KrungThep Tea

To a local in Thailand, Krungthep might be used as another name for the capital of Bangkok. For Orlandoans, the name will quickly be synonymous with delicious tea. It was no surprise that this cozy space was transformed by an owner that recently moved from Los Angeles. Clean white brick, big sparkling bulb lettering behind the bar, and some great design elements in their typography.  But enough about aesthetics, what about the food.

First, the tea selection will excite tea lovers. I counted 24 options just on the first page alone.  Try choosing between idyllic options like Honeybush, Carmelized Pear, and Aromatic Rose.  If you are like me it will take you a few minutes to make your almost impossible decision. Their menu  guides you through helpful descriptions, but also notes the level of caffeine in each tea which is greatly appreciated so you don't accidentally end up wide-eyed late at night after indulging in a jolt you weren't expecting.

I chose chrysanthemum as my first tea which I ordered iced, and not only was it very a generous serving for the $3.50 price tag, but it had actual flowers in the tea.  My second tea was the Nom Yem (Pink Milk), which was not as sweet as it's hue would suggest. Both delicious and refreshing. Their current soft opening menu includes a variety of sandwiches that can also be served "naked" as salads.

I chose the Gra-Pow Chicken served on Olde Hearth Five Grain bread for $8.  It consisted of chicken, fresh basil, a generous helping of onion, red pepper, mozzarella, and basil mayo. It took me by surprise with it's powerful kick that left my lips tingling, but it wasn't anything too powerful for my iced tea to sooth.   All sandwiches are served with a side salad to round out the meal.

Our servers were attentive and hospitable, and we watched as friends walked in and greeted each other in Thai, with สวัสดี or S̄wạs̄dī, which made me instantly think of my friends who live in Seattle, and their little girl that I've heard say this phrase adorably so many times.

After my meal it was time to get down to business with dessert. Don't let the phrase "Brick Toast" fool you.  In it's more modest and original form it consists of a piece of toast dipped in a thick sauce made with milk, salt, butter, and water. That dish has seen a modern transformation into a glorious sweet meal in itself, and at KrungThep, they don't hold back the decadence.

I of course got two to share when one would have sufficed. The first was the Queen Bee which has organic local honey, chocolate syrup, topped with cookies 'n cream ice cream for $6.

The second is Ferrero Choco, which you guessed it, has broken Ferrero Rocher pieces blended with chocolate syrup, peanut, and chocolate fudge brownie gelato, also $6.

The genius behind these desserts, I believe, is in the toast. Crispy on the edges, but the overall consistency is still soft and easy to chew. Portions are plenty to share, but of course we did a pretty honorable amount of damage to both plates.

If these seem a bit too intense, you can opt for a simpler version of toast with different jams and spreads to satisfy your sweet tooth in a least beastly manner.

It's always exciting to see people bringing new types of cuisine to our area, that otherwise we would only be able to find in larger cities.

While the cafe is more on the intimate side, there is still ample seating with banquette seating utilizing the space well.

Parking could get a little dicey for this location off Fairbanks right next to Spatz, but it's well worth finding a spot and potentially blocking the left eastbound lane while try desperately to make that left hand turn.

Make sure to check them out, and tag and post your pictures on social media for 10% your bill all month long!

After all, we all need a big pink tea that is almost the size of our face!