Local Kitchens, the new restaurant concept that curates the best foods from around the country and brings them under one roof, has co-developed a new and exclusive menu with award winning Chef Andy Ricker. The new restaurant, Tam Sang, brings Thai flavors inspired by Thailand’s made-to-order street vendors to four Local Kitchens locations: Palo Alto, Lafayette, Mill Valley, and Cupertino.
Two-time James Beard Award winner and founder of the Michelin star award-winning Thai restaurant Pok Pok, Chef Andy Ricker, first visited Thailand in 1987 and fell deeply in love with their food and culture. Spending much of his time there, Ricker trained extensively before opening his first Thai restaurant Pok Pok in 2005. The Pok Pok empire eventually included restaurants in Los Angeles, Las Vegas and New York, with the latter earning a Michelin star in 2015. In 2020, during the pandemic Ricker closed the doors on Pok Pok and moved to Chiang Mai, Thailand where he currently resides.
“Cooking the food of Thailand requires a high level of respect and attention to detail that isn’t easily achieved, so it has been a privilege to work with Local Kitchens and their culinary team to accomplish a convenient menu of this caliber” says Ricker. “We followed my personal ethos of always trying to honor the food makers of Thailand by cooking dishes that stay true to their origin with menu items like our Khao Soi Kai and Thai Crispy Wings (Kai Thawt Had Yai). I’m very happy to share Tam Sang with the Bay Area and hope our guests will enjoy eating the food as much as I have enjoyed cooking it!”
The Tam Sang menu is steeped in vibrant flavors and features a balance of rice, noodles, and vegetarian options, including:
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Khao Soi Kai: Northern Thai curry noodle soup with chicken, coconut broth, pickled mustard greens, shallots, roasted chile paste. Topped with crispy noodles, cilantro and fresh lime
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Red Curry with Sweet Potato: Tender sweet potato, fried tofu, pearl onions and Thai basil in a spicy coconut red curry. Served with jasmine rice (vegetarian/vegan)
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Tam Sang Crispy Wings: The crispiest Thai-style spicy chicken wings, topped with fried shallots. Served with house-made Sri-Rancha dressing and smoky sweet chili sauce
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Yam Yai: Thai chef’s salad with green leaf lettuce, roasted chicken, boiled egg, cucumbers, carrots, onion, pickled garlic, scallions, fried tofu and chopped peanuts. Served with house-made Sri-Rancha dressing.
“Thai is a cuisine many of our guests have been asking for, so to bring this menu to life with Chef Andy is a privilege” says Chef Matthew Rudofker, Head of Culinary at Local Kitchens. “Chef Andy’s passion and deep knowledge of authentic regional Thai cuisines is amongst the most renowned in the culinary landscape. From the cooking techniques used to each ingredient we’ve carefully selected, Andy has ensured Tam Sang represents what Thai flavors are all about. We’re very excited to share this new menu with our guests.”
