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Asia Market
Categories: Food Specialty Food Ethnic Food Restaurants Thai Ethnic Food, Thai [Edit]
1010 W Cavalcade StSte D
Houston, TX 77009
Neighborhood: The Heights
(713) 863-7074
- Hours:
Tue-Fri 11 am - 8 pm
Sat 10 am - 8 pm
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Private Lot
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- No
- Price Range:
-
$
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Lunch
- Alcohol:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Quiet
- Ambience:
- Dive-y
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
82 reviews for Asia Market
Review Highlights
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"Teh papaya salad is intensely yummy." In 20 reviews -
"Another great option is the Pad Kee Mao." In 11 reviews -
"along with my favorite - kaffir lime leaves." In 5 reviews
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82 reviews in English
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Review from Harold B.
Houston, TX
I'm becoming a cantankerous ol' yelper!!! I don't want to tell anyone of good places to eat!!! You would be one less fool in my way to goodness!!!
Again, Asia Market is that good good..that authentic, real deal and I hit it up as much as I can. I can't pronouce 99.9% of all I have tried and all have been great!!! I was even given something in error once and while I thought I had what was ordered; I was salivating over it ...until the waitress came out so apologetic with my original order then I was again delighted with another dish!!!
But anyway, you won't like the food here, so don't go !!!!2 Previous Reviews: Show all »
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9/26/2011
as an update..1st let me say I still havent been back to kanomwan..haha
and have even started making… Read more »
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Review from Nancy K.
Richmond, TX
4/7/2012 1 Check-in Here
This place puts the Thai restaurants that I have reviewed into shame. It is ridiculously amazing and authentic. My boyfriend and I decided to try as many places in the Heights in one day... Yeahs we were full after this place. haha.
We shared pad thai and thai tea with cream. The pad thai wasn't suppose to be spicy, but they did it for us anyways. It was great. I could taste the flavors but still had a good amount of heat. They didn't put that much chicken, but the eggs in my pad thai was cooked perfectly. The thai tea was too much cream for me, but it was delicious. The place was packed.
My first visit here was not for the food, but for the market. I was making Thai curry, and couldn't find kaffir leaves anywhere BUT here. This place is small, but had everything needed.
I will be sure to come back and try their curry, and other dishes. -
Review from Johnny M.
Houston, TX
By far the best Thai food in Houston!!!
Don't be alarmed by it's outward appearance, and even more surprising appearance in the inside. Yes as other have said its in a small Asian specialty food market tucked away in nook. Be that as it may the food that comes out of this kitchen is amazing!
Everything has been pretty much said in the other reviews--food is cheap, authentic, and delicious. So the reason I am writing this review is because nobody stressed how truly unique the cuisine is here. By that I mean you will find Thai dishes here that nobody else makes in town. Their curry selection is double what most places offer and I don't recall ever having Thai eggplant anywhere except here. Other distinguishing treasures on the menu are fish cakes, stir fried morning-glory, and even quail.
Besides the restaurant, the market is a foodie's paradise, and since it is a bit smaller than those large supermarkets in Chinatown, its much less intimidating to those wanting to familiarize themselves with Asian groceries. This intimacy is only further strengthened with the friendliness of the owners.
BTW don't ask for the recipe...they won't give it to you no matter how much money you offer or how much you beg lol -
Review from Fariha H.
Houston, TX
5/22/2012
I LOVE this place. Having just moved from London I was massively craving some authentic Thai food in Houston and this really hit the spot. Try the Kee Mao noodles in 'Thai Hot'.
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Review from Heather M.
Houston, TX
5/13/2012
While this establishment may look daunting from the street it is definitely the best Thai food in Houston. And where else can I have the convenience of shopping for specialty groceries while waiting for my pad se ew to go? Where I ask you? Where?
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Review from Rebecca M.
Houston, TX
3/7/2012
This food is really good. This is a hole in the wall treasure. I don't even want to know what spicy is here! Ask for mild on the spice level if you're not into very, very spicy food.
I'm rating it a 4 star because they use styrofoam dishes and plastic silverware. And the floor could be cleaner. -
Review from Stephanie N.
Houston, TX
3/5/2012
My boyfriend and I moved here about a year ago from a place with a relatively small Thai population. There was one good Thai restaurant back home and every time we ate there we thought we were getting really good authentic Thai food.
Then we moved to Houston and discovered Asia Market. Their curry is so delicious it almost shames me to try to describe how good it is in words. Just go eat there, you have to taste it for yourself. We read a good number of yelp reviews before heading over and we had our heart set on trying the som tum. When we ordered we asked for it to be super hot, the guy working behind the register said no and told us medium would be enough. Whatever we weren't going to argue, we just wanted our delicious food.
They do not mess around with spices at Asia Market.
We found out medium heat was almost too hot and we were super grateful that we didn't get it super hot because we just wouldn't be able to eat it. We also ordered tom yum soup and the green curry. The soup possibly changed our life and the little Thai eggplants in the curry were the bomb. -
Review from Robyn K.
5/4/2012 1 Check-in Here
Was feeling a little under the weather yesterday and wanted some HOMEMADE soup, and searched for that on yelp and Asia Market came up. I am glad I decided to try this place. The family that runs the place was friendly and the take out that I received was delicious. I ordered some sort of clear broth soup with ground pork (not really a pork fan so I didn't eat that part) with veggies and tofu. It was just what the DR ordered! I also got the chicken pad thai and the egg rolls. Both were really good. Did a little grocery shopping while I was there waiting for my food. Will def be going back to try the curries and other offerings.
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Review from Victoria E.
Houston, TX
5/2/2012 2 Check-ins Here
The limited available parking space can be a pain, and if you come at the wrong time, the service is a bit slow, but if you have the time, the food is worth the wait. My personal fave dish is the yum nur. Both times I had it, I had enough to leftover to bring home and enjoy again, always a plus for me.
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Review from Fermin V.
Harris, TX
5/2/2012 1 Check-in Here
This place is very good the food is the best i get the c4. Kee Mao noodle beef they are very good and the THAi tea
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Review from Pat H.
Orange, TX
4/26/2012
Great Food, Good prices, Friendly service. A Mom & Pop operation....
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Review from Joy C.
1/24/2012 1 Check-in Here
Having been spoiled by living in Austin for the past five years, I was disappointed at the difficulty of finding a decent Thai restaurant in Houston besides Thai Cottage. After my sister told me about this grocery store, I jumped at the opportunity to check it out. Now this has officially become my favorite go-to place to get my Thai fix.
The exterior doesn't look that impressive (in fact, it looks downright shady), but don't let that stop you from trying the delicious fare. In contrast to other places, the pad thai is on the sweet side, but it's still surprisingly satisfying with a good amount of meat and peanuts. My boyfriend always orders the Tom Yum Noodle Soup, which consists of thin noodles, fish balls, bits of pork, and a tangy broth with small hint of sweetness- oily but delicious. Portions are pretty generous, and the prices are reasonable (around $7-10 per dish). You can also preference your spicy level from 1-5 depending on your tolerance.
Probably not the best place for germaphobes though since the floors and tables don't look that clean. Service can be slow at times during peak hours, but the food is well worth the wait! Also the parking lot is pretty small, so another alternative is taking your order to go. -
Review from Caroline W.
Houston, TX
4/6/2012
You're eating in a small grocery store, which is actually charming. No frills, DELICIOUS broth in all dishes. Highly recommend.
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Review from Jonathan P.
Houston, TX
3/7/2012
Never had a bad meal here. The papaya salad is the best I've had in Houston outside of my mom's. Word of caution though, this is authentic Thai food so even the mild is spicy. I get the medium and it's just right for those used to spice. Go here to eat! For shopping? They are more than other places but there's nothing like this place around so your options are limited. No matter, support this local business! Let's hope they expand their food area.
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Review from Tina E.
Houston, TX
4/24/2012
Cheap and authentic Thai plus I can shop while I wait for my take out. This is one of a few places where we, Thais, go to eat, take out and shop.
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Review from May N.
9/17/2011
This review is more for the grocery store. I went to scope out their goods and prices to figure out whether it'd be worth it to shop here versus out in Bellaire when I see my family. If you need some Eastern Asian condiments and you live or work around here, the selection is decent and the prices are pretty reasonable. For example, the 28 oz bottle of sriracha that's $4+ at the Signature Kroger is just over $2 here. I saw fish sauce, soy sauce, tamarind soup mixes, dried mushrooms, canned sardines, rice sticks, instant noodles, dried seaweed, coconut milk, and curries. They also have a small selection of the usual Asian snacks and sweets. I didn't really check out their produce and refrigerated sections, but I did notice large limes being sold for 4 for $1. They have cooking equipment, too.
The kitchen area was hopping with petite Asian women cooking and a steady stream of diverse customers came in to buy meals. The dining area seemed pretty small with just a few tables. The staff also cooks for their employees because the African-American cashier went on break for lunch enjoying a steaming big bowl of noodle soup just before I made my purchase. $5 minimum for credit cards. I'll have to come back to try out the kitchen, but I think I've found a great hole-in-the-wall cheap ethnic food market & restaurant. I wish they had a larger selection of bulk spices, but I guess they know their niche so you'll only find Thai spices here. -
Review from Gentria W.
Houston, TX
Updated - 3/14/2012
4th visit in 5 weeks. Food is fantastic, the service is great, and I really love the food. Dumplings and egg roll are first rate, pad Thai is always good, and I really like the fried rice with nam.
Don't miss this gem!!!!1 Previous Review: Show all »
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10/4/2011
Love it....They messed up our order and gave us soemthing we hadnt ordered, but I dont care, it was… Read more »
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Review from Lesa T.
8/5/2011 1 Check-in Here
Most authentic Thai food in Houston.
This hole-in-the-wall joint looks like a shabby Asian food store in a rundown neighborhood, but don't let the looks fool ya! The very modest kitchen inside serves up some of the tastiest (and spiciest) Thai food in the city:
Som Tum (Papaya Salad) With Crab - 4.0 - Full of fishy, crabby flavor. Intense sourness from the fish sauce and lime juice. We ordered this with medium spiciness, and it made my nose run! Probably the most authentic version in city, aside from my mom's.
Beef Pad Thai -4.0 - Surprisingly sweeter than what I like, this pad thai is nice and flavorful.
Beef Pad See Ew - 4.0 - Just like the Cantonese version, this noodle dish has the nice wok-seared flavor.
Beef Pad Kee Mow - 4.5 - Probably the best Thai noodle dish in the city. 'Nuff said.
Thai tea - 4.5 - Served in a big cup, and full of Thai sweetness!
Each dish is generous in size, with about 2-3 servings per dish. Although I've only tried the noodles (yes, I'm a noodle whore sometimes), I can't wait to try the curries!
TIP: Beware of the Levels of Spiciness - even mild is pretty darn spicy (more like a medium).Listed in: When You're Too Lazy to Drive…
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Review from Komson T.
Houston, TX
8/13/2011
Not bad!
I normally shop here for my grocery needs but hardly ever eat here.
Just this week I decided to order Somtum (Papaya salad) and Rad-Na noodles. I happened to like Papaya salad more because it was spicy and just the way I liked it. Not many Thai restaurants offer Papaya salad on their menus.
The improvements this place can use is some cleaning, new tables and chairs. -
Review from Benjamin W.
Houston, TX
6/23/2011 3 photos
In the midst of my ongoing quest for the perfect curry, I found myself driving to the far-east end of The Heights area in search of this "Asia Market." The sign outside is very subtle. I've gone passed this restaurant a million times and I had yet to notice it, until now. Parking was bare minimum and I was forced to park a couple blocks away. Upon entering, I noticed a big man who was throwing a huge fit about the parking situation. (What a cry baby)
Once you're in, you will discover a small food store housing a goldmine of Thai cooking goods! The word "makeshift" comes to mind when entering this place. It's almost as though they decided to become a restaurant on a whim. (How exciting) They have literally wedged a tiny little kitchen into the back corner of the store. The dining area is also very small and plain. I don't let the lack of luster diverge me, as I am mainly just looking forward to the meal. This is not some where you want to take a hot date, unless she gets randy over authentic Thai food (LOL)
As my base of comparison for Thai restaurants, I usually order the Red Curry. However, for the first time, I was asked to choose the level of spiciness for my curry. I assumed that I could handle any amount of fire they might throw in, so I asked her to surprise me. (WTF was I thinking) My curry came served with what looked like at least 4 table spoons of diced peppers, with seeds and all! Among this mess I uncovered chunks of eggplant, which were crunchy and inconsistent with the rest of the ingredients. The burn from the peppers was nearly unbearable. However, the curry was good enough for me to continue eating. Next time I will order it with MILD spices and no eggplant. I suggest you do the same. This is actually a very good curry and the price is fair compared to other restaurants.
The other item I attempted was the Pad Thai. The portion was decent. The noodles were soft and capped with cilantro. Inspired by this dish, I decided to browse the wares behind the dining area. The cashier was friendly enough to help me pick out ingredients to make my own Pad Thai at home.
I'm actually surprised to have said so many things about such a small, simple little diner. I suppose it was a good adventure. I will return, but no extra spicy curry next time. For nearly authentic Thai food, you can't beat the price at Asia Market. There are bigger and better places to buy exotic groceries at. For a decent price and an amazing meal, this place is good to go.
I've also attached a photo of the Red Curry and Pad Thai, if you would like to check them out. -
Review from Monica K.
Updated - 7/17/2011 2 Check-ins Here
Best Tom Ka Gai EVER!! This insanely good coconut chicken soup is worth the trip alone. Unlike some places that go too heavy on the coconut milk, Asia Market's is perfectly balanced and full of aromatic goodness. Ordered it "Hot" and it had just the right amount of kick. It's $7 for a giant bowl, but doesn't come with rice.
The Green Curry is still excellent, easy on the cocomilk and heavy on the actual curry, chicken, and veggies (Thai eggplant & bamboo shoots). One order goes a long way, so for $7 you'll have lunch and dinner for tomorrow too! It comes with a small amount of rice if you order to-go, so tack on some extra if you plan on eventually finishing everything off.
I would steer away from the super-sweet pad thai, but Omigod, that Tom Ka!! I'll be back for more!Listed in: Welcome to City Wok, May I…
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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6/6/2011
This place reminds me of the little asian grocery store my mom used to go to when I was a kid -… Read more »
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Review from Nathan R.
Lufkin, TX
1/21/2012
I'd give this place 5 stars for food if the set up was just a bit better. The tables are pretty small if you have more than 2 people and the largest table is in the grocery isle.
i love hole in the wall places and this was another example of why they're some of the best spots to get great food at good prices. I look forward to my next Houston trip just to eat here!
Had the pad thai with tofu, red curry and the Beef Pad See Ew that Lesa T. recommended. Liked them all but really liked the Pad Thai. Would love to go back and try the drunken noodles. -
Review from Mona B.
Houston, TX
7/30/2011
Best thai food I have had in Houston!
The egg rolls were good - more meat then you generally get at most thai restaurants. Generous portions too - about 7 small egg rolls for $4
Pad Thai and Panang Curry were delicious..very good flavor. I've had the Pad Kee Mao w/rice w/mild spice as well. It was wayyy too spicy though - probably equivalent to extra hot at most restaurants.
Very casual - more of a grocery store than restaurant. I usually get the food to go
Note - they do not take amex -
Review from karen c.
Houston, TX
8/1/2011
I thought I knew what to expect, but I was wrong. It's small, like gas station super market small. Very hole in the wall. And very confusing. Luckily, there's someone to help you.
Looking at the menu, I wanted everything! Seriously. I couldn't decide if I wanted rice or curry or noodles... but I figured it's close enough, I'll just come back for other stuff. I ended up with panang curry, to go. It just seemed so much easier to take the food home and eat in the comfort of my home, just a few minutes away.
Meanwhile, there was a man waiting for his food who said it's the best pad thai he's ever had. He didn't really look like someone who's judgment on thai food can be respected, plus I'm not a huge pad thai fan normally, so I ignored him.
The serving of rice looks tiny, but is plenty sufficient. The panang curry looks oily, but was tasty and looked like a generous serving. Truth was, a ton of curry, very little meat. And it came with a vegetable that I still can't pinpoint but after some research have determined it's not authentically in panaang curry. Either way, good. I wasn't asked for spiciness level but was very content with what I was given.
Also got an order of egg rolls. Delicious! Very meaty.
I will definteily be back to try other stuff. Oh and cheap. FYI, takes about 20 mins for your food. -
Review from nicole h.
Houston, TX
5/25/2011
After driving by and getting a thumbs up from a friend I decided to order some food to-go for a family dinner. The coconut seafood mushroom soup was definitely the crowd favorite. The papaya salad also got high marks from someone that once lived in Singapore and loved the strong flavors. It was similar to Huyen's duck salad, sans the duck. But the main reason I chose this place was to try the dumplings. They were not my favorite (go to Gigi's) but they were not my least favorite. Between the pork and the chicken I have to say the chicken had better flavor but the pork had more filling. Go figure.
It was neat to be able to grab some essential Asian cooking staples while I was there. My daughter even got a little lesson on international food prep from the viewable kitchen. Be sure to check out the prepared foods in the unlit back coolers. Secret find: Anise Stars for $1.50 a bag! SCORE! My dutch friends would be jealous, they have them imported from Holland. Guess I know what they're getting for Christmas.
Overall, I will certainly be back, trying more of the extensive menu and I will bring friends next time. :) -
Review from Kristina S.
Houston, TX
4/9/2011 21 Check-ins Here
Spicy bliss! Asia Market is just a speed dial away for me for my regular take outs. As a Thai American, I am thrilled to know that I can find authentic Thai cooking here. Teh papaya salad is intensely yummy. The Kao Nam Tod (fried rice with Nam) is the rare gem and will not be found elsewhere, unless your in Changmai, Thailand!
And, its good to support local mom & pop businesses. This market has served the Thai community in Houston for over 15 years. Its new owners have vamped its profile with a nice seating area. Its thrilling to see many non Asian local residents becoming regular customers in the last 2 years.
If you want authentic Thai grub without all the fuss, this is the place. I would only suggest calling in your order ahead of time during weekday lunch and the weekends by a half hour to avoid the wait. -
Review from Leena C.
It's a market and "food joint" in one!
Market: small in size and selection. Staple products: noodles, rice, sauces (soy, curry, sriracha, etc), some frozen and refrigerated products, crackers, specialty items, decorative items
Food joint: catering toThai cuisine, reasonable prices, good portions
I went in to get a bottle of sriracha (didn't feel like driving to Bellaire) and ended up picking up some frozen dumplings and banana rice cakes too.
After I saw their menu, I decided to try them later in the week. I ended up ordering the som tum (papaya salad) Laos style, sticky rice, and the shrimp pad thai.
The som tum wasn't as good as my auntie's but it was better than most I've tasted. You can tell them how spicy or mild you want it...be cautious - they use really good red peppers. And the sticky rice was made just right - not too hard or soft and $2 for a large is pretty cheap. The shrimp pad thai was ok. The noodles were a bit softer than I prefer them. .
Overall I give them a thumbs up. When I need a sticky rice fix, I'll definitely hit them up. -
Review from Katrina M.
Houston, TX
7/6/2011
This place is LEGIT.
A Heights' hole in the wall with AMAZING Thai food. The pineapple curry, fish cakes and soups are, by far, the best in Houston. Also a great place to grocery shop for Thai cuisine. -
Review from PingPing N.
Houston, TX
5/2/2011 1 Check-in Here
Thurs 4/28 11:30a
I "yelped" a place to eat for lunch with my negro on his lunch break and we narrowed it down to this joint. I never even driven on Calvacade so I had no idea where it was. Not familiar with the Heights area.
I am sooooo glad we drove the 1 mile to get here! We love it!
It may be rinky dinky with the styrofoam and plastic-ware but the food makes up for it 10-folds. (Actually, Im sure they'll save money if they bought real bowls/plates/spoons but I guess they dont have enough space for dirty dishes in the back. Plus, they'll be saving the earth without all that polystyrene)
When we got there only a guy was eating, about to leave. Within 3 mins upon our arrival, ~7 groups/tables came. Wowsers. From small families to single diners to ppl on their lunch break. Whites, hispanics, asians. A group called ahead and Reserved a table for 6 while another group pre-ordered to have it ready once they got there.
Order at the cashier
get your own chopsticks and bowls
have a seat and they'll deliver.
Once youre done eating, pay.
[Buuut, I learned the line gets backed up (bf waited over 10 mins in line to pay and there were about 7 ppl standing behind up during lunch hour) so Ima insist on paying when I order.]
Pad Woon Sen w/ chicken $6.95-- clear crystal noodles (dry)--- AWESOME!!!
Beef Panang Curry $7.95-- Double Awesome!!!! minus the eggplant aka ca phao. (not purple eggplant)
Fried Tilapia $4.95-- Booooooooo. No flavor and super duper dry.
Iced Green Tea-- Dont get it, you cant taste the green tea at all.
Thai Tea--- nhummyyyy
We ordered a lot bc I couldnt pass up a $5 fish. lol.
Ended up packing at least some of each of the 3 dishes to-go.
Taste was superb, portions....ehhh, kinda on the smaller side, esp the curry. Just a small bowl.
We'll DEFINITELY be back soon! Thats a fact jack! -
Review from Tommy S.
Houston, TX
2/3/2011
I think if you are looking for 'a hole in a wall place' experience then Asia Market is what you are looking for. It's one of the few Thai supermakets (if not the only one nowadays) in Houston. Asia Market has been at this location for over twenty years and they have seen selling food along with their groceries for as long as I can remember.
About 3-4 years ago, they went through a change of ownership. The new management made a few subtle improvement to both the grocery and kitchen sides. It also coincided with the time this place gained more notoriety.
To the Thai (and also Laotian and Cambodian) crowd, this grocery/restaurant has always been the place to get northeastern Thai food on the weekend. People would come for groceries and get their food either to-go or dine-in. It really is just a matter of convenience for these folks. Having said that, the food is pretty decent as most dishes are made to order.
While here, I never ordered anything fancy, only the typical Thai street food and fast food dishes. Pad Se Ew and Pad Kee Mao are pretty safe bet. Som Tum or the papaya salad, Larb, and sticky rice are what most Thai patrons order. They are pretty good in my book. I tried the spare ribs and beef noodle soup, but I wasn't impressed. They were just OK. There were a few other misses that I experienced as well, but I am sure there are gems here that I haven't discovered.
The food service could be slow during the weekend as they got busy on the grocery side of things. I would recommend doing take-out and ordering 1 hour in advance. Then again, it might rob the 'hole in a wall' experience from some folks who are looking for such that. The owners are always nice and accommodating. They also use the trust system where you can grab whatever you want to drink from the fridge and settle with the owners once you are done with the meal. Or you can grab a bag shrimp cracker and snack on them while waiting for your food.
Now, I am debating whether to give Asia Market a 3-star or a 4-star. The slow service could bring it down to a 3-star rating. Since I only order take-out here I would give these nice folks a 4-star. Also, the facts that they also carry hard-to-find thai ingredients in their store help bring the rating up. :) -
Review from April C.
1/13/2011
I've been wanting to try out this place for awhile since I grew up eating Thai food. The dishes sound authentic, but weren't great. I will be coming back because I can't imagine how so many yelpers can give it a high rating - perhaps I didn't order the right dishes.
We started with the Tod Mun Pla (fish cake patties fried and served with a sweet cucumber salad). (4/5)
My fiance had the Pad Thai - the noodles were really mushy. Imagine boiling pasta for twice as long as recommended; the noodles were basically clumped together. The flavor was okay. (2/5)
I had a very traditional soup - Kang Som. It is similar to Tom Yam, in that it is sour, however it lacked the kick that I'm used to with this soup. It tasted tangy from the mustard green/tamarind blend, but not a real fish stock. (2/5)
To accompany the soup, I had an order of Kai Jeaw. It is an omelet with some onions, green onions and fish sauce. This was a simple dish; can't go wrong here. (4/5)
The service was nice. There were a lot of Thai snacks that I'm looking forward to trying. There were frozen 'street food' items - the banana wrapped in banana leaf that is grilled, mini pastries with fish inside, etc.
I was excited to see so many Thai ingredients available for purchase. I'll be writing an update!Listed in: Favorite Thai
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Review from Alex K.
Houston, TX
12/24/2010
This is as good of a time as any to start my first yelp review as I am sitting on my couch, enjoying the leftover som tam (papaya salad) from last night at Asia Market.
This place is a gem. Amazing thai/laos food for pretty cheap (~$6 a dish).
Authentic and delicious.
I ordered the som tam (papaya salad) and the tom yum soup. Both were fantastic. Just the right amount of spicy. It was quite a bit of food, so most of the salad made its way home with me for leftovers.
The decor is typical for a tiny restaurant in an asian grocery store, so small-ish tables on the side. The food though makes up for that five fold.
Definitely the best thai food that I have had in Houston.
I would recommend this for anyone, nice little place, a hidden gem. -
Review from Karen S.
Houston, TX
2/23/2012
Love this place!
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Review from Devil G.
Houston, TX
1/21/2011
Quality dropped very badly.
This place used to be the only place in town where you can get an authentic Thai food but for some reason they can't keep quality of the test anymore. I usually go there and order Laos Somtam. I don't know what I ate last time but it tasted very weird, maybe they used Vietnamese fish paste or something. Another of my favorite menu is Yam Nam Tod but when I had it last time it was VERY disappointed. They added alot of rice to the dish and maybe only half of the Nam stick. What a greedy bastard!! and it tasted so bland; not enough lime, fish sauce, and everything. My best advice is. If you wanna taste the real Thai food, you have to wait for Thai festivals that happen occasionally at the Thai temple. -
Review from George L.
10/4/2011 1 Check-in Here
If you're not careful you'll drive right by this place. I like the smell of Asian grocery stores. An aroma of exotic herbs and sauces hit you when you walk in, and you just know the food is going to be good. Order at the front register and then you can walk the aisles and look at all the interesting Thai ingredients. Ordered the Pad See Ew that day and it didn't disappoint. Good portions, lots of meat and veggies, and a great charred, fish saucy taste. I'll definitely be back to try the other dishes.
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Review from Lisa O.
12/1/2010 5 photos
This is a neat little market with really sweet owners and staff. What I feel is particularly unique is that it's predominantly a Thai vs Chinese market, which I feel is the most common in Hou. It's a teeny place so there's limited selection but that they make fresh, flavorful Thai food while you wait is a certain plus.
As I was loading up on fresh itty bitty eggplants (only $1.79 a lb!) and other Thai treats as featured in a few of the pics, women were in the adjacent kitchen cooking up 2+ meals worth of a verrrrry delicious green curry tofu for only $7.95. Props to Michael W. for the delicious advice (and I don't know how you ate "spicy" curry, that "medium" was hot enough for me!)
Was impressed and I'm definitely looking forward to going back and trying more things with friends! -
Review from Jonah L.
Houston, TX
4/13/2011
5 stars for this place??? seriously? The best thai food in Houston next to peiwei thai mango chicken for most people give this place 4 to 5 stars. Yuck, the place looks dirty and is very DIRTY. We both got sick after eating in the place, the penang curry taste funky. the pad thai was rancid. The fried chicken wings were ok, but prob needs a little bit more seasoning ,it took long time for them to bring out the dishes. the service by the black dude was bad and he has lots of attitude just taking our order. This may explain the part that we both got SICK eating there. Remember the movie Roadtrip. The same guy was sitting as the cashier collecting our money without saying a thank you. Should have saved the two dollars tips we left on the table. Not recommended.
The grocery part of the store on the other hand was nice. -
Review from CLINTON W.
Charlotte, NC
12/1/2009
Really? Everyone is giving this place that great of reviews? I have some coworkers that eat at this place at least once or twice a week. So, I decided that it was finally time to check it out. I was accompanied by my lovely girlfriend and right off the bat we loved it. You can't help but feel like Anthony Bourdain when you order your food and take a seat to wait for it. It's basically a little convenient store with a restaurant in the back and about 8 two-seater tables located along the window.
Now, we're not too familiar with what all the Thai dishes are and that could have been where we went wrong. I do love pad thai and we got an order of that as well as an order of sweet and sour chicken with veggies. The sweet and sour chicken came out first. I loved the sauce and cooked cucumbers, but the chicken itself was some what rubbery and a little dry. The portion of the meal that came out next is what the 2 stars is for. Like I said, I love pad thai. We ordered ours with beef. Without getting too graphic, the taste of it was as if the woman cooking it went out, ran a marathon and then threw her underwear into the pan to cook with the noodles. It was pretty rank and the lady friend agreed with me. It just was not up to par.
Also, the pricing wasn't as cheap as one would think for it's location and quality. You can go to a place that is only a Thai restaurant with service and not a Thai restaurant as well as convenient store for about the same price if not cheaper. I think next time I'm in the mood for Thai, I'll choose a restaurant where you get the service as well as the quality. I don't care that they gave a ton of food for their serving size. Who needs that much?
I might try it again after I read what the other Yelpers recommend as long as it's not the pad thai. As for now, I'll opt for Niddia's for a lunch which I just compared online menus, is cheaper than Asia Market and you get service. -
Review from Peter T.
Houston, TX
11/17/2009
Food: 3.5/5
Ambiance: 1/5
Services: 1/5
Prices: $$ (avg 15/person)
Much Ado About Nothing! About 4.20pm, I called and order my meal, they said its gonna take 30mins. So, i left work at I10/Bunker Hill, took 610 North (big mistake, stupid Google), found the place around 4.50pm and got my order and left the store about 5.25pm. Here's what i have tried:
Som tum (the much raved papaya salads) Laos style: the papaya was unripe (thus has no papaya flavor at all), the fish sauce was way over-powering and its really dont have much taste beside that...
Tom yum seafood: very basic and boring. They uses the frozen mixed seafood bag that doesnt really contribute any seafood flavor. Eventhough there were some slices of galanga in them, the tom yum is just too mediocre and doesnt even has any "kick" to it. Check out Nidda Thai or Thai Stick for better tom yum (my humble opinion)
Green curry with chicken: Again very bland, not much of the aroma nor flavor. The only redeeming point is that they used the Thai eggplant, i love those stuff.
Kee Mao noodle with beef: Ahhhhh finally the best dish. The noodles are perfectly stirred fried with the right flavor (even the burned taste) and textures. This is no doubt one of the best kee mao and even resemblance to the malaysian char-kuey-teow!
Considering the location and those dishes I have tried, i think i wont be missing this place any time soon. I can surely do without! Thanks though Asia Market for the experience, I got excited for nothing...Listed in: Most OVER-rated Restaurants
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Review from Vinh N.
11/6/2009 2 Check-ins Here
AAAAAaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!! Finally a place that lives up to the hype. Because of the odd hours, its been hard for me to try this place out. But on my random vacation day off I made the trip over to this hole in the wall with 2 of my buds and had ourselves a hell of a lunch.
So first of all, good thing I only went with 2 of my friends cause all the tables are for 2 so making it 3 was barely manageable. We all started with a Thai coffee, don't get it, its poured out of a can and heavy on the cream. We had to add water to it to dilute the taste.
Ok, now that we're done with the negatives, on to the important part. The food was very surprising. We ordered the pad see ew, panang curry, and pad kee mao. All were very fresh, cooked to order, perfectly portioned dishes. I asked for my food as spicy as possible and I usually get a spicy level of siracha but this place did it right. They even threw in fresh thai peppers on the side just in case it wasn't hot enough. The ingredients were very fresh and were probably apart of their inventory. The dishes were cooked very flavorful and tasted on point with what I expect from the dish.
Lastly the service was nice and kind. They're the same people running the little store so attention wasn't all there but when they were, they were nice and attentive for that span of time though.Listed in: Hidden Treasure aka Hole in…
