Photos by Ian Froeb, St. Louis Post-Dispatch; Fork & Stix
Fork & Stix
The menu at Fork & Stix isn’t long, but it seems inexhaustible. Three years and change after Phatcharin Wanna and her family opened this tiny Thai restaurant in the east Delmar Loop, I’m circling back to dishes that I haven’t eaten since my earliest visits, like mu ping, skewers of grilled pork with a breezy coconut-milk and palm-sugar sweetness edged with pepper and garlic. How could I have forgotten about the mu ping? But what was I supposed to drop from my usual rotation? Fork & Stix’s best dishes, from the Wanna’s native northern Thailand, turn diners into obsessives: the rustic, verdant pork sausages called sai oua, with sides of sticky rice and the hot sauce naam prik nuum; the tamarind-soured hung lay curry with pork loin and belly; and, of course, its signature curry-noodle soup, khao soi. I’ve lost count of how many bowls of khao soi I’ve slurped down, but I still haven’t unpacked how its interplay of chile, warm spices and coconut milk leads to an endless, umami-rich finish.
Last year's ranking: 12
Opened: 2012
Must order: Khao soi ($9)
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From the owners
From the owners: Our mission at Fork & Stix is to share our love for fresh Thai cuisine. The dishes we prepare are a reflection of the rich culture of Northern Thailand, which draws inspiration from the diversity of the Chiang Mai region. Our kitchen staff has perfected their craft through years of informal training, with skills and techniques passed down from generation to generation. At Fork & Stix we strive to deliver a phenomenal product. As such, our chefs are continuously exploring new tastes with the finest herbs and spices shipped from Thailand and the highest quality meats and produce, which are locally sourced. Our restaurant seats 35 people, thus we have created a casual and intimate dining experience with a walk-in only policy. We are located on the corner of Rosedale Avenue, off Delmar Boulevard. Street parking is available along Delmar, Rosedale, as well as Washington Boulevard.