Sometimes the most opportune things happen by accident. Such was the case a couple of months back when I was looking for a spot to visit with a friend over lunch. I was looking for something in Midtown Savannah. We had discussed popping in on the ever popular Sweet Potatoes simply because neither of us had been there in some time.

They are closed on Mondays.

A quick survey of the landscape revealed a number of Midtown’s ‘usual suspects’ are closed on Mondays, but I was very happy to see my favorite Midtown Thai spot was open, so we chose there.

I’d visited Klom Klom Thai before, but it had been maybe a year or so. I had lunch there a couple of times after they opened in the Fall of 2023. At the time, I was very excited for Ann and PJ Healy. They were expanding outside of downtown Savannah for the first time and a little nervous about juggling two restaurants at the same time.

The build out-as they many times do-took longer than usual to complete. But the plan at the time was to create a very small take out spot with a couple of tables. The front counter/register was going to dominate the room. Most people, they suspected, were going to grab and go. And while that is definitely the case, if you walk in there now, you very quickly realize that the plan has changed a little bit.

Klom Klom Thai has exploded in popularity. That front room that was thought to serve as something a little more than a waiting area is full of tables. Just outside the front door there are easily a half dozen more. Klom Klom has become Midtown’s best kept secret.

How can I be so sure? During a couple of recent visits, I’ve seen half of Savannah in there. One group had come over from BC (Benedictine High School for those scoring at home), I’ve seen friends from Isle of Hope, Dutch Island and even Wilmington Island there. The BC group was very happy to see that I knew about the place, figuring that I’d give them some publicity that they felt Klom Klom deserved.

And here we are.

The reason why it is so popular, obviously, is because the food is good and equally as important-consistent. PJ’s Thai downtown spent over a decade developing their following and now that love has spread South of Stephenson Avenue, which I don’t need tell you makes a lot of the ‘we don’t like going downtown anymore’ crowd very happy. I have yet to have a dish at Klom Klom that I haven’t loved. My favorite has been their Thai Basil Chicken. Very frankly, one of my favorite dishes in the city. Ann tells me they offer it now with both chicken and cripsy pork belly. That one is on my short list, trust me.

They’ve also added a bar/wine area to the front room. There are no seats at this bar, but the number of options for bottles of wine tells me they are popular. Add to that the fact that Ann tells me they many times operate with a wait list on the weekends and you have what was supposed to essentially be a midtown take out window becoming a full blown downtown-like lunch or dinner choice right next to The Original Pancake House. The best laid plans and all that. In this case, however, it has all very much worked out for the better.

I won’t overstate it anymore, but you should add Klom Klom to your rotation midtown if it isn’t there already. A rotation that should include Narra Tree and Troy Mediterranean, by the way….particularly on a Monday when a lot of spots Midtown take the day off.

I suspect once you do, however, you will be back to Klom Klom. Because, of course, you will Eat It and Like It.

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