CUAISRITNE
A Modern Masterpiece
Kao Thai Kitchen
By Margaret Word Burnside and Aaron R. Fodiman
Photography by Noraa
These braised pork ribs in Panang curry sauce were as tender
and flavorful as they were attractive.
JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2018 | TAMPA BAY MAGAZINE 169
From the moment you enter Kao
Thai Kitchen, you sense that there
is something new and creative going
on in this delightful restaurant. The
modern décor is inviting, and the servers
are bright and smiley. Even the menus
have a unique, chic look.
We gazed down the long list of
appetizers and decided to forgo egg rolls,
fried calamari, dumplings, edamame,
crispy tofu, spicy chicken and tomato dip,
and a number of other items, and instead
ordered Sa Teh chicken with peanut sauce,
and Firecracker Shrimp, marinated shrimp
in a spicy sauce with sweet plum dip. They
were both excellent, and items we would
order again. The menu offers three soups
and seven salads. We chose the Tear Tiger
Salad, which in addition to fresh greens,
was made up of grilled marinated flat iron
steak, mint, roasted rice and a refreshing
while similar to the Pad Thai we know, had
something extra that made it stand out as
a dish that is bound to be as popular with
other diners as it was with us. The rice
that was served with the entrées was the
ideal complement to their flavorful sauces.
Despite our deliciously filling dinner, we
shared two desserts, a coconut cup custard
with rice pudding and a creamy concoction
of tapioca balls in creamy coconut milk.
Kao Thai serves wine and beer and offers
lunch specials everyday from 11:30 a.m.
to 3 p.m. Dining here is a joy because of
the well-balanced combination of décor,
service and food. It fits together perfectly,
and you are bound to leave here happy. 9
EDITOR’S NOTE: Kao Thai Kitchen is located
at 7199 66th Street in North Pinellas Park,
just to the south of Park Avenue on the east
side of the street, (727) 350-3722.
chili lime vinaigrette.
For entrées, they offered the usual
dishes, such as Pad Thai, Panang Curry,
Khao Pad and Rama with your choice
of chicken, pork, vegetables, tofu, beef,
shrimp or squid. We decided to try their
grilled Salmon Ga Prow with basil sauce
and vegetables, since we didn’t recall
having had Thai salmon. We were not
surprised that it was prepared perfectly
and filled with flavor. Next, we enjoyed
pork ribs that had been braised for four
hours in Panang curry sauce to make them
fall off the bone. Delicious.
Likewise, the braised beef in Massaman
curry sauce with carrots, potatoes, onions
and peanuts was wonderful. For our last
dish, we ordered Pad Thai Goong. This
combination of stir-fried rice noodles,
egg, prawns, bean sprouts, scallions and
ground peanuts was a taste sensation that,