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Thai Kun chef Thai Changthong opened a new food stall, P. Thai Khao Man Gai, devoted to Thai-style khao man gai within Hong Kong Supermarket. The restaurant is open as of Sunday, July 16 at 8557 Research Boulevard in North Austin.
Changthong uses his mother’s recipe for khao man gai, using whole chickens to make the chicken fat rice and broth. There will be versions with both steamed chicken (khao man gai, which comes with a fermented bean chili-ginger sauce that makes the dish Thai) and fried chicken (khao man gai tod, which comes with a Thai sweet chili sauce), similar to dishes from Thai Kun’s food truck. Customers can opt for either version or a combination of both. He may also incorporate dishes like fried pork belly or a daily special.
The stall is counter service serving food-to-go, with an adjacent cafe/bar area where people can sit to eat.
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Changthong told Eater he wanted to open this stall to honor his mother, who can no longer make the dish due to health issues. He also has a longstanding relationship with the owner of Hong Kong Supermarket, Dat Lien, (the pair have been friends since high school) and he plans to get produce and ingredients fresh from the supermarket. “I can’t say I ran out of food!” he jokes to Eater.
Changthong’s long-term goal is to bring a taste of Yaowarat, Bangkok’s Chinatown neighborhood, to Austin. He will continue to work at Thai Kun.
Because P. Thai Khao Man Gai is still in the early stages of opening, its hours will be announced on Instagram daily.
