HOUReview
Included In
Street To Kitchen used to be a teeny space squished up against a gas station. It’s now in a much larger space in the East End, but this beloved Thai spot still feels like a spice-fueled pocket world separated from space and time. Maybe it’s the fact we can’t feel our tongue after dinner, but Street To Kitchen creates temporal displacement we get lost in and has some of the best Thai food in Houston.
Here, every dish, regardless of what spice level you order—mild, medium, or Thai spicy are the options—is spicy. Embrace it and order a bottle of wine or a frozen Thai tea cocktail to soothe the heat. Brace for the acidic and aromatic papaya salad, whose spice re-atomizes with every breath. Drunken noodles arrive with thick slices of red hot chilis and mounds of basil. Tom Yum sometimes offers momentary reprieve, but this one doesn’t. The tangy, sour, sweet broth keeps the spice simmering. And for dessert (when available) we cannot get enough of the warm mango sticky rice, which melts away whatever spice is still stinging your tongue.
And even though you might end up staring at a Veuve Clicquot neon sign all night, the food, the charming if austere service, and the way you feel cocooned from the world make any experience at Street To Kitchen a memorable one. Even when the slap of reality arrives with the check, you still momentarily consider restarting the entire experience, despite how full you feel. Go to dinner with a special group of friends, or on a date, and let yourself melt into Street To Kitchen’s world. Just be sure to make a reservation—this place is always busy.
photo credit: Richard Casteel
photo credit: Richard Casteel
photo credit: Richard Casteel
Food Rundown
photo credit: Richard Casteel
Som Tam (ส้มตำ)
photo credit: Richard Casteel
Tom Yum Soup
photo credit: Richard Casteel
Thai Basil Beef (ข้าวผัดกระเพา ไข่ดาว)
photo credit: Richard Casteel
Drunken Noodle (ผัดขี้เมา)
photo credit: Richard Casteel