It appears that what the asian cuisine can contribute to global cuisine is endless, proof of which is the number of Thai restaurants that have sprung up in the last decade in Madrid.
Movies may have influenced this new taste for tamarind sauce. The movie The Beach (2000) made Thailand one of the most desired tourist destinations for Westerners, the beach where the movie was filmed became popular and the pad thai arrived here with the return of the vacations, becoming a regular on the menus of European restaurants.
1. Kai Thai
Sergio Gallinas was one of many who traveled to Thailand as a tourist, fell in love with the culture and cuisine and brought it back to Spain. So he opened his restaurant, Kai Thai, in 2019 with Pi Nan, who was the head chef of a mythical Thai restaurant in Madrid: Thai Garden. Now the massman’ s curry that captivated him is part of the menu, among other dishes (all traditionally Thai) in which there is no lack of spice and tamarind sauce.
💶 Average price: 25€
📍 Princesa Street, 13 (Argüelles)
2. Krachai
Krachi is one of those Thai restaurants in Madrid that is almost always repeated when it comes to talking about Southeast Asian cuisine. They have four levels of spiciness, but reaching the third is already a feat – the fourth is for those brave and accustomed to challenges with spicy food.
They have many versions of paid thai, but the menu is sufficiently suggestive to explore other riskier options. As a suggestion: the chipirones sautéed in creamy egg and sriracha sauce have just the right touch of flavor and spiciness.
💶 Average price: 30€ per person.
📍 Fernando VI Street, 11 (Salesas)
3. Kitchen 154
Madrid’s spicy food mecca is heavily influenced by Thai cuisine. A place where to test the palate and not only for the spiciness: in Kitchen 154 they understand food as an adventure, so each of their elaborations are, in their words, “reinterpretations of traditional and exotic dishes with our style”.
In his cuisine, classics from Madrid and Chiang Mai (northern Thailand) coincide. How? With the dish Oreja killin’ me de cerdo a la brasa con salsa de guindillas y vinagre.
💶 Average price: 20€ per person
📍 Vallehermoso Market (Stall 60-61-62) and Acuerdo Street, 3 (Noviciado)
4. Thai Garden by Thai Emotion
The original Thai Garden had been on Jorge Juan Street for 25 years, now it is in the north of the capital and has slightly changed its name, but maintains the essence of Thai gastronomy that made it famous. In addition to its carefully chosen decoration, the almost aristocratic experience is certified thanks to the recognition of the head chef of this restaurant, chosen by the kings of Thailand as the official cook of the royal family.
They have a tasting menu, but if you decide to choose each dish, check beforehand the number of red peppers that appear next to the name: they will tell you the amount of spice and you avoid the surprise.
💶 Average price: 40 € per person.
📍 Calle de Añastro, 48 (Hortaleza)
5. Oam Thong
At Oam Thong they claim to have the spiciest dish in Spain, and they hold contests with prizes of up to 500€ for whoever eats it first. If you manage to eat it, albeit slowly and on any day of the year, you get a certificate proving that you have done so.
The menu is dominated by noodles, rice and baos, in addition to the big hit that is the magma (pictured above is the black volcano, which is an even spicier version).
💶 Average price: 25€ per person.
📍 Calle de Navarrete, 9 (Las Tablas)
6. Thaidy
Thaidy is a small Thai restaurant in the salamanca neighborhood which opened its doors in 2006. This small space transcends gastronomy and is a place to discover the something of Thailand’s Costumbres through the five senses: by the taste of authentic Thai cuisine, by the scent of flowers and the smell of incense and candles that fill the restaurant.
Among the Google reviews it is easy to find people from this Asian country recommending it, and for that reason alone it deserves a mention.
💶 Average price: 25€ per person.
📍 Calle de Jorge Juan, 54 (Salamanca district)
7. Yeca Estrit Fud
It is difficult to categorize Yeca Estrit Fud into a single gastronomic influence, but Southeast Asia and Thailand, in particular, are very present in its brief and concise menu. It is a small place with 4 tables and they have two shifts for lunch and dinner, so it is advisable to make reservations. Among the eight dishes and a dessert they serve, their Verde curry is a must; and the price is quite reasonable considering the quality of the product they serve.
💶 Average price: about 25€ per person.
📍 Tribulete Street, 10 (Lavapiés)