Usually consisting of Subway, Panda Express, Chipotle, and other various options, there's something so nostalgic and comforting that I love about mall food courts. My parents who are from Thailand, however, would complain about how the U.S. food courts always had the same options, then go on a tangent about how the food courts in Thailand were not only cheaper and tastier, but also well-decorated. In my hometown mall, there was a place in the food court that claimed to offer Thai food – but it was disappointing and tasted far from authentic Thai food.
Upon my daily TikTok scroll, I came across a video that shared the location of a new food hall dedicated to Southeast Asian cuisine in downtown Seattle: ASEAN StrEAT. I immediately knew I had to check it out and took the light rail to Westlake the following weekend. As stated on their official website, ASEAN stands for the “Association of Southeast Asian Nations,” and they currently offer street food from Thailand, Vietnam, Singapore, Philippines, Indonesia, Myanmar, Laos, and Cambodia.
Filled with pops of color from the crates that hung on the ceiling, a line of food carts resembling the street markets in Asia, chatter, laughter, and bright lights – upon entering the location I was already mesmerized by the lively atmosphere. The setting makes you feel like you’ve just teleported into a food market in Asia and no longer on a gloomy, winter day in Seattle. There are about eight food carts, with more coming soon, each offering about 5-10 dishes per booth. You have the option of ordering directly at the food cart you’re interested in or ordering from the kiosks which include photos of the dishes offered.
From the “Rolling Wok” food cart, I ordered the Kapow Gai Khai Dao: a common comfort dish that my mom would make for me growing up, and a common street food offered in Thailand. This dish is usually made up of well-seasoned ground chicken that’s packed with a mix of sweet, spicy, and soy-like flavors and is combined with basil leaves and chopped string beans. It is paired with rice and a fried egg on top (the egg is my favorite part, personally). It essentially resembles a chicken stir fry, but even that feels like an understatement. I ordered the “hot” level, however, the kiosk allows you to choose a spice level from a scale of mild, medium, hot, and very hot.
When my name was called to pick up my food, I was not disappointed by the sight of the food in front of me. The portion was big enough to have leftovers or be shared with another person. As I carried my food to the table, the warm aroma of the steam radiated up my nose, and I already had a good feeling.
Upon the first bite, I immediately texted my mom to tell her that I was going to take her here the next time she visited. It was flavorful and beyond what I expected. It tasted like the home cooked dish I yearned for. However, I will say that the “hot” level for this dish was no joke. By the fifth bite, I had finished my big glass of water and was sweating profusely. And, as someone who considers themselves to have a high spice tolerance and grew up putting 5 Thai chilis in my Som Tum, the seasoning of this dish truly humbled me. So, I would recommend playing it safe on the spice scale if it’s your first time there.
Apart from the food, I also ordered the “Banana Nutella Croffle” from the “Sweet Moon Dessert” station. A “croffle” is a mix of a croissant and waffle, and it is the perfect combination of airy-soft bread and the crispiness texture of a waffle. They offer six different topping options: tiramisu, lotus cookie, oreo, blueberry, banana nutella, or strawberry. It is a dessert that is on the less-sweeter side, and I personally felt that the bananas and chocolate shavings were the only thing that helped bring flavor. The nutella flavor was not as prominent as I expected. However, the texture of the croffle was perfect, and if you’re a fan of less-sweeter desserts, I highly recommend it.
As someone who finds joy in the typical mall food courts already, I loved the atmosphere that the ASEAN StrEAT food hall creates and highly recommend checking it out. The food itself is tasty, but being immersed in a well-decorated location was the cherry on top. I definitely will be visiting the ASEAN StrEAT food hall again and am looking forward to trying the other menu options as they continue to add more. Overall, it was zaap, (which translates to “spiciness that hits the spot” in Thai), and the food court embodies the joy of much of my childhood. It was affirming to see a food court that is dedicated to Southeast Asian cuisines and is a must-try spot.
