This place is amazing and very authentic. I have been to most of the Authentic thai places here in Aurora and Denver and this place is truly authentic. I got here at 10:55 they opened at about 10:58. I was the 1st there by 11:20 the place was full with no tables left. I suggest going early or calling ahead. The owner is the only cook so it can be a wait if the place is crowded. I ordered the crab wontons, dumplings and eggrolls, which were made from scratch not frozen. My main dish was drunken noodle with a little juice. I ordered it at the 1 level below the highest spice and I loved the spice. I must admit it is HOT. I like a very high spice level and they delivered. If you like Thai this place is the best. The 2nd best is a place called Thai Pot on Colorado Blvd in Denver.
Review Source:I'm just updating my review. Â You really should look at Tina F.s review, it's exactly right concerning the food/ambiance and staff. Â The food is still amazing, seriously be careful about how spicy you order it. Â The hours have changed, it's now open Tuesday-Saturday. Â They are still just cash. Â And the wait can be long, but the Owner/Cook knows what she's doing. Â I'm always a little leery of recommending this place to people because I'm afraid they won't know what to expect, but if you're looking for good food, this is the place. Â Whenever I go, I always get an extra green curry to go so that I have lunch the next day.
Review Source:Good only, maybe, if you are one of the first four tables...
Food quality and service courtesy are good but the speed of service is poor.
It is a one person cooking show and obviously there are limits to how much she can handle. Don't know why they are not expanding their kitchen game plan.
First time we went to this place we were the only one's there. Was a Broncos' game night, so everything was good. Second time we were table #4 and the wait was over 45 minutes. Dining room getting lower priority to call-in and walk-in pick ups, etc. Imagine waiting 45 minutes in a breezy place and getting a blast of sub zero air each time the front door was opened. Also noticed that all prices had gone up $2 from our previous visit. Again, food was good when it finally arrived.
Tried one more time, we would have been table #5. Were told that the wait 'could be over an hour'.
No food is good enough for us to wait an hour in a freezing hole in the wall..
and it is a cash only operation.
You have been made aware and can draw your own conclusions.
Best..
PS: If you can get to Hampden Ave @ Tower, the Pearl of Siam is a good alternative..
Thank you Elischa S. for introducing this place to me! Â I no longer live in Denver, but must come back once a month for work. Â When I do, I drive all the way to Aurora just to get Thai Street Food!
FOOD: 5 stars
+ Â so much flavor
+ Â spicy is truly spicy
+ Â thai iced tea is gi-normous!!
AMBIANCE: 3 stars
+/- Â not a cool/hip place BUT did you see my rating for the food?!
STAFF: 3.5 stars
+/- Â only one cook, so if you have people ahead of you, you can possibly wait for a LONG time. Â i called in my to go order once, got there about 15 mins later and waited in the restaurant for an entire hour. Â And yes, i still gave this place 5 stars. If you go here, you just need to set your expectations accordingly and you'll be happy.
+/- Â sometimes understaffed
+ friendly staff
this place is all about the FOOD!
nom nom nom
Someone call Guy Fieri! This place deserves a spot on "Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives," for sure.
I remember when Utumporn Killoran--the Thai Cart Lady--was servin' up Drunken Noodles, et al., on the 16th Street Mall. But goin' on 2 years ago she opened up the Thai Street Food Restaurant in Aurora, just west of the Anschutz Medical Center, and she's still about the best Thai chef in Denver.
Had a kick-your-butt, head-sweatingly-good dish of pork larb (medium hot) with rice this afternoon, and it reminded me of why I love this lady's cooking: A delicious mixing of flavors, textures and spices make for the best larb I've ever tasted.
Prices have gone up, but are still reasonable ($8 for the larb; $1 for a couple of the best cream cheese and crab fried wontons in the city; $1 for excellent rice; and $1 for a behemoth sweetened Thai ice tea).
The restaurant is small. It seats maybe 30 people, and takes only cash. It's got a very bare bones and casual diner atmosphere, and while service is great, you might have to wait a bit, depending on the number of customers, since Ms. Killoran makes every dish to order. But these little annoyances aside, if you're willing to make the drive and spend the time, you're sure to be rewarded with a first class Thai dining experience.
Ceri xhr! ("Bon appetit" in Google Thai:)
We ate here on our last night of vacation in the Denver area. Now I'm feeling bummed that I have to go back to Austin and its lackluster Thai food. I used to live in Thailand and Thai Street Food is the closest I've come to authentic Thai food. Be prepared to wait for your food -this is a one woman show in the kitchen. We came in a 5pm on a Friday and by 6pm the small place was packed. Â She cooks the dishes solo and they come out as they are ready, which meant we were all eating our meals staggered. While I was waiting for my food I had the pleasure of being seated where I could watch the little Thai woman dance around the stove. I've never seen someone so graceful and lithe in the kitchen. It was like watching a ballet.
The food was spectacular and spectacularly hot. Be sure and read the front of the menu on the spice levels. My husband and I made the mistake of ordering "medium" spicy and got our mouths lit on fire. To which our server replied that he actually put in the order as "nice spicy" which he described as "white person medium."
I could have deducted a star for the wait  and the necessity of paying in cash, but all in all, I'd be coming back here often if I lived in the area. Don't miss it if you are anywhere near the Denver airport.
Good food, really nice people. I'm just not on the bandwagon, which pains me because I wish I was.. and could say, damn, this is some crazy good thai food!
then again, I'm Thai-Chinese, I used to live in Thailand. I cook my own Thai food at home, so I rarely go to restaurants to eat Thai. Thai Street Food wasn't a hugh let down like most places I try, but its just still not the type of Thai flavor that I like. I think it's good and can see where all the rave reviews are coming from knowing how bad some of the Thai options are in Denver.
The menu has a lot of the traditional Isan (northeastern) Thai foods like larb and som tum. Man, I was excited about that sum tum (because its one of the very few things i don't make a home).. until it came. Meh, too bland for me. We also had Tom Yum Goog.. very spicy but extremely bland. And in my book super spicy does not equal good Thai food (hey, i'm a bangkok city girl, we're mild eaters) . I'm like my mother when it comes to cooking Thai food, having several bottles of fish sauce at hand with plenty of limes and fistfuls of garlic (and maybe some msg here and there)
I'm not a noodle person..my boyfriend knows I'll punch him in the face if he ever orders pad thai :P But it sounds like from other reviews that they serve up some good noodle dishes.
Definitely give Thai Street Food a try it has a nice lil homey vibe to it. If you're taste buds are more akin to mine you might want to try Sue of Siam a lil bit father up Peoria, which has been the best Thai food I've had in Denver aside from the temple. And the new family owners are so cute and nice. Jus another option to put on your "Thai Foodie" list after Thai Street Food.
.. love all the positive and upbeat reviews about this place, they're definitely doing something right. It did give me a good laugh when I read a review of a yelper claiming "credibility of authenticity" after spending a couple months in Thailand. yea, ok, lol. I don't even know what the heck authentic is. I just know what I think tastes good and what doesn't, eh.
Such great thai food! I got medium medium hot...and paid for it dearly the next morning. Go easy on the spicy level because I thought I had what it takes but failed. Nevertheless, the food is homey and tasty. No frills, just straight up from the kitchen, which is run by 1 lady the last time I was there. Service is slow, but well worth the wait.
Review Source:Hands down the best Thai food in Denver. I absolutely love Thai food. Having spent a couple of months in Thailand, I consider myself to be pretty well informed about what authentic Thai food should taste like. This is as close as you can get this side of the Pacific. I've been to most of the popular Thai places around town and really liked a few of them, but once I started eating Anna's food at the Thai Food Cart, I found myself increasingly disappointed with the old standbys.
For me, the make or break dish for a Thai restaurant is green curry. Anna's green curry is the best! I'm not sure what it is that makes hers so special, but it is. Maybe she uses more kaffir lime leaves. Maybe she makes her own curry paste. I don't know and I don't care. I just can't get enough of it!
Another favorite of mine is the Thai Basil Chicken. The papaya salad is delish, as is the grilled marinated pork. For that matter, I've never had anything there that wasn't fantastic.
To reiterate what others have said, she isn't shy about putting on the heat. I have a high tolerance for spicy food and her "medium high" practically melts my scalp. If it's your first visit, whatever heat level you think you'll like, go one lower.
After reading reviews for months, I finally made my way over to the famed Thai Street Food. Â
The parking is a little wonky: Â perpendicular parking directly off the road, so be careful when you back up to exit! Â But once installed and inside, you'll feel like you're miles away from Montview Blvd!
This place is warm and cozy. Â And tiny! Â There's maybe a half dozen tables and a pretty nice bar top to sit at while you wait for your to-go order. Â Nothing special or over the top. Â Like Goldilocks said, this one's just right!
The menu is small but I'm sure it's based on the original street cart's capacity. Â Because I'm still a noob when it comes to Thai food, I opted for two egg rolls and an order of Pad Thai, spice level three out of seven. Â
Oh boy, this was delicious! Â So flavorful and the spice level was spot on for me. Â Maybe if I'm brave someday I can kick it up a notch, but not too much more. Â From just this taste, it's going to get hot and spicy in a hurry! Â The egg rolls were also fresh and crispy, and the dipping sauce was nice and tangy! Â Yum-o!
Yelpers, I fear I am in trouble. Â Thai Street Food is no more than four blocks away from my work place and entrees only hover around the $8 mark. Â And it's good. Â Really good! Â Downtown's loss of the Thai Food Cart is the Anschutz Medical Campus's gain. Â And I thank them for it!
I went on a Tuesday at 1pm. Not too busy. I was going to take a star off because of the wait for the food. There is Anna cooking all by her lonesome in the kitchen and one server. The food was really made to order. I waited a good 15 minutes. But after I tasted the food I decided it's worth the 5 star. Skip the wait. Call in the order and go pick up.
I had the Tom Kha soup with shrimp, drunken noodle with shrimp, and papaya salad with dry crab. Food is excellent!! They don't give you those sickly looking shrimps but full on prawns. The Tom Kha has an excellent balance between the coconut milk and the soup flavor. Papaya salad is well marinated. Drunken noodle is the best I've had! Iced tea with cream comes in gigantic mugs, and not super sweet either, which is what it should be. I am definitely coming back!
I am so happy to review this joint. hands down the best Thai food I ever had. like, ever. I love the family owned and operated aspect of it too but lets be honest, the food is to die for. take it easy on the spice, medium is plenty for all you hot heads. every time I come in I try something new and am never disappointed. you cant expect a wait around lunch and dinner time and that's because there is only one cook (Anna, the hardest working women on the planet) to make you the worlds most delicious Thai food. I love the kitchen tables, the fact that it's right by my house, oh and that Denver is home to the best Thai restaurant in the country!
Review Source:This place is amazing! Its a hidden gem and I'm so glad I got to eat here.
My parents and I were visiting my brother in Colorado (we're from D.C.) and he told us about this amazing Thai Street Food Cart that used to be in downtown Denver. When he looked it up on the internet, he realized that the cart had closed and became a brick and mortar.
This place has a really homely feel. We went on a Saturday and there were only three people working. The cook (master of all Thai food), her husband who waited tables, and a dish washer.
Be prepared for a long wait because there is only one person cooking!
The wait was definitely worth it though. The food was really spicy, but it was a good burn. My face was sweating and on fire, but the rest of my body was shivering because I had to drink so much ice water.
I really like how you can choose the spiciness of the dish as well as how saucy you want it to be. My parents, who are really picky eaters, really loved the Thai food here too. Most of the Thai places we have back home are NOT spicy and super expensive/showy. My parents who were in Thailand earlier this year remarked that this is definitely real Thai food, and its at a great price too. If I ever come back to Colorado, I'll definitely be back to visit this place :)
Absolutely delicious! Very authentic taste. The only thing I would change is I wish it were closer to my house.
 I love spicy food, and the Medium hot was just about perfect. If your brave enough to go beyond then feel free. I went with a couple of people that are not spicy fans and they would recommend the mild at most because the spiciness jumps up pretty quickly from there.
By far the best thai food I've had in Denver, and probably a top 3 in the country. I agree with Amy P below - the green curry is the money, as is the pad thai (as hackneyed as it is to order pad thai at a thai place, this one is worth the embarrassment). I order my dishes medium spice level, but boy do I sweat it out. If you don't like things too spicy, definitely go mild. Her medium is equivalent to HOT at most other places.
Review Source:If you are in the area and still reading this review, STOP READING and start driving toward Thai Street Food. Otherwise read on!
It was one of those slow days at work dragging on. My colleague and I decided to spend some time researching good restaurants in the area. We found Thai Street Food. Everyone was raving about this place. Some people had written that they have home cooked noodles. We were sold. We decided to check this place out.
We reached the place and it looked like a hole-in-the-wall. We were scared to go inside. Boy! Am I glad we did. We went in and ordered green curry (Hot) and the colleagues ordered thai fried rice and noodles (medium each).
The food was fantabulous. The sauce was definitely home made and the spices were perfect (I was sweating while eating). The spices did not take away the flavor of the food which was the best part.
The only downside, it was a one man (woman, rather) army who was making food for everyone so it took us over 90 minutes to get in, order, eat and get out. So you might want to plan accordingly. Totally worth it though. Plus it was a slow day at work.
I used to frequent Yummy Yummy Tasty Thai nearby until it was "moved along" by the Medical Center development. Â Since then I've waited patiently to find another Thai place that had the same feel: a chef/owner that cooks like they're cooking for their family. Â
Well if patience is a virtue, then Thai Street Food is the blessing that comes after! Â
From my perspective, all of the "quirks" about this place are what add up to make it truly "As good as it gets". Â The one-woman kitchen, the rough looking menus, the cash-only sign, Â the servers who live in the neighborhood and are still learning the menu and most importantly the bartender from next door who comes in to help out and has perfected the "friendly tough-guy" role to a T. Â All of it capped off with home-style Thai cooking that makes you feel like some worldly-wise traveler backpacking across Asia rather than the suburbanite that you are (or is that just me?)
I won't even try to suggest a dish, I'm still working may way through all of them and I don't expect to be disappointed.  So just one last parting word of advice given to me by the aforementioned bartender  "Don't pretend you can handle the spicy stuff, order less spicy than you think you want."  For me, it was ordering Baby-Spice instead of Medium and it's perfect for me.
My lunch here felt so much like visiting Thailand. Â Apparently, after spending the better part of a week on the beaches of Koh Samui I looked like a local, so when I went back to Bangkok I started having trouble getting food I could eat pain-free. Â "No spice" I would request. Â "No spice?" they would question, disbelievingly, then suggest "litle spice." Â We'd go back and forth like that until I'd finally relent and agree to "little spice," which invariably was too hot. Â Meanwhile my travel companion, a chili-head from New Mexico, would request spicy and get something milder than my "little spice."
Anyway, the spice level you will encounter at Thai Street Food is akin to what you will find in Thailand, except that no mercy is shown to "foreigners" that don't know any better. Â I will say without any embarrassment that "nice spice" was equivalent to "little spice" in Thailand, so next time I will be dialing it down to "baby spice." Â If you're not a fan of spicy food, try the pad si ew -- my friend with middle-American taste thought it was yummy. Â Despite the almost painful level of spice, I enjoyed the dishes I had -- tom sum thai and noodle jelly salad. Â It was also nice to see the imported Thai soft drinks -- the palm juice is like drinking candy. Â Yum.
I've been here just once on a recent visit to Denver. From the looks of it on the outside, this is not ever a place I would feel drawn to ... but thanks to Yelp, I braved the bland exterior and neighborhood that is a little rough around the edges and ventured in.
I saw a lot of what I, in my mid-40s, would classify as "kids" dining in there. In other words, people younger than me ... sigh. This place isn't far from the Anshutz campus for CU Denver, so that's why, I suppose. I took it as a good sign.
I guess I had explored beyond my comfort zone too much, just by dining here, so I ordered something pretty tame: chicken pad thai. I ordered it "hot-hot" on their spiciness scale and "a little wet" on their wetness scale (yes, they really ask you to tell them how wet you want it). What came to me was a bit more wet than I ordered, but a very delicious dish of very spicy chicken pad thai. At about $7, it was a fantastic deal, too.
Do yourself a favor and give this place a go. I'll be back on future trips to Denver to venture beyond the safe and sane on the menu.
Delicious!! BEWARE of the spice level. Typically I can handle considerable spice, so I ordered medium for the drunken noodles. I drank the entire pitcher of iced tea and two glasses of water with my meal. Man, 4 hours later and I can still feel the burn. Â I would probably level down on the spiciness when I go back. Â
The wait time is a little slow because they make the food to order - so plan your time accordingly. Â Overall, all the dishes felt very home cooked and not greasy like the drunken noodles I've had at other Thai restaurants. I highly recommend it.
Handmade noodles.
How did I know this? First bite of Pad Thai I realized it was the most springy noodle I've ever had at a Thai restaurant. So I marched over to the manager and asked, "Is this stuff handmade?" He said, "Why yes, my wife makes everything by hand. This rice noodle was not rehydrated from a package"
- Free sweetened iced tea (condensed milk extra).
- Good amount of portion.
- Down to earth mom & pop shop.
- Excellent customer service.
- Did I mention HANDMADE noodles?!
Note: The special pork chop takes about 20 minutes, so call in to order.
Seeing as I am fast on my way to becoming the duchess of this place (I'm coming for you Tina F!) Â I am going to skip the generalities and review each dish I try.
1.Green Curry - she is a master at this sauce. It's rich, sweet, spicy and really well balanced. My favorite so far. I've had it 3 times and the ratings are: 10, 8.5, 8.5
2. Pork salad - (#14) this is an addictive blend of fish sauce, lime and heat... throw in some fresh basil and mint and you have this delicious complex flavor explosion. A very,very close second. After the first time I tried it, I couldn't stop thinking about it and tried to recreate it at home 2 days later. I got about 75% there. Â I've now had it twice and the ratings are: 10, 8
3. Pad Thai - by far the best I've had in Denver. It's saucy, flavorful and fresh. My only knock is that I love crushed peanuts on my Pad Thai and she doesn't do that here. I'm giving it an 8.5 - topped only by the Pad Thai served at Jaya in Brooklyn, NY.
4. Panang Curry - really solid and yummy. If we hadn't accidentally gotten a green curry right before our Panang arrived, we would have loved this so, so hard. But once you have her green... It's hard to go back. Rating: 8
5. Tom Ka- I always order Tom Ka when I go to a new Thai place. To me, it's one of the most difficult dishes to get right because the balance of sweet, spicy, sour and umami has to be perfect in order for it to work. It's rare to find that perfect bowl, but I am constantly searching because i love it so. I hoped this would be the place. Alas, it isn't. It was good. But this particular bowl didn't have enough depth or coconut milk in it. I may try it again here, but it will be tough to pick it over her other dishes that are spot on. Rating: 7
6. Egg rolls and dumplings- meh. These are perfectly fine but nothing special. I would much rather split a pork salad with my companion than fill up on these. The dipping sauces get a 8.5 but the apps get a 6.5.
Ps. To me, the fortune cookies smell and taste a little bit like playdoh.
Her quaint one-woman army food cart was the bee's knees back in the day. But now that she's dedicated full-time to her Aurora location, is it still as delicious?
You can bet your crab cheese wontons it is. With a bigger kitchen and a helper or two, you can rest assured that waits won't be that test of patience one had to endure in her old 16th Street Mall location.
Portions are slightly smaller than I recall, but this is still by far the best authentic Thai food in Denver, hands down. Give it a try. You won't regret it.
So many reasons to love this hole-in-the-wall! Even though she closed down her more conveniently-located food cart on 16th Street Mall this summer, it is still incredibly worth it to head out to Anna's (the chef's) Thai Street Food Restaurant. Here are 5 reasons why:
1. The food: Fresh and flavorful, with authentic ingredients and flavors, all made to order!
2. From her small wait/prep staff, to her husband waiting tables on Saturday, to Anna herself, everyone is cheerful and laid-back in true Thai style.
3. It is fun to sit at the bar watching Anna work her magic as she cooks every dish with love and finesse.
4. The value: Best Thai tea I've ever had and it's free. No entrees more than $8.
5. I am still in awe that Anna cooks each dish by herself! Her hard work and dedication have really given Thai Street Food its own flair.
Beware the spice levels, they're hotter than you think! And yes, the wait to get your food is a bit long, and it's cash-only. Those are my words of warning, but neither is a negativity. There is really nothing bad to say about this place, it is too good and has great character!
Went there for the first time a couple of weeks ago, and I am still dreaming about the food.
First of all, the lady who owns it (and cooks everything), is hilarious and really nice. She gave us as much Thai iced tea as we wanted while we were waiting for our food because she was a little backed up with orders.
The food was AMAZING. Everything is cooked to order, which is why it takes a little longer but totally worth it. The pad thai is great, we tried the beef and chicken. The green curry is scrumptious, you get to pick your spice level to a tee so you can make sure you get what you like. The best part i think were the crab and cheese wontons, which are never frozen and made fresh there. They are only $1 for two of them, which is a great deal :)
Definitely coming back to this place even though it's far from my house!
This is simply the best thai food I've had outside of Thailand. Â I ordered the Masaman Curry and was impressed with the depth of flavor, spiciness and ingredients. Be sure to have an honest conversation with yourself regarding the level of spice you can handle before ordering. There are several levels to choose from: I selected baby spice which didn't detract from the other flavors in the dish but left a fiery impression on my mouth. Finally, be sure to bring some cash since credit cards aren't accepted quite yet.
Review Source:I tried this place for the first time on Saturday. Â I've been to many Thai restaurants in Denver, and although Woody's in Westminster has some good dishes, I've always felt there are no really good Thai restaurants in the Denver area. Â Most make it too sweet, use too much bell pepper or carrots, use broccoli instead of kana, table mushrooms instead of straw mushrooms, sweet basil instead of holy basil, you get the idea. Â I thought maybe there was just something inherent in Denver or the US that prevented Thai food from being authentic. Â That is until I tried this place. Â In my opinion, the only thing that separates this from a good restaurant in Thailand is the lack of plastic chairs, fans, and 90 degree temperatures. Â The food is as good as what you'd find in Bangkok, or anywhere in Thailand for that matter. Â I'm going to say, best Thai restaurant in the Denver area, probably in Colorado, and quite possibly between LA and Chicago, and very good by Bangkok standards.
Also, my wife, who was born and raised in Thailand, thinks this is very tasty food, which is essentially unheard of for her to say about a restaurant outside Thailand.
FYI: Â Spice levels run hotter than at most US Thai restaurants, and cash only.
Dishes Tried:
* Laab pork
* Pad grapao chicken
* Som tum
* Pad thai
* Fried rice
First off, I'm a friend of the owners (Anna and Chris) and I am the webmaster for both the Thai Food Cart and Thai Street Food restaurant, so I'm incredibly biased. I just wanted to share the new hours.
Since the Thai Food Cart has been closed, this restaurant is now open 5 days a week: Tuesday-Saturday. During the week it's basic take-out. On Saturdays it is full service.
The Yelp page will be updated soon with new website address and menu. I hope this helps! (<a href="/redir?url=http%3A%2F%2Fthaistreetfooddenver.com&s=96ac9e4c17ba04a8f1cb6f3fe7dcf93eebc081c2b64dd4a50ec806792400cd18" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://thaistreetfoodden…</a>)
OMG I love this place. Granted it's only open on Saturdays, but hell, if you really wanted her food, you can find the cart down on 16th Street Mall. Â I've gotten the drunken noodles with tofu at baby spice, and it is oh so good. Â The flavors and spice of everything worked so well together that I was in heaven. Â When her husband asked me if egg was okay, I said yes, because like my fried rice, I believe that my drunken noodles deserve to have egg in it too (you won't be disappointed). Â
In case the spice you ordered is a bit too much, the free Thai tea will hopefully put out the flames. Â Luckily it's a bottomless refill of it, I've got through roughly 2.5 mugs worth of it once (note: it comes in a mug, not a little glass). Â If it's in season, I recommend the mango and sticky rice, and you can choose from white or purple rice (rice with the shell still on. I prefer the white rice since it's sweeter). Â As my boyfriend was eating the mango, he was in disbelief that it was real fruit since it was so sweet, he thought it was candy.
The prices are reasonable but they only take cash. Â There may be an ATM at the bar next door, but I'm not sure. Â Also, if there are a lot of orders ahead of you, be prepared for up to an hour wait. Â Order an appetizer to keep your stomach at bay if necessary. Â The wait may be long, but I guarantee that you won't be disappointed. Â Enjoy!
Just excellent. I cannot say enough good things. I mean, their crab wonton - IS ONLY A DOLLAR!!!
My friend had the jelly noodles and was delicious and spicy. My brother had the basil chicken that was so flavorful I will cut out this stupid vegetarian bit I'm doing and go back to real food.
I had the panang with shrimp and it was so spicy and delectible.
And the sweet tea makes washes it all down. i wish they were open more than one day a week though! And, please note - CASH ONLY. Â
Can't wait to head back!
This may be the best restaurant in Aurora.
My wife and I have spent years scouting out delicious, authentic Thai food, and we've definitely found it at Thai Street Food. Â If you come here in the right frame of mind, you won't be disappointed. Â That is, this place has amazing Thai food. Â Carve out a big block of time, order lots of dishes (they're cheap), enjoy yourself, and take home lots of leftovers, and you will love it.
First, I have to get the caveat emptors out of the way:
--Service can be painfully slow. Â There's really only one waiter (the owner's husband, I believe). He's very nice, but it's obvious that waiting tables is not his day job.
--Ambiance is... nonexistent. Â When it's cold outside, it can get drafty inside, so bring your jacket. Â The restaurant is basically a room with about 8 tables of varying sizes and a bar that seats about six. Â Other than a stack of Westwords and a drink fridge in the corner, that's about it. Â But, I'm there for the food, so I could care less. Â On the other hand, this isn't a romantic date spot, either.
--The food can be incredibly spicy. Â I love it, but some people, especially Thai-food virgins, don't.
--They run out of food sometimes, so you have to be flexible or come early in the day to be sure they have most of what's on the menu.
Now, for the good stuff. Â We haven't had a bad dish, and we've ordered about 75% of the things on the menu. Â The vegetables are always fresh and bright, and the shrimp are deveined. Â Here are some highlights and tips:
--Pad Thai - not usually a Thai dish I order, but we took my mother in law here and wanted to get her something tame. Â We all ended up loving the Pad Thai. Â We order it nice spicy and extra juicy, but it does come with a lot of liquid when it's ordered that way. Â Nice spicy is still spicy enough to notice, but it won't numb your taste buds.
--Pad Kee Mao (Drunken Noodles) - great combo of sweet and savory. Â It comes with egg, which soaks up the sauce nicely, and it's delicious.
--Noodle Jelly Salad - we were expecting something cold, but it came out hot. Â My wife actually thought it was going to have jellyfish, but this dish was jellyfish free. Â We ordered it nice spicy, but it was HOT. Â It seemed similar to the papaya salad, but with noodles instead of papaya.
--Mango and sticky rice - divine. Â Be sure to save room for this (as long as you like the flavor of sweet coconut milk). Â We've had this with both white and purple rice, and we prefer the purple. Â The flavor is more complex and the texture is firmer, so it seems less like a dessert when you get the purple rice. Â Either way, you should get it.
--Papaya salad - we prefer this without added dried shrimp or crabs because it can get pretty salty. Â If you've never had green papaya before, it's not what you would expect. Â It tastes a little green but sweet, and it has a nice, crunchy texture. Â This salad also magnifies the heat of the peppers so order it one spice level lower than you normally would.
--Thai iced tea - all you can drink for free, but it doesn't come with cream. Â I saw them making it last time, and pretty sure it has enough sugar to give you diabetes with one glass. Â But, who cares, it's sooooo good.
--Appetizers - our favorites are in the following order: crab wontons, vegetable dumplings, spring rolls, Thai eggrolls.
--Parking's limited, but we've somehow always gotten the last spot.
--Bring something to entertain yourself, and don't be surprised if it takes 1.5-2 hours start to finish. Â The food is worth it.
Thailand is a beautiful, incredibly diverse country where each region's cuisine varies drastically. Â As has been noted, and why I came here, Thai Street Food specializes in northern Isaan cuisine. Â
So what's that mean?
Chilis - and a lot of them! Â
They're a staple of nearly all Thai food but in the northern regions they are prevalent in nearly every dish. Â In fact - I sat in on a meal with a rice farming family that was simply sticky rice and ground chili's. Â
My favorite meal in Thailand was Pork Larb with sticky rice, and of course Papaya Salad was a daily staple. Â Both of these were the crux of my meal at Thai Street Food and when ordered medium were certainly hot but very enjoyable.
Unlike other reviewers I hope she doesn't tone down the spiciness as there are few Thai restaurants willing to deliver you a full on CHILI HIGH. Â Love the adrenaline rush, sweat dripping, mind opening, frantically laughing feeling of getting your world rocked by Thai chili's.
The aforementioned was from Basil Chicken medium spicy accumulating with larb and papaya salad. Â Another great dish that I'll be excited to return for.
No fifth star because it is a very very slow restaurant - we played cards for a good hour before getting our food on a particularly busy night.
I DO KNOW about authentic Thai food, and this is phenomenal grub. Â If you aren't aware of how spicy Thai food can be, then do your homework before you go to eat at this gem of a restaurant.
I haven't tried everything yet, but I'm on my way:) Â
On our first visit we had the green curry and the grilled pork. Â But we had order med-hi spice level. Â The green curry was wonderfully silky and creamy with fresh ingredients, and it felt like a great friend had cooked something just for me. Â Delish! Â The grilled pork was awesome as well. Â The heat level was definitely right on the edge of wondering "should I have this next bite?", but it was so good we dared not stop.
Second visit we ordered, the papaya salad with the little crab, and the Basil Chicken. Â This time we had the papaya salad medium, and the chicken med-hi. Â The papaya salad had good flavor, but I have to warn you that the crab is just there to add a bit of salty flavor. Â Don't expect to have any actual pieces of meat. Â The chicken was amazing but we had to drink three glasses of Ice Tea to make it through the whole dish. Â My husband and I both threw our white flags, and said "for now on we order medium spice". Â The Basil Chicken is a perfect dish though, nice and garlicy.
Third visit we ordered the Basil Chicken again, but med spice level and it was perfect for us. Â Still had the heat that we love, and the ingredients are fresh and work great together. Â We ordered the Tom Yum Goong, and the shrimp were a nice size, and cooked to perfection. Â
Fourth time we ordered the Ginger Chicken and the Jelly Noodle Salad, again both medium spice. Â After this last time I would recommend for those who actually can handle a good amount of spice, medium is perfect, now if you want to go any higher the flavor is going to be there still, but IT IS GOING TO BE HOT! Â And yes, some people actually can take that heat, we did it twice and finished our meals:)
Flavor profiles are clean and light, the service is wonderful, and with a smile.
I think she is doing a great job, and I give props to anyone who is able to start their own business and make it as successful as she has.
Don't know much about authentic Thai food, but I enjoyed the food here. Â The service and decor isn't top notch, but the servers were nice and the place was clean. Â You should plan to go there for the food.
Also, they don't mess around with the spice. Â The medium seemed as hot as the hot I've ordered at any other Thai place.
Finally, when I was in there last weekend they said they were currently only open on Saturdays.
THAI street food on 16th now has her own little spot.
I would LOVE to give her 5 stars but she is only opened on Saturday and Sunday and that is not cutting it for me when I need some of that damn good Thai Iced Tea she has. Â This iced tea is not tainted with any type of dairy, but it is perfectly sweetened, and I literally drank 3 and a half mugs of that baby in one sitting. Â GOODNESS!
As for the food, all of your regular 16th street thai cart goers know how amazing this stuff is. Â She is manning the kitchen by herself, has two helpers to help out, and everything is just amazing.
Being the fat kid that I am, I ordered the grilled pork, papaya salad, pad ke mow, jelly noodles, thai fried rice, and springs rolls. Â The whole meal cost me less than $40.00 and I was happy for the rest of my weekend. Â The thai tea was on the house which was awesome and we had everything medium spiced. Â Everything is so fresh and perfect every single time!
The place itself is right next to a little dive bar, and the parking is a little interesting, but it's still great, worth every penny, and I will always go back. Â This is TRADITIONAL thai cooking which I love. Â I hope that she gets some help to expand her menu, but I l enjoy it none the less.
Thank you Liang for all of your gifts and Talents!
Let's be real. Â It is hard to find good or even decent Thai food without having to visit the city of angels, where holds the largest Thai population outside of Thailand. Â While Americanized Thai widely spreads across U.S.A., and being falsely advertised as 'authentic' Thai, real Thai food can hardly be found anywhere, even in big cities, due to deceptiveness of what is known to be Thai food. Â I am personally very skeptical when trying a new Thai restaurant; what I get is usually far off of what is served in Thailand and for somebody who spent 10+ years in Thailand, it is certainly not O.K. Â However, I am here to announce my latest discovery, and the best Thai food in Denver, which is comparable, if not better than Thai food in Los Angeles, Thai Street Food.
While the atmosphere is unfinished and the restaurant is not very well decorated but the food was so damn good - so who cares? Â Most people who work in downtown are probably familiar with the famous Thai food cart. Â The cook is now operating in an open kitchen setting on Weekends at Thai Street Food in Aurora, CO.
The cook is very skilled with North Eastern or E-San style Thai as she claimed as her specialty. Â I personally love North Eastern dishes. Â It is not very greasy - none of it is curry, just salads and charcoal grilled pork/chicken/fish and is usually served with warm sticky rice. Â I took her claim with a grain of salt and went for moo yang, (grilled pork shoulder), and som tum thai, (papaya salad) with a side of sticky rice.
Som tum was ordered with medium spice level but came out unexpectedly spicy for U.S. standard.  I would say that som tum was probably as spicy as BW3 blazin' wings - so I would recommend go mild, and you can always ask for a side of chili.  This is an unadvertised fact at any Thai restaurant.  However, the som tum was delicious, well made, authentic, reminded me of som tum in Thailand.  Moo yang was also scrumptious.  This is the best moo yang I have had outside of Thailand and I usually go to L.A. to get my Thai food fix.  The meat is juicy, tender, well spiced  - speechlessly delightfully appetizing.
Thai Street Food has only been around for a couple months; they only accept cash as of right now.  The food was very cheap: som tum ($5), moo yang  ($7), sticky rice ($2), that fed two grown adults and the meal came with free Thai iced tea - noted that it was served without evaporated milk.
Bottom-line, mouth-watering food, affordably inexpensive, and the best Thai in Colorado - 5-star without a doubt.
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