While it’s true that roadside vendors can’t be beat when it comes to Isaan food, there are just times when we can’t face sweating like a pig outside. That’s where Kumpoon comes in handy. This earth-toned, mall-based, somtam store tries to create an upcountry ambiance with lots of wood, servers clad in mor hom shirts and fake trees branching out from the ceiling. Small-portioned food is served in clay pottery while complimentary crisp veggies come in a mortar. The short menu offers a familiar run down of Isaan’s greatest hits from somtam to larb and soup normai (bamboo shoots salad). There are a few rare items like phad mee Korat, a sweetish stir-fried noodle served as a side dish for somtam. Unfortunately, the Korat specialty turns out to be too much like a phad thai. The yum dishes are satisfyingly flavorful but most of them, like the yum woonsen sai krok Isaan (vermicelli salad with Isaan sausages) and the yum kai tord (deep-fried chicken salad), end up tasting very similar. Here, it’s the somtam that shines and explodes with flavors. There are 15 varieties on offer. The faint hearted can stick to the somtam Thai with salted egg, but for real Isaan tastes, go for the somtam puu plara. We also like the tum kode mua, an aroma-packed somtam with kanom jeen, muu yaw and crispy chicken skin. Service is a mixed bag. The servers are knowledgeable but always seem grumpy and indifferent. On a bad night, it might take you five minutes to get their attention. One thing is consistent, though: the kitchen turns out dishes fast, so the movie-going crowd can rest assured they’ll make it in time for the previews. Overall, despite the mediocre service, Kumpoon manages to pack enough punches in its dishes to keep you happy. One of the better places to enjoy somtam in the comfort of air-con. No corkage charge.
