Another local hidden gem, the sounds and smells of the Thai kitchen bring lovingly delicious, yet paradoxically unseen cuisine to Columbia.
Hidden in plain sight from the buzzing bars and restaurants of Ninth Street Alley A is akin to the driveway of a family home. A butterfly mural spanning the brick wall that lines the alley serves as a signal for pedestrians to Big Mama Chim’s Noodle House, founded in 2018 by mother-daughter duo Pramuan “Big Mama Chim” Duncan and Pantipa “Boo” Wadtananussorn.
In this hole-in-the-wall noodle shop, it’s easy to walk in and immediately feel tied to the family that founded it. I stepped out of the cold on a dark March evening and into a venue structured like a kitchen, where customers see their food being prepared on a stovetop. A warm smell of Thai cuisine and the soft, traditional music that welcomes you into a home set the vibe for the experience I was about to have.
The menu’s overwhelming variety of options may take new customers aback, with customizable wet and dry noodle dishes, fried rice and soups — but the knowledge the owners possess allow customers to tailor a dish to their liking. From levels of thickness to spiciness, the intimate experience of ordering from Big Mama Chim’s is as though they are preparing your favorite birthday meal just to your liking.
Even a traditional order of Thai fried rice — which I chose expecting to be quickly prepared due to its simplicity — had a remarkable attention to detail that made the dining experience memorable.
Manager Bruce Lynch sampled the dish and brought extra soy sauce for my food “after his taste buds had settled.” Despite the conventional pairing, the soy sauce unlocked a new set of flavors that increased the depth of the meal.
Though paradoxically unseen, the openness toward the production of their food is what has made Big Mama Chim’s a landmark in downtown. Lynch, the central character of the restaurant, creates a comforting atmosphere that encourages customers to ask questions about how the food is made and explore the variety of components that go into Thai cuisine. The meal portions, though quite substantial, only add to the familial atmosphere and give customers a chance to absorb the flavors more deeply.
While the homey atmosphere adds to the authenticity of the dining experience at Big Mama Chim’s, this objective makes the restaurant itself a little too similar to an actual home. Each time I visited, I found myself sharing the experience with a few friends or alone, with only the charismatic management to fill the space.
One of the most undermarketed downtown spots, Big Mama Chim’s Noodle House is a hidden gem that deserves all the hype from those who know it well. It’s a place that draws customers in and envelops them in the warm, familial nature of Thai cuisine. The family utilizes their scratch-made noodles as an alternative form of therapy to the Columbia community.
Edited by Scout Hudson | shudson@themaneater.com
Copy edited by Sam Barrett and Lauren Courtney
