The Man Who Brought Us Som’s Noodle House Needs Our Help Right Now

(SPOT.ph) Poblacion folk might know Parinya Pattamadilok as the Thai chef who, along with his wife and family, brought us under-the-radar Thai spot Som’s Noodle House. For Patty Pattamadilok, however, he is also a loving father who, when she and her siblings were kids, prepared Thai meals for their school lunches, and would teach her the value of kindness by example. “Superhero namin ‘yan si Papa,” Patty tells SPOT.ph.

The superhero hasn't been all good for a while, though. Last January 20, followers of Som's on Facebook were greeted with a call for aid. Parinya, who's been wheelchair-bound since his leg was amputated in 2013 because of diabetes, needs another medical operation. "His other foot has become infected again and has developed gangrene," says the social media message. Hence, while the noodle house has been closed for dine-in operations since November of 2023, it recently went back to accepting takeout orders for the benefit of the family patriarch. 

"We humbly ask for your support as we host a special 'Food for a Cause' sale where all proceeds will be going towards his medical expenses. We'll be serving your favorites—Tom Yam, Laksa, Seafood Fried Rice, and Spring Rolls—all crafted with our dad's signature spices."

The message was clearly written by one of the Thai chef's children. It describes Mr. Parinya as "the mastermind behind our unique and delicious offerings;" the guy whose "passion and creativity have been the heart of our business."  

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About Parinya Pattamadilok of Som’s Noodle House

Parinya, now 75, developed diabetes in the early 2010s, leading to his right leg being amputated. The family found out about his diabetes when his right leg turned dark. “‘Yung right [side ng] body niya, hindi po [maka]-function. Medyo parang patay po, hindi po masyadong naigagalaw. Kaya kahit anong request niya na magkaroon ng artificial leg sa right, hindi po talaga kaya kasi patay po ‘yung right na katawan niya.” This, coupled with a stroke that happened around 2006, which also made it even more of a struggle for the Thai native to talk in Filipino or English, forced Parinya to stop cooking altogether. 

His hospitalization this time around is due to gangrene in his left toes that requires a medical operation to cure. The family hopes to raise P150,000 to cover his hospital fees, hence the "sale" of Som’s signatures: Tom Yam (P358), Laksa (P438), Seafood Fried Rice (P358), and Spring Rolls (P238). Orders can be made by messaging their social-media pages or messaging 0956-146-3669 on Viber, WhatsApp, or Telegram.

Parinya in the Kitchen

Parinya's love for the kitchen comes from parents who were once in-house cooks for the royal family of Thailand. “Because his parents stayed in the palace, my father grew up without them by his side so he learned how to be independent at a very young age," daughter Som, from whose name came the noodle house moniker, told ANCX in a 2020 interview. "Despite this, he is happy and proud that he learned how to cook from his father and mother.” Parinya flew from Phuket to Manila together with his mother in the late 1980s and soon started working at the Sukhothai in SM Megamall which was popular in the early 2000s. It was here that he would meet his Filipina wife, Eva.

All these experiences—the cooking knowledge from his parents and years working at Sukhothai—converge at Som’s, which started as a humble food cart Parinya himself built and opened in the early 2000s. By 2003 they upgraded to become a makeshift eatery with tables, chairs, and umbrellas right outside their apartment in Algier Street in Poblacion. In 2007 they established an actual indoor dining area in the same location, which was upgraded to become airconditioned in 2009.

Notably, Som’s is a family venture. “Tulong-tulong po kami sa kusina that time,” says Patty. “Noong hindi pa napuputol yung right leg [niya], naggui-guide po siya sa amin sa kusina.” The children would do the cooking and prepping while Parinya would teach them the recipes, guiding them on measurements and procedures. These lessons came in handy following his illness, as this meant the other members of the family could continue cooking the Som's signature dishes for their regulars.

“My dad is really cool and funny and, before, my siblings and I liked being around him more because Mama often scolded us. But, when it comes to cooking, he is scary," Som told ANCX. "He is very strict and would shout if you got it wrong. Also, my brother and sister were not allowed to write down the steps for the dishes. He wants them to memorize it... Ang laging sabi ni Papa dapat huwag biglain. Huwag magmadali at dapat laging masaya pag nagluluto.”

A Father With a Love for Building Things

When the Pattamadilok children were young, and before Parinya fell into his illness, the chef would prepare Thai viands for Patty and siblings to bring to school, which would be much unlike the usual baon fare of their classmates. “No’ng bata po kami, hindi po namin na-enjoy ‘yung mga hotdogs [o] ‘yung mga nuggets,” says Patty. “Kasi pang-ulam po talaga ‘yung pinapadala sa amin nung papa namin.” She would get envious of those hotdogs and nuggets and would trade lunches with her classmates. But as she grew older, Patty realized how she’d taken her dad’s cooking for granted.

According to Patty, her father is a kind and compassionate man. Parinya would occasionally cook food just to give away to tricycle drivers he’s befriended near their place. “Kilala na po siya doon, [kasi] araw-araw [siya doon] dumadaan at sumasakay,” says Patty. “Friendly po kasi si Papa. Kahit hindi ka niya kilala, ‘pag araw-araw ka niya nakikita, babatiin ka niya.”

This kindness extends to his being a father. “Sobrang bait po ni Papa. Never po nananakit sa amin,” says Patty. He's strict but when he's angry he explains why. “At ayaw niya may galit sa puso… [kapag kunyari] may nakaaway ka, ang sasabihin niya lang po, 'Forgive,' gano’n, kasi pangit ang may galit sa puso.”

Parinya also used to love building things, and had a stint working in construction in Saudi Arabia prior to flying to the Philippines. Aside from assembling Som's first-ever cart, he would dabble in little projects from time to time: “‘Yung mga gamit namin sa bahay like ‘yung mga TV rack, mga ganun, [siya gumawa.]”

Fighting for Som’s Survival

Som’s made a name for themselves through hardwork and serving honest food. They became popular quite organically as social media wasn’t as strong of a marketing tool at the time they were starting. But they faced challenges in the following years—Parinya’s medical condition, the medical expenses,  the rising rent in Poblacion, and the pandemic. In 2019, the family entered a partnership that  started promisingly, giving birth to the similar-sounding Som’s Authentic Thai Cuisine "Little Bangkok” on Albert Street, Poblacion. The partnership ended with the other team letting go of all but one member of the Pattamadilok family. Today, Parinya's Som's is no longer connected to the “Little Bangkok” leg—but due to legalities, the latter gets to keep the Som’s part of its name.

With the recipes Parinya created, his Pattamadiloks are hoping to keep Som’s Noodle House alive, and hoping too that their father's food will get him through this latest medical challenge. Consider supporting the cause by hitting them up the next time the Thai craving strikes.

For orders, contact 0956-146-3669 on Viber, WhatsApp, or Telegram. You can also send a message to Som's Noodle's House's Facebook page.

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