Polo Fried Chicken (Soi Polo): Serving Garlicky Fried Chicken and Isaan Food in Bangkok, Thailand (with MICHELIN Bib Gourmand)

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This article is part of the Bangkok Food Trip series. Check out the installments: Bangkok Food and Travel Guide | Chinatown Food Trip | Jodd Fairs Rama 9 Food Trip (Night Market) | Khao Gaeng Jek Pui (Thai Curry Rice) | MICHELIN Street Food Guide | Phed Mark (Pad Krapow or Holy Basil Stir-Fry) | On Lok Yun (Thai-Style Western Breakfast) | Polo Fried Chicken (Soi Polo) | Raan Jay Fai (MICHELIN-Starred Street Food) | SookSiam Food Trip | theCOMMONS Thonglor (Food Hall) | Wattana Panich (Beef Noodle Soup)

Bangkok’s street food scene is so vibrant that even the MICHELIN Guide took notice. The food guide has awarded several Bib Gourmands and Plates to several establishments, and a Star to Raan Jay Fai (read my review here).

One of the MICHELIN Bib Gourmand awardees is Polo Fried Chicken (Soi Polo), a food spot that specializes on fried chicken (obviously LOL) and Isaan food.

They’ve been recognized by the MICHELIN Guide since 2018:

The Michelin Bib Gourmand recognition of Polo Fried Chicken (Soi Polo)

To the uninitiated, Isaan (or Isan) is the northeastern region of Thailand that borders Laos. With Laotian influences, their food is flavorful and spicy. Popular dishes, which you may recognize, include Gai Yang (grilled chicken), Kor Moo Yang (grilled pork neck), and, of course, Som Tam (green papaya salad).

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But instead of grilled chicken, Soi Polo’s bestseller is Fried Chicken. It is easily one of the best fried chickens I have ever tried! It’s moist, tender, and topped with a ton of fried garlic. In fact, it’s so garlicky that even my wife, who had clogged nose during that time, tasted it. The skin, though, has become a bit soft but that’s okay for me. It’s still delicious overall.

Fried Chicken (Half: THB130; Whole: THB260)

There are two sauces that come with it—A sweet, sour, and spicy one, and Nam Prik Jaew, an Isaan chili dipping sauce. Both elevate the fried chicken.

The fried chicken goes well with Som Tam. Soi Polo has 13 varieties of the Isaan salad. We got the one with salted egg but had the dried shrimp removed because we’re allergic to it.

I’m not really a fan of Som Tam because, even though I love spicy food, it can be too spicy for me. But Soi Polo has started to win me over. The green papaya is crisp, covered with a sweet and tangy dressing. The peanuts add crunch and the salted egg some creaminess. The salad nicely cuts through the fried-ness of the chicken.

One more dish we got is the Grilled Pork Neck. It’s tender and fatty, but I think it lacks seasoning. But the sweet chili dip makes up for it!

We ate the dishes with steamed rice and a Sticky Rice, which, while common throughout Thailand, has Isaan origins.

Unfortunately, I didn’t get to try their Larb or Isaan minced meat salad. So I hope to try it because I’ll definitely return! Anyway…

Could Polo Fried Chicken (Soi Polo) have the best fried chicken in Bangkok? Possibly! It’s there that I found one of the best fried chickens I’ve ever tasted in my life, even beating the ones at home (there are lots of good ones in the Philippines). Soi Polo is also a good introduction to Isaan food (which I want to explore someday). And they have also have a fast service so kudos to the Soi Polo team! I highly recommend it to you!

What dish above have you tried or would like to try? What fried chicken spot should I try next in Bangkok? Comment below!

Address (from Google Map): 137/1-3 Sanam Khli Alley, Lumphini, Pathum Wan, Bangkok, Thailand | Operating Hours: Daily, 7AM-9PM | Contact No: (66) 2251-2772 | Facebook | Instagram

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