Downtown Thai Experience
By: Jennifer Cave-Rhea, Photographs by Steven Rhea
The Thai Spice Restaurant has graced the Downtown area for almost 5 years after a move that would literally give Water Street a new and exciting flavor after husband and wife business owners Paul and Pennee Chanyaman chose to move the restaurant from “Restaurant Row” on South Padre Island Drive to Downtown Corpus Christi. “I like the relaxed atmosphere Downtown compared to S.P.I.D. There is more progress Downtown than there is on S.P.I.D. plus, there was no Thai restaurant Downtown”, said Chef Pennee.
After three years at the S.P.I.D. location the owners felt a move to find a less crowded and more progressive Downtown location would be an improvement. Their hunch was right as business has grown tremendously since the relocation. To show their appreciation to patrons and the Downtown area they recently invested almost $200,000 into renovating their restaurant, “I want the restaurant to be elegant looking”, said Pennee.
Not only has Chef Pennee demonstrated her passion for the restaurant with artful décor and attention to even the smallest of details, but also as she hand picks the food and wine list. “I use only the very best quality of ingredients.” “My wines are also selected carefully”, says Pennee. She cooks using the freshest of ingredients; her dishes contain no MSG and only use Angus beef. Thai Spice is also one of the very few places in Corpus Christi that offers 100% vegan dishes. “If you come here and order vegan I will cook it separately. I am very respectful of your belief”, said Pennee.
While it may not look like a small mom and pop restaurant that’s exactly what Thai Spice is. Paul and Chef Pennee put in long hours, seven days a week to serve patrons “You have to put your heart, soul, life into a business”, said Paul. When asked why they decided to open a restaurant, he laughed and said “Pennee loves to cook and she has cooked for me for thirty years”.
As it is with other Downtown businesses, Paul and Pennee have invested time and money into the area with hopes that the City of Corpus Christi returns the favor by encouraging growth and development in the area. Presently, patrons mostly consist of locals with a spattering of tourists and a loyal group of business professionals who enjoy the daily lunch specials. “I hope the City promotes [Downtown] and is more progressive. We need more tourists,” said Pennee.
Thai Spice is located at 523 North Water Street. They offer lunch specials and traditional Thai dinners with a selection of beer and wine and Wi-Fi is available. Stop by for lunch or dinner and visit with owners Paul and Pennee. By the end of the meal, they will make you feel like part of the family.
Check out their web site at Thai Spice Restaurant
Or give them a call on (361) 883-8884
Thai Spice Restaurant Review
By Jennifer Cave-Rhea
Having no prior knowledge of Thai cuisine prior to visiting with Paul and Pennee in the course of writing this article I was determined to try it out for myself; the following article is my impression of Thai cuisine and especially Thai Spice in Downtown Corpus Christi – enjoy, I did:
As I walked out of the mid-day heat and through the front doors of Thai Spice I was overcome by the cool and serene atmosphere within. Instantly I was met by husband and wife owners Paul and Chef Pennee Chanyaman along with a cold glass of hibiscus tea and promises of a delicious lunch to follow. The hibiscus tea could only foretell of what was to become an eye opening and palate pleasing experience as this was my first time with Thai food of any kind.
I have driven by this building on the corner of Peoples and Water Street numerous times and yet have never stopped in to eat. Perhaps worried about the menu or the fact that I had no idea if I would even like Thai dishes; this was looking to be a thrilling experience for me. The menu was very easy to understand and the choices were enticing but I deferred to Pennee (she is the Chef) to order for me. Her choice: the Crystal Noodle, a zero-carb chicken and beef entrée along with a red curry dish served with beef, chicken and vegetables. As if this were not enough she added a side of rice and paratha flat bread (think Thai tortilla)
As Chef Pennee was busy in the kitchen I had a moment to really focus on my surroundings and the interior decadence of the restaurant. All linens were straight and tightly folded, all tables and chairs were in their proper place and beautiful floral arrangements framed the entrance. Large pieces of artwork hung from the walls and depicted the history of the world along with Thailand’s monarchy. With a quick glance it’s easily seen that every inch of the establishment is treated with the utmost attention to detail.
Further inspection of the menu found numerous choices for moderately priced daily lunch specials all including soup or salad, fresh fruit, rolls and steamed rice. The dinner menu offers signature entrees and traditional dishes served with salad and brown rice. All dishes are prepared with the finest available ingredients and are accompanied by numerous beverage choices.
The beautiful presentation of the entrée and side dishes made my mouth water before I had even taken a bite. As I was a Thai food newcomer, Chef Pennee and Paul gave me a crash course in how to properly eat Thai food. From the first bite of paratha and curry to the last piece of chicken in the Crystal Noodle entrée I was delighted. While spicy, the dish was not hot as I had expected and was full of flavor. A perfect balance of spicy red curry and the sweet flavored crystal noodle with its steamed broccoli with watermelon on the side made for an absolutely perfect first experience.
I must say that after today’s visit I may have found my new food obsession! I look forward to my next visit to Thai Spice and hope that you consider bringing your family and friends to experience an enjoyable lunch or dinner any day of the week as the restaurant is open 7 days from 11am to 11pm. Thai Spice strives to create an atmosphere that caters to both casual and intimate dining while serving traditional Thai food that has truly made a fan out of me.
By: Jennifer Cave-Rhea, Photographs by Steven Rhea
After three years at the S.P.I.D. location the owners felt a move to find a less crowded and more progressive Downtown location would be an improvement. Their hunch was right as business has grown tremendously since the relocation. To show their appreciation to patrons and the Downtown area they recently invested almost $200,000 into renovating their restaurant, “I want the restaurant to be elegant looking”, said Pennee.
While it may not look like a small mom and pop restaurant that’s exactly what Thai Spice is. Paul and Chef Pennee put in long hours, seven days a week to serve patrons “You have to put your heart, soul, life into a business”, said Paul. When asked why they decided to open a restaurant, he laughed and said “Pennee loves to cook and she has cooked for me for thirty years”.
As it is with other Downtown businesses, Paul and Pennee have invested time and money into the area with hopes that the City of Corpus Christi returns the favor by encouraging growth and development in the area. Presently, patrons mostly consist of locals with a spattering of tourists and a loyal group of business professionals who enjoy the daily lunch specials. “I hope the City promotes [Downtown] and is more progressive. We need more tourists,” said Pennee.
Check out their web site at Thai Spice Restaurant
Or give them a call on (361) 883-8884
Thai Spice Restaurant Review
By Jennifer Cave-Rhea
Having no prior knowledge of Thai cuisine prior to visiting with Paul and Pennee in the course of writing this article I was determined to try it out for myself; the following article is my impression of Thai cuisine and especially Thai Spice in Downtown Corpus Christi – enjoy, I did:
I have driven by this building on the corner of Peoples and Water Street numerous times and yet have never stopped in to eat. Perhaps worried about the menu or the fact that I had no idea if I would even like Thai dishes; this was looking to be a thrilling experience for me. The menu was very easy to understand and the choices were enticing but I deferred to Pennee (she is the Chef) to order for me. Her choice: the Crystal Noodle, a zero-carb chicken and beef entrée along with a red curry dish served with beef, chicken and vegetables. As if this were not enough she added a side of rice and paratha flat bread (think Thai tortilla)
As Chef Pennee was busy in the kitchen I had a moment to really focus on my surroundings and the interior decadence of the restaurant. All linens were straight and tightly folded, all tables and chairs were in their proper place and beautiful floral arrangements framed the entrance. Large pieces of artwork hung from the walls and depicted the history of the world along with Thailand’s monarchy. With a quick glance it’s easily seen that every inch of the establishment is treated with the utmost attention to detail.
The beautiful presentation of the entrée and side dishes made my mouth water before I had even taken a bite. As I was a Thai food newcomer, Chef Pennee and Paul gave me a crash course in how to properly eat Thai food. From the first bite of paratha and curry to the last piece of chicken in the Crystal Noodle entrée I was delighted. While spicy, the dish was not hot as I had expected and was full of flavor. A perfect balance of spicy red curry and the sweet flavored crystal noodle with its steamed broccoli with watermelon on the side made for an absolutely perfect first experience.
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