Tabelog ratingWARUNG PHUAN (ワルン プアン) has cooked Thai and Southeast Asian food since 2006. It has twice been selected for the Tabelog 100 list of Asian and ethnic restaurants, in 2024 and 2026. The kitchen imports its chillies and does not soften the heat for Japanese palates. The signatures are pu nim phat phong kari, a whole soft-shell crab stir-fried in a coconut-egg curry sauce, and a large bowl of khao soi, the northern Thai coconut curry noodle. The carved antique double doors came from the original Chikusa shop. The Imaike premises opened in July 2022.
Reviewers praise the cooking almost without exception. Green curry is the house bestseller. Pad thai, nama harumaki (fresh spring rolls) and tom yum kung come up again and again. Several diners call the crab curry the best they have eaten, Thailand included. Paku-chi sui-gyoza (coriander dumplings) and yam woon sen, a spicy glass-noodle seafood salad, are frequent favourites. Staff will adjust the spice level, and one English-speaking guest was given vegetarian versions of dishes.
Service is the recurring complaint. With a single chef, food is slow, and some guests felt that the warning about 30-minute waits was meant to discourage ordering. Recent reviews mention a walk-in guest being told off, a chef shouting from the kitchen and noisy children left unchecked. A few diners found the gapao heavy or the dumplings and croquettes ordinary.
Dinner typically costs ¥4,000–5,000 a head. There is no lunch service. In 2024–2026 reviewers paid around ¥1,200 for green curry, ¥1,300 for pad thai, ¥1,350 for yam woon sen, ¥1,600 for khao soi, ¥1,250 for gapao rice, ¥360–390 per spring roll and ¥770–850 for a Thai beer. Most reviewers consider it fair value. The noodle and curry dishes are generous, but small plates and drinks, which some called pricey, add up quickly.
- Getting there: 1-minute walk from Imaike Station, Exit 9, next to Pikaichi. Older listings may still show the former Chikusa address.
- Booking: walk-ins are discouraged, so book a few days ahead. Bookings are taken only by Instagram (@warung_phuan) or Facebook message, not by phone. Same-day bookings are sometimes possible. Khao man gai and red curry can be prepared if you order at least 3 days in advance.
- Minimum order: one drink and one food item per person.
- Payment: Visa, Mastercard, JCB and AMEX, plus PayPay. Electronic money (IC cards) is not accepted. A 10% late-night fee applies to bills after 22:00.
- Seats: 13 at a counter with high, hard stools. There are no private rooms. A second-floor banquet space for up to 20 is available for groups of 6 or more by advance booking, and the whole restaurant can be hired for up to 20.
- Children: welcome.
- Smoking: non-smoking throughout.
- Parking: none.
- Tips: the food is genuinely spicy, so ask for a milder version if needed. Expect some dishes to take around 30 minutes. The front door opens by pushing the centre.