กะมา ข้าวยำราชา - Nasi Kerabu Raja

Southern Thai comfort, done the old way and done right. On Na Kluea Soi 3 in Pattani City, this long-running shophouse turns out the famous khao yam — rice tossed with a garden’s worth of shaved herbs — drenched in a salty-sweet budu dressing and finished with toasted coconut. Ask for it with grilled mackerel or local bigeye scad, then mix everything until it sings: crunchy long beans, aromatic lemongrass, kaffir lime leaf, a squeeze of lime, and as much fresh chili as you dare. Go late afternoon when the baskets of herbs are at their crispest and the pans of toasted coconut are still warm. Most diners order khao yam first, then add a bowl of rich mi kati (coconut-milk noodles) and a glass of iced lime tea. It’s a simple routine the locals swear by. Expect plastic stools, quick service, and prices that stay friendly to your wallet. Open 2pm–9pm, closed Wednesday; call +66 81 543 7501 for takeaway. Look for the sign in Thai — กะมาข้าวยำราชา — just off Na Kluea Road in Anoru, a short hop from Pattani’s riverfront. If you’re traveling through the Deep South, this is the stop that makes the detour worth it: bright, herb-packed plates that taste like the region, made by people who’ve been doing it for decades.