Thailand

The Impossible and Dinner at My Mom's Thai Kitchen

While a jumbo tub of hot buttered popcorn is one of our most frequently indulged guilty pleasures, we think a good movie deserves a little better company than junk food. Try out our movie and meal pairings for yourself or feel free to suggest one of your own favorites in the comments. The Movie: Th ... More >>

6 Favorite Spots for Hawaiian Food in Greater Phoenix

Take one tropical location and mix it with influences from across the Pacific Rim -- like Japan, the Philippines, Korea, and Thailand -- and you've got the cuisine of Hawaii, the ultimate in fusion food. And whether you prefer Spam musubi over saimin or manapua over a massive plate lunch of kalua ... More >>

Palee's Crown in Mesa Is Fit for a Thai Queen

Palee's Crown: Patience Pays Off for Excellent Thai Cuisine

At 69, Phannee Plabprasit, owner and chef of Palee's Crown in Mesa, knows a thing or two about patience in the kitchen, but it wasn't always this way. As a child growing up in Bangkok, she often was scolded by her mother, who complained that her daughter was impatient when they cooked together becau ... More >>

Watermelon Art: The Good, The Bad -- and The Fetus Floating in Jell-O

Dating back to 14th century Thailand, the ancient art of watermelon carving is nothing new. But recently, we've seen a whole lot of these creations gracing the pages of our favorite social media sites. And like every other food trend, there are always going to be a few that aren't quite as good as ... More >>

Larb Salad: From Laos, With Love

Not the prettiest sounding word to American ears, you could call larb (pronounced "lawb"), the meat salad originating in the country of Laos, by its "street" name: Lao-style, or Laotian-style, salad. No matter what the moniker, this meat-minded, fresh, and spicy salad, regarded as the national dis ... More >>

10 Favorite Desserts in Phoenix

Oftentimes, a meal out of the house isn't complete without dessert - not just any dessert, but one that's so good you'll never forget it, one that will make guest appearances in your dreams for the rest of your life. To help satisfy your sweet tooth, we're offering up our 10 of our favorite desserts ... More >>

Rumspringer, Mayhem, Crooked Fingers and More in This Week's Issue

The death of the CD may be neigh, but as Serene Dominic tells us, the format's demise probably won't impact punk trios like Rumspringer much. The band acts a lot like it doesn't care much, but the poetic melodic punk rock on records like Empty Towers betrays otherwise. Of course, there are those ... More >>

Bananas with Coconut Ice Cream at Soi 4 Bangkok Eatery

The Arizona Republic recently named Soi 4 as the Best Thai Restaurant of 2011, but have they neglected dessert lovers? While not all of their desserts are a winner, we highly recommend their Fried Bananas with Coconut Ice Cream.

Pete's Thai Cuisine: Bold Flavors and More from a Longtime Valley Thai Chef

The Return of Mr. Pholtosa and His Northeastern Thai Cuisine

Jackie Mercandetti​If you have been to Siam in Glendale or, more recently, Thai E-San in Central Phoenix, then chances are, you have tasted Pete (or, in Thai, Tossapis) Pholtosa's offerings of classic Thai cuisine as well as specific dishes from his home in northeastern Thailand. Now, Pholtos ... More >>

Kratom: Some Say the Latest "Legal Drug" Is a Harmless Herbal Tonic. The DEA Says It's Far More Sinister

Sa Bai Modern Thai Turns an Old Wendy's on Its Ear

The Palace @ FilmBar

The Hangover Part II: Didn't We Already See This Movie?

Money Problems? Arizona Ranks 40th in Per-Capita Income

​ Arizona apparently deserves its reputatation as a mecca for low-paying jobs, ranking 40th in an economic analysis among states for per-capita income. The U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis reports, according to the Biz Journal this morning, that the average income for state resi ... More >>

Soi 4 Bangkok Eatery Brings Authentic Thai to Scottsdale

Cafe: Soi 4 Bangkok Eatery

​We are not ones to turn our noses up at Asian cuisine. Quite the opposite actually. So when we here that there is a new Thai restaurant opening up, we've got to check it out. Fod Critic Michele Laudig on Soi 4 Bangkok Eatery: Despite the glamorous digs, Soi 4 isn't dramatically pricier than ... More >>

New in Scottsdale: Soi 4 Bangkok Eatery

​A Bay Area Thai restaurant just opened a new location at Scottsdale's Shops at Gainey Village, and there's already favorable early buzz from a couple of my favorite food spies. Soi 4 Bangkok Eatery has a sister restaurant in Oakland, California, along with three other Thai spots run by the ... More >>

Songs in the Key of Life

Musical culture for a cause

Hell's Kitchen Season 7 Opener: Continued Abuse, Crazy Contestants, and a (Yech!) Chef Ramsay Make-Out Session

Another Hell's Kitchen, another ride on the Chef Ramsay roller coaster. In last week's first episode, it didn't take long for Gordo to send food flying all over the kitchen, repeatedly kick defenseless stainless steel appliances, and shout out such gems as, "You're gonna blow someone's mind off!" ... More >>

Snake Wine: What's Yer Poison (Literally)?

If "Hair of the dog" doesn't do it for ya, give "Juice of the snake" a try. ​In a rather repulsive example of how "That which does not kill you makes you stronger," snake wine (made predominantly in Vietnam, Thailand and other parts of Southeast Asia) is said to contain medicinal properties t ... More >>

Beat Poets

Get down with the underground at 602’sdays

Take Your Kick

Watch people beat each other up in Chandler

Thai E-San Brings the Heat, but It’s the Pickled Crabs That Might Get You

Battle of the Pad Thai

Yupha's Thai Kitchen vs. Wild Thaiger Visit even a semi-authentic ethnic restaurant -- Thai, Indian, Vietnamese -- and you'll generally find two types of dishes on the menu: traditional specialties with unpronounceable names and flavors that pay homage to the homeland, and bastardized vers ... More >>

Matt Carter’s Nine 05 Classes Up Fourth Street with Brisket Crepes and Blueberry Mochi Cake

New in Phoenix: Thai E-San

​Remember when we were complaining that there weren't enough Asian restaurants in downtown Phoenix? Well, now there's one more. It's called Thai E-San and--if the menu is anything to go by--it looks like it might just do the trick. Thai E-San (translating to "North of Thailand") provides a s ... More >>

Coming Soon to Midtown: Thai E-San

​Pete (or, in Thai, Tossapis) Pholtosa is working around the clock in the former Big Wong location, on 6th Ave. and Indian School, painting, tiling, decorating, and all around renovating the restaurant he is making his own: Thai E-San. When we walked in, he was grouting the floor. The name, i ... More >>

Newcomer Latitude Eight Thai Grill scores points with tom kha and garlic prawns

Theater Scene

What's running now

Theater Scene

What's running now

Free shizzle

Growing Paints

The art of Seduce

Lust for Laab

Fresh flavors restore our critic's faith in food

BEST ASIAN MARKET

Lee Lee Oriental Supermarket

Tame Tiger

Sadly, the food never answers the call of the wild

They Like It Rough

And so does our brave writer, who dove headfirst into a never-ending series of fascinating world- music compilations

Be All, End All

A POW movie to please everyone? It just might have happened.

Shtick Happens

Food writer dishes up leftovers to Republic readers

Best Scottsdale Branch Of A Thailand Whorehouse

Giligin's

Thai Score

Son of Siam

Anna and the King remake rates an "Aye!"

Siam Difference

Anna one, Anna two . . . animated The King and I cels itself short

It's Hard to Thai One On

Singha beer, a staple of Thai food aficionados, is suddenly a rarity

SECOND HELPINGS

NICE THAI

THAI SCORE

THE THAI CONNECTION

PROSECUTORS WILL SAY NARCOTICS PLAYED NO ROLE IN THE TEMPLE MURDERS. THE EVIDENCE SUGGESTS OTHERWISE.