Neighborhood: Roma Sur
Type of Food: Southeast Asian Food
What to Order: Chili Crab, Fried Chicken, Shrimp Dumplings, Bottle of Natural Wine
Food Score: 9.6 / 10
What To Skip: Laksa Mee
Vibe / Design: 10 / 10, wooden overtones and simplistic
Crowd: Hipster and trendy
Service: A+
When it comes to unique restaurants that belong in the upper echelon of dining in Mexico City, Somsaa stands out as a gem in a sea of fantastic restaurants. With its roots deeply embedded in Southeast Asian cuisine, including Thai and Malaysian/Singaporean, the restaurant offers a unique blend of flavors and aromas that draws inspiration from the bustling street food culture of Southeast Asia, it also elevates and adds a touch of sophistication to its dishes, resulting in a truly unique dining experience that sets it apart from other Asian restaurants in Mexico City. It perfectly encompasses the vibrant flavors and culinary allure of SE Asian food. In a nutshell, its dishes bring you right back to the heat and chaos of the streets of Thailand, and hawker centers in Singapore. The impeccable decor, outstanding service, and great natural wines make Somsaa a must-visit restaurant in CDMX. It is a place where deep-rooted tradition meets innovation, resulting in one of the more unique dining experiences in CDMX (a city that has no shortage of Asian restaurants). In fact, Somsaa offers an exceptional dining experience. From its impeccable decor to its exceptional service and delightful wine selection, Somsaa is a must in the heart of Roma Sur.
As you step into Somsaa, you are instantly captivated by the mesmerizing wooden decor. The restaurant boasts a tasteful fusion of Thai and Mexican design elements, creating an atmosphere of elegance and sophistication. The attention to detail is commendable, from the intricate wood carvings to the vibrant color palette that adds a touch of warmth to the entire space. It almost seems like you’re stepping into an old-timey shophouse in Singapore.
Start off with some tea or a bottle of natural wine from their extensive wine list. Then order the bao crostini. At the very least, order one of each of the king salmon and foie gras. You won’t regret it. The bao crostinis were like crispy clouds and the semi-sweetness of the baos paired quite nicely with the richness of the salmon and the foie.
Dive into the shrimp dumplings next. The combo of shrimp, pork, and blue crab was almost perfect. The dumpling skin was slightly overdone and dry in some spots. And of course, they topped them with ikura (salmon roe). A nice (and decadent) touch.
A good follow-up is the fried chicken. While not overly crispy because of the sauce drizzled over the top, the sauce was a sweet and slightly tart glaze. The chicken itself though, was some of the best in Mexico City. Super tender and juicy.
The laksa mee, while still pretty good, was the least enjoyable out of all dishes. It could have used a little bit more richness when it comes to the coconut milk and curry broth. The noodles were a bit over and slightly soggy but nothing offensive. It’s a bowl still worth trying though if you’ve never had laksa before. Although I do recommend booking a ticket and heading to a Singaporean hawker center instead ;)
And to top the evening off, it was a tough decision, but the chili crab barely won over the char siu beef. A good choice if you like spicy food. The claws were cooked perfectly, but the sauce was the real star. Sweet, just the route amount of heat and lots of it. And if you’re having trouble with digging out some of the crab meat, they’ll take it in the back, take all of the meat out themselves and mix it with the sauce. Oh, and the chili crab comes with those baos, for dunking of course. Don’t skip this dish.
Unfortunately, there was no space for dessert, though Somsaa is known for a plethora of unique SE Asian desserts. Save room if you can.
Somsaa offers a remarkable dining experience that celebrates the richness of SE Asian cuisine without being overly pretentious. It deserves all of the attention it’s getting and certainly belongs in the conversation about the best restaurants in Mexico City. It’s the perfect combination of understated decor and phenomenal food. Especially if you’re looking for something a bit different than some of the other high-end restaurants in CDMX.