Thai Soul Kitchen

We had a great time at Thai Soul Kitchen last night. It's next to Safeway so it's super convenient to get some food and groceries on the same trip.

Everything we ordered was great: hung lay curry with pork belly, squid with salted egg, and the pork shoulder and pork neck dish (tiny bit overcooked). But the star of the show was the crab omelette. Perfectly cooked and it was filled with crab. We definitely want to come back and try more dishes, especially the papaya salad and the seafood rad na noodles.

We loved meeting Joy, the owner of the restaurant. She was charming and open to sharing about the business. We highly recommend checking Thai Soul Kitchen if you want some authentic Thai cuisine with food catering to all tastes.

I wish there was a 6 star review. This is legit Thai Food. Not only have I been to Thailand more than 70 times, I went to cooking school there and certainly have become a Thai Food snob. This is the best in the Valley and maybe in the Bay Area.

Greg (owner) is amazing. Even with chaos all around, he found the time and made an effort to check in with me on my food. Now by chaos I mean a phone order for 29 dishes was called in just as several tables had just sat meaning there was going to a backup in the kitchen. Class act!!!

Now the food. Amazing. Fresh, well prepared and fair portions. The menu is full of traditional dishes from all over the country. Don't stick to roti, pad thai and yellow curry. Experiment. You will love the variety and the luxury of having that option. When you order they will ask mild, medium, hot, Thai hot and special Thai hot. I found the hot to be medium to me but Greg brought me some special homemade chilis to spice it up. PERFECT!!!!!

Although the space is small, I didn't have any issue getting a table two days in a row (dinner then lunch). Yes I was so impressed I came back the next day to have again. It is well decorated and I love that they play a cycle of Thailand landmarks on the TV in the corner.

The sad part for me is that I no longer live around the corner as we would have been in there a lot. I will absolutely visit EVERY TIME I am in the Bay Area.

A Culinary Gem with a Soulful Touch with old School Amazing Customer Service!

If you haven't tried Thai Soul Kitchen yet, you're seriously missing out on a hidden gem that delivers both on flavor and heart. Greg Martin and the customer service was fantastic. At the end of the day, my friend enjoyed her time and that was what is most important to me when I try restauraunts with friends.

We decided to give this place a shot for the first time, arriving around 5:30 PM. Finding a table was a breeze at that hour, but take note: by 6:30 to 7, the place was bustling with diners eager for a taste of their delicious offerings.

The ambiance of Thai Soul Kitchen is something to behold--snug yet impeccably maintained, with a cleanliness that speaks volumes about their attention to detail. It's like stepping into a small shop, but clearly we'll managed, in the middle of Thailand that invites you to settle in and relax, all while being treated to some of the best Thai cuisine around.

The highlight of our visit was undoubtedly the exceptional customer service. Even though the restaurant was short-staffed, Greg Martin went above and beyond to ensure our experience was nothing short of fantastic. He checked in frequently, made sure we had everything we needed, and did it all with a genuine smile that made us feel right at home. My friend and I were in good discussions, and he was polite every time he wen tto check up on us. I give this place a 10 out of 5 in customer sevrice just from my experience with Greg Martin. Fyi - he goes above to get to know you, your culture, your language. He is a genuine person.

Now, let's talk food. We indulged in an array of dishes that ranged from good to downright fantastic:

Pineapple Fried Rice: A delightful mix of sweet and savory, with juicy chunks of pineapple adding a refreshing twist to every bite. Fantastic!

Calamari:Perfectly cooked and crispy, with a dipping sauce that had us double-dipping more than once. A solid good

-Chicken Pad Thai:Classic and comforting, with noodles that were cooked to perfection and a sauce that hit all the right notes. Definitely fantastic!

Spring Rolls: Crisp and fresh, these rolls were a perfect starter that set the tone for the meal. Very good!

In summary, Thai Soul Kitchen is a culinary experience you won't want to miss. Between the delicious food, warm atmosphere, and outstanding customer service, this place has earned every one of its five stars. Whether you're a Thai food aficionado or a newcomer to the cuisine, you're in for a treat that will leave you planning your next visit before you've even finished your meal. Bon appétit!

Three of us arrived for dinner at Thai Soul Kitchen last night.

It's a very small restaurant with tables inside and two more tables outside. The decor is really charming, with very pretty place settings, china, napkins, etc. They've really gone the extra mile on those.

When we arrived, we were told they were very short staffed, so we expected service to be slow, but it was not. In fact, the service was much quicker than most places, and the staff was friendly and attentive.

They have a surprisingly large menu for such a small place. In our group we ordered Khing Sod with pork, Pad Thai with tofu, stir fried mixed vegies with chicken, and brown rice. One dish arrived too spicy and they graciously remade it, and very quickly. Every was excellent with wonderful flavors. This place definitely warrants a return visit.

We visited on a Saturday evening and it was a full house in this intimate restaurant and it's a very aesthetically pleasing and new-looking restaurant! We got seated right away and staff was nice!
The Roti was buttery and delicious with the delicious savory green curry! The pad Thai was spicy and sweet and savory; a really great pad thai! We asked for mild and it was a little spicy and I can taste it and want to keep eating so I loved it, if you can't handle spicy maybe ask for zero spice. The pineapple fried rice was mild spicy and sweet and lots of flavors from the raisins, pineapple, chicken and shrimp and seasonings! The Hung lay was amazing, melt in your mouth tender and sweet and fatty pork. A must-try and new to me!

This is such a fabulous spot in the Almaden area. The owners are super adorable and very accommodating.

The food was stellar, and we devoured everything within 7 minutes.

The place is smaller, but they make the space work with all the regular visitors. We will definitely be coming again!

**Review for Thai Soul Kitchen**

Walking into Thai Soul Kitchen isn't just about the food; it's an experience reminiscent of visiting a beloved family member's home. The moment we entered, it felt like we were being welcomed into our auntie's house, where she had just prepared one of our favorite dishes. That sense of warmth and hospitality defined our visit.

The food was incredible, with each dish infused with flavors that showcased remarkable attention to detail. As someone who loves Thai food and has sampled dishes from both the East and West Coasts, I can confidently say this is among the best Thai restaurants we've visited, if not the very best. Unfortunately, I don't remember the exact names of the dishes we ordered, but every bite was a delightful explosion of flavors, textures, and freshness.

The experience was further enhanced by Joy and Greg, the owners of Thai Soul Kitchen. Their stories brought the ambiance to life, making us feel connected to both the local community and distant Thailand. Joy's tales about her family and the vibrant mural that depicted her life back home added a personal touch that made it feel like we were sharing a family meal.

If you find yourself in the area and craving authentic Thai cuisine, I highly recommend stopping by Thai Soul Kitchen. You'll leave with a smile, a full heart, and perhaps some leftovers from the generous portions. Don't miss this gem!

Ambiance
A small place set up like a simple neighborhood restaurant, family-owned business that actually operates like a family business where the owners are friendly and serves you attentively. One thing I always look for in a local shop is how the owner interacts with the customers and whether regulars visit often. This place, it seemed that other than us, first timer, the rest that came were regulars as the owner seemed to know all of them, always a good sign. If you know the TV series 'Cheers', this feels like that kind of place.

Service
Helped explain the menu, made suggestions on their specialties. Kept our water glasses full, offered whether we wanted plates or bowls for sharing without us having to ask, checked on how we were doing at a nice interval. What else could we want from a friendly family restaurant?

Food
They have one of the best Tom Yum soup in the south bay. We opted for their default creamy version, but I think they do have the option to go with the typical clear broth.

The Khow Soy was quite interesting with thicker curry sauce with wide flat egg noodle and crunchy thin egg noodles on top. The chicken pieces were yuuuge. Could have those cut up a bit more. The curry taste was pretty good, especially when mixed in with their special chili crunch sauce.

Decided to try Gaeng Pa, aka Jungle curry, as we don't usually see those elsewhere. This one was just ok. Clear broth. There is a slight tangy bitter taste that I can't really explain, it was not bad, but not something I would order again.

If you are a spice person, they can do Thai spicy or super spicy, though I would recommend to try out the normal spicy levels for the first time. They brought out all the chili options for us, the chili crunch, regular soury chili sauce, cut chili in vinegar, and cut chili in fish sauce.

Now the amount of food per dish, it was significantly more than all the other Thai places I have tried in the south bay area, by a lot. You have to try it to believe it.

Cost/Tipping Practice
The cost is quite a lot per dish, but for the amount of food that you get, it was very reasonable.

They left the bill on the table for you to fill without anybody staring at you. And the don't rush to check after we get off the table.

Overall, I have been looking for a go-to Thai place in the south bay for several years, finally found one. We were enjoying our visit that I forgot to take photos. We'll be back for sure.

Dropped by for lunch with a friend and had a great meal! We came for lunch and their lunch menu was a pretty good deal. I got a yellow curry with chicken and it came with rice, a side salad, and a cream cheese wonton. It totaled to about $17 and the portion was pretty big!

The inside was nice and cozy and the service was great! However, I found the food only average and have definitely had better Thai food. I found that the chicken in my curry was a little overcooked, but the curry itself was still flavorful and tasted great!

I had a great and quick meal here today and thought it was a good lunch, but I probably would not come for dinner.

I went to Thai Soul Kitchen with my sisters and cousin for a Friday lunch. This place is new but my sisters had been here before so they did most of the ordering.

We ordered hoi jor, tom yum (clear broth), som tum (papaya salad), gaeng kiew wan (green curry), and pad see ew. Everything was delicious.

Papaya salad and pad see ew are my classic go-to dishes at any Thai place, and you really can't go wrong with either of these dishes. We got the salted crab with anchovies for the papaya salad protein, and it was especially delicious. Remember that a "mild" spice level at a Thai restaurant is really a "medium" at other places...at least the good ones are. Green curry is also my go-to curry as it has a sweeter base, so for this specific dish I would even opt to go for a full medium spice because I thought it could have been spicier.

This was my first time trying hoi jor, and it was interesting. It tasted like a crispy, fried fish cake which isn't far off from what it really is. I would get it again if I'm with a group so we could share it. The tom yum was good. It's a hot and sour soup, but it's not my preferred option when going out for Thai since it's very similar to Vietnamese canh chua. It's still a good option for those cold, soupy weather days.

Service and staff is a 10/10. The person who took our order had a great smile the whole time we were there, and she was very friendly and welcoming. The chef brought out a few of the dishes to our table and even came out to check on us. It's a great place if you're craving Thai food, but the restaurant is small so maybe takeout would be better during busier times or calling ahead.

The reason I gave this Thai restaurant is because of the ingredients and seasoning. It really capture the food in Pattaya and Bangkok. And not sweet at all. Yummy.

Here is my scoring card for this restaurant:

1) Location: ( 5 Point ) - Great location for customer to see and find. Great parking for street parking and back side with parking lot parking.

2) Decoration : (3 Point) - They still have the original decoration. Clean.

3) Price: ( 4 point)- The price is competitive but still a little bit pricey compare to other same stars and type food they serve

4) Quality and Taste : ( 3 point)- The quality is ok, food taste is good and portions are below average . ( must be inflation )

5) Type of cuisine standard : ( 4 point) - The style of Thai food they serve is pretty close to the way it was prepare in Thailand . Not bad! But some dishes did have slightly modify to cater the customer's need

Overall it's not bad and I thinks it's great to give it a try and let me know what you think. Go foodies



Total max is 25

Score 19

Stars = 76% round up to 4 stars