Sa Thi: Tasty Thai Takeout in Jianwai Soho

Robynne Tindall, Contributing Editor | Dec 30, 2016 10:00 am | Add a comment | 1256 reads

Despite being among the more popular foreign cuisines in China, it is a common complaint that there is a dearth of truly great Thai cuisine in Beijing (although we will always make a case for Pak Pak). So imagine our surprise when we discovered a potently authentic Thai café hiding out in the windy corridors of Jianwai Soho.

Said restaurant, Sa Thi, is the brainchild of Thai expat Ally Chonlakarn Sirikolkarn. After graduating from the University of Southern California and spending a few years in the corporate world, Ally decided to turn her attention to food. Her Thai heritage, and the expertise of the Thai chef hired to run her kitchen, shines through in the short menu.

Sa Thi’s tom yum soup is in the running for the best we’ve tried in Beijing, briskly spicy and sour, and funky with prawn stock, yet still light. At RMB 68, and hiding more than a few chunky tiger prawns in its spicy depth, the portion is generous enough for two or even four as part of a shared dinner. Solo diners needn’t worry about being overwhelmed by portion size, as there are plenty of single-serving rice and noodle dishes on the menu. The pork and holy basil stir-fry (otherwise known as pad krapow, RMB 40), topped with a perfectly runny fried egg and served with a mound of fragrant Thai rice, makes an admirable lunch for the price, its hefty dose of chili bringing verve to even the grayest of Beijing days.

This and other fusion-inspired dishes, such as a Thai-spiced version of Cantonese beef horfun (RMB 35) or a tom yum fried rice (RMB 59), are available for delivery through platforms such as Dianping and Baidu Waimai, which goes some way to explaining the small size and functional decor of the restaurant space itself. Whether for dine-in or delivery, Sa Thi looks to be a worthy addition to the daily lunch rotations of the denizens of Jianguomen and Guomao.

Sa Thi
Daily 10am-8pm. 0716B, 1/F, Bldg 7, Jianwai Soho East, 39 Dongsanhuan Zhonglu, Chaoyang District (186 1072 5615)
挲缇泰餐：朝阳区东三环中路39号建外Soho东区7号楼0716B

This article first appeared in our November/December magazine. To read the entire issue online, please click here.