Chef Thai & Sushi might just be one of the best, unassuming Asian restaurants in the Tampa Bay area. This tiny restaurant, nestled in the confines of an overly-average shopping center in South Tampa is an ideal destination for anyone seeking a massive assortment of Thai, Japanese, and Chinese cuisine under one modest roof.
Tiny is, by no means, an overstatement for this place. I'd imagine a bounty of elbows bumping amidst the hustle and bustle of this place on a Saturday night. Sit in the right spot and you might as well be sharing a plate with the sushi chef who rolls the huge variety of standard, but artfully crafted sushi rolls that line the menu.
We went for the aptly titled King Kong Roll as an appetizer. This boa constrictor sized sushi roll is a work of Japanese decadence featuring a menagerie of spicy krab, avocado, eel tempura, spicy mayo, eel sauce, and tempura crunch on top. Delectable, even if a bit pricey at $12.95.
Another specialty at Chef Thai & Sushi is their huge assortment of boba teas, a blended smoothie-like drink in a variety of flavors made unique by the frozen tapioca balls that sit at the bottom. Tea's a little deceptive as these things are basically milkshakes, but with distinct flavors like papaya, lychee, mango, and cantaloupe, they work as a rich, one of a kind treat.
One of Chef Thai and Sushi's most popular menu items is their house fried rice, a power-pack assortment of rich, greasy rice, beef, chicken, shrimp, egg, scallions, onions, tomatoes, peas and carrots. This thing is, by no means, glamourous, but it's comforting. For $7.95 the price is right on point with the adequate portion size. The rice tasted a tad bland, but was nothing a generous splash of sodium-packed soy sauce couldn't fix.
Overall, Chef Thai & Sushi packs a surprisingly delicious punch for the modest digs it resides in. Give them a try soon and let us know what you think with your own review and rating on the Chef Thai & Sushi 813area business listing.
