Malden’s Phat Thaiger Feels Like a Party 

Phat Thaiger’s crispy gobō (burdock root) chips, dusted with Thai crying larb seasoning, as shown here, or available with shio (salt) and mentaiko (pollock roe). / Photo by Rachel Leah Blumenthal

Phat Thaiger. / Photo by Rachel Leah Blumenthal

Sweet, smoky, sour—it’s all here in dishes that blend cultures, like pad thai made fairly traditionally, but with udon (a chewy, wheat-based Japanese noodle) instead of a Thai rice noodle. Another highlight is the “son-in-law” agedashi tofu, which takes a popular fried Japanese tofu dish and blends it with aspects of Thai son-in-law eggs (khai luk khoei), particularly the sweet and tart tamarind sauce and crispy shallots. While Phat Thaiger’s dish doesn’t include the boiled-then-fried eggs of the traditional Thai dish, the crispy tofu is reminiscent of the texture. It’s a surprisingly seamless melding of the cuisines, much like Phat Thaiger’s Japanese-meets-Thai hotpot. (The restaurant presents the dish in the style of Japan’s kami nabe, in which the ingredients cook in a small pot made of paper, but adds Thai herbs to the miso broth as a nod to Isan Thai cuisine’s own style of hotpot, jaew hon.)

Phat Thaiger’s son-in-law agedashi tofu with tamarind sauce, fried shallots, bonito (dried tuna) flake, and shredded togarashi. / Photo by Rachel Leah Blumenthal

Phat Thaiger’s “Pretty Hot and Tempting!” (PHAT) cocktail, a twist on a spicy margarita with Del Vida mezcal, Arette blanco tequila, yuzu juice, bird’s eye chili bitters, and a fiery lime. / Photo by Rachel Leah Blumenthal

Further proof that Thai and Japanese cuisines can fuse with great results: The beautiful DIY temaki (hand roll) presentation—a gleaming box holding nine fillings and rice to be spooned onto crispy seaweed. The flavors of Isan’s nam tok, the spicy and sour “waterfall beef,” are used with lightly torched wagyu beef, for instance. And in some cases, the Thai inspiration leaves Isan and heads south, like in the snow crab prepared in the style of a Southern crab curry, kang pu, or the torched salmon kang som with mango, based on a sour Southern curry.

Phat Thaiger’s salmon wasarb crudo: raw salmon with the restaurant’s “wasarb,” a bird’s eye chili, lime, and wasabi dressing. / Photo by Rachel Leah Blumenthal

Phat Thaiger’s som tum tard platter (papaya salad) with Japanese accents, such as tamago (sweet egg) and steamed shrimp. In the background, one of Phat Thaiger’s nonalcoholic options: Phat Thaiger Tea, a mix of Thai tea and matcha. / Photo by Rachel Leah Blumenthal

Sure, the vibe is fairly casual at Phat Thaiger, but you’re going to eat some luxurious meat. “We really try to pick high-quality products,” says Thanangthirapong. In addition to the maki and temaki wagyu dishes, thin slices garnish an udon tom yum soup, and four different cuts await tabletop grilling, both hobayaki- and teppanyaki-style. Best eaten rare—just a few seconds on the grill per side—the wagyu is meant to be dunked in a tangy jaew sauce.

The Phat Thaiger bar. / Photo by Rachel Leah Blumenthal

Phat Thaiger’s Phat thai, pad thai with udon. / Photo by Rachel Leah Blumenthal

At a traditional Japanese izakaya, essentially a tavern or pub, the food takes a supporting role to the drinks. While the food’s certainly no afterthought at Phat Thaiger, the drinks do get quite a bit of emphasis—from nonalcoholic concoctions like a thai tea/matcha latte combo to creative cocktails with elaborate backstories. Take the Nintendo-referencing “Bowser’s SMASH, Shiso-jito!” for example. When drinking the shiso-infused, mojito-inspired refresher, the menu bids you to “imagine [the King of the Koopas] kicking back after a long day of kidnapping princesses and causing chaos. It’s the perfect drink for a villain who knows how to relax in style.” A vodka, sake, elderflower, and egg white cocktail, meanwhile—called “The Secret of Yuki Onna”—is an ode to the Japanese folkloric “Snow Lady” who “roams the winter nights—captivating yet dangerous,” per the menu. Layers of floral and citrus flavors are meant to mirror her “ethereal beauty,” while the drink’s cloudiness is “reminiscent of the misty winter fog that surrounds her.” A variety of flavors of chu-hi (shochu highballs) and other highballs round out the offerings.

Phat Thaiger. / Photo by Rachel Leah Blumenthal

Phat Thaiger’s larb tuna with crispy nori, accompanied by the Sobacha cocktail with sobacha (buckwheat tea), dark rum, umeshu (plum liqueur), and ginger. / Photo by Rachel Leah Blumenthal

While the Phat Thaiger team has mostly focused on Thai cuisine (in addition to Thaiger Den, they’re also behind Crying Thaiger, a more casual Thai spot in Malden), this isn’t their first foray into Japanese; they also run Malden’s Zuru Zuru Ramen and Donburi. Putting the two cuisines together is “a fusion born from passion,” says Thanangthirapong, “inspired by a deep love for two culinary worlds.” The goal? “To create a menu that surprises and delights while honoring the authenticity of both cultures.” In less capable hands, fusion cuisine can be gimmicky, but here—in a setting that mixes classic Japanese izakaya ambiance with Thai street markets—Phat Thaiger feels like an earnest celebration at the crossroads of two cuisines. And better yet: a party.

Two of Phat Thaiger’s nonalcoholic drinks: On the left, the Tochi Matcha Dream, matcha latte with strawberry puree; on the right, the Ikura Fizz, with strawberry, Calpico, soda water, and mango popping boba. / Photo by Rachel Leah Blumenthal

Phat Thaiger’s hobayaki (A5 wagyu flat iron served on a hoba leaf) and A5 wagyu teppanyaki setups, all for grilling at the table. / Photo by Rachel Leah Blumenthal