bad. Was our go-to thai place when we lived closer. Always much better than it needed to be.

[Bakerman]

damn. definitely my thai restaurant of choice without leaving the immediate area. gonna miss it as I already miss Bombay Curry Company.

[Fishinnards]

Back in ancient times (early nineties), Po Siam was the restaurant Thai students (at AU) were directed to if they wanted real Thai food (as opposed to the much closer Thai room). They used to be across the street from where they are now, in a tiny spot located next to (the original) Bangkok 54 grocery. It had a more or less open kitchen, where you cold see flaming woks going all night. The food was really good. At some point the (new?) owners of Bangkok 54 opened a Thai restaurant directly across the street (in Po Siam"s current location) called Erawan. Rumour was that they had poached the chef from Po Siam. Eventually, Bangkok 54 came under new ownership (the current ownership) and sold Erawan to Po Siam. Bangkok 54 opened a second grocery in Arlington and a restaurant. They eventually sold the original Bangkok 54 location. It is now a Latino grocery.

At one point there were three very good Thai restaurants (Po Siam, Erawan, and Rot Det [now Thai Peppers and not nearly as good AFAIK]) and two Thai groceries (Bangkok 54 and Sukothai) within walking distance of my house (in Del Ray). We also had a Chinese grocery and a Pakistani Butcher for a brief period. This neighborhood had gone to shit (j/k but I miss my Thai markets and am sad to see Po Siam close. It was still good after all these years).