Papaya Salad in Shoreline
On our menu as “Tum”, under the E-Sarn Salad section. Same dish, printed name.
Green papaya salad is made in a clay mortar, not a bowl. Garlic and chilli are bruised first, then long beans and tomato are cracked rather than crushed, then shredded unripe papaya goes in and everything is turned and pounded together with lime, fish sauce and palm sugar until the papaya softens and takes on the dressing but keeps its snap.
How far it goes from there is the whole point. The Thai version is the mild end — peanuts, dried shrimp, a sweeter balance. Head toward Isan and Laos and it gets funkier and sharper: salted black crab, and pla ra, the fermented fish sauce that gives the dish its depth and its reputation.
We make nine. That is more variations than anywhere near us, and it is deliberate.
All nine
Pounded to order. The ones marked Pla Ra* are built on fermented fish sauce — the funkier, more traditional end of the range.
Tum Thai
$12.95Papaya, carrot, peanut, garlic, tomato, green bean (+ salted crab $2.50)
Tum Puu Plara (Pla Ra*)
$13.95Papaya, salted crab, carrot, garlic, tomato, green bean, thai eggplants
Tum Khaophod Kaikem
$14.95Corn, salted egg, garlic, tomato, carrot, green bean
Tum Sen Lek (Pla Ra*)
$14.45Rice stick noodle, pork loaf, pork balls, ngo gai, garlic, tomato, green bean
Tum Luang Prabang (LAO)(Pla Ra*)
$14.45Wide noodle papaya, anchovy shrimp paste, salted crab, thai eggplant, green bean, garlic, tomato, pork rinds
Tum Mua (Pla Ra*)
$16.45Vermicelli noodle, papaya, carrot, salted crab, crispy anchovy, bean sprout, garlic, pickled mustard, green bean
Tum Talay (Pla Ra*)
$17.45Seafood Combination (Squid, shrimp, mussel, scallop) papaya, garlic, tomato, carrot, green bean
Tum Tang (Pla Ra*)
$13.95Cucumber, garlic, tomato
Tum Tard
$27.45Thai or Lao styled papaya salad, vermicelli noodle, bean sprout, nham, crispy anchovy, pork rinds, pork loaf, boiled eggs, pickle
Questions people ask
- I don't see "papaya salad" on your menu — do you have it?
- Yes. It is printed under the E-Sarn Salad section as Tum, which is the Thai word for the pounding it takes in the mortar. Every item beginning with Tum is a pounded salad, and most of them are green papaya. Same dish, printed name.
- Which papaya salad should I start with?
- Tum Thai is the gentlest introduction — peanut, garlic, tomato and green bean, no fermented fish. If you already know you like the funky end, Tum Puu Plara with salted crab and pla ra is the traditional one. Tum Tard is a large sharing plate built for a table, not one person.
- How spicy is papaya salad?
- It is normally a hot dish and we make it in the Isan register. Tell your server the heat you want when you order — that is the reliable way to get it right.
- What does Pla Ra mean on the menu?
- Pla ra is fermented fish sauce, and it is what separates Isan and Lao papaya salad from the milder Thai version. The items marked Pla Ra* are built on it. If it is new to you it is worth trying, but it is assertive — say the word and we will point you at something else.
- Is papaya salad gluten free or vegetarian?
- We have not had our dishes tested, so we will not label them. What we can tell you is what goes in: most of these are built on fish sauce, and several on salted crab, dried shrimp or pla ra, so they are not vegetarian. Call us on (206) 644-8350 and ask about a specific dish before you order — we would rather answer than have you guess.
- What goes with papaya salad?
- Sticky rice and something grilled. Papaya salad, grilled chicken and sticky rice is the standard Isan trio, and it is the way most of our regulars order.
While you are here
Come and eat
14561 Bothell Way NE, Shoreline. Open fri – sun, 12–9 PM.