Tom Yum Goong: Bangkok's Classic Hot and Sour Prawn Soup, Explained
Everything you need to know about Tom Yum Goong — the difference between clear and creamy broth, where to eat it, and what's normal to leave in the bowl.
What Makes Tom Yum Goong Special
Tom Yum Goong is a hot and sour prawn soup built on a broth of lemongrass, galangal, kaffir lime leaves, chili, and lime juice — a combination that makes it aromatic and sharp rather than heavy. It's one of the dishes most closely associated with Thai cuisine internationally, and in Bangkok you'll find it on nearly every restaurant menu, from simple noodle shops to high-end dining rooms.
There are two main styles worth knowing about: tom yum nam sai (clear broth) and tom yum nam khon (creamy broth, made with evaporated milk or coconut milk added to the base). Nam khon is richer and slightly more forgiving on the palate if you're not used to intensely sour-spicy flavors; nam sai is the sharper, more traditional version.
Clear Broth vs. Creamy Broth
| Style | Broth | Flavor Profile |
|---|---|---|
| Tom Yum Nam Sai | Clear, herb-forward | Sharp, sour, intensely aromatic |
| Tom Yum Nam Khon | Creamy (milk or coconut milk added) | Rich, mellower, slightly sweet undertone |
Where to Try It
Riverside restaurants and seafood-focused spots tend to make a particularly good version since the prawns are often fresher, but simple neighborhood restaurants (ran ahan tam sang, literally "cook-to-order shops") are usually a safer and cheaper bet than tourist-area restaurants, where the recipe is sometimes toned down. Expect to pay roughly ฿80–฿150 for a personal-sized bowl at a casual restaurant, more at a seafood specialist.
The lemongrass stalks, galangal slices, and kaffir lime leaves floating in the soup are for flavoring the broth, not for eating directly — Thai diners typically push them to the side of the bowl rather than chewing on them.
