Siam Station opened during the pandemic, and has done very well solely with take out, during this difficult time. We’ve ordered to-go many times, but this is the first dine-in experience we’ve had here, and I have to admit, it’s damn good.
We start off with Papaya Pok Pok Salad ($12) a bright and delicious dish with finely shredded fresh raw young papaya, tomato, green bean, Thai chili, crusted peanut, and dried shrimp. We requested medium spice level, but it was still a tad spicy for some at the table, but so very flavorful! Even though we broke out in sweat, none of us complained because our taste-buds were dancing in anticipation for what’s to follow.
Kapow ($15) — sometimes listed as kaprow — with chicken, is a classic Thai dish, and every restaurant has its own rendition of it. Here, chicken breast slices are wok-fried with holy basil, chilies, garlic, green bean morsels and carrots. It is always a dish I order when eating Thai food.
Thai Eggplant Basil ($15) with tofu is another favorite of mine. Administering the same wok-fired technique, the combination of eggplant and tofu, paired with stir-fried holy basil, chilies, garlic, bell peppers and onions, is the perfect dish whether you’re vegetarian or not.
My friends ordered Garlic Pepper ($15) with crispy pork ($2) sauteed in a garlic soy sauce with veggies. Crispy pork is not something I usually would order, but I am so surprised at how delicious it is. My gripe with pork belly is that oftentimes more often than not, it isn’t rendered properly, leaving bits of unappealing chewy fat in my mouth. Here, the pork is prepared super crispy, giving it a wonderful textural contrast.
Another dish my friends order is Orange Chicken ($15) a riff off of the Chinese-American dish. The chicken pieces are battered – which remained crispy – and tossed in a house, special orange sauce. It wasn’t cloyingly sweet, so that’s a huge plus.
All of the above dishes are best eaten with hot steaming rice, and Siam Station offers white jasmine, brown and sticky rice.
I’m a huge fan of Pad Kee Mow ($13) otherwise known as Drunken Noodles. We ordered ours with shrimp ($3). The flat rice noodles are cooked to perfection, seared in a spicy basil garlic sauce, with bell peppers, tomatoes, sweet onion, and Thai basil. I can’t stress enough how spot on the texture of the noodles are — not even the slightest bit mushy! The best part is tasting that wok-kissed flavor on the noodles! Definitely an A+ in my book.
The restaurant does a mean take-out business, but I still love dining in because everything is piping hot when it reaches the table. They offer both indoor, an outdoor seating, but be aware as the restaurant does get super busy, so go early, or go late, just don’t go during the rush or you’ll be waiting for a while. I can’t think of anything worse than being hungry, having to wait, while smelling the wonderful aromas wafting from the kitchen!
Siam Station
92 Corporate Park
Irvine, CA 92606
Tel: 949-923-0499
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