Foreign Correspondents
Few cities in the United States can claim a proximity to the equator that approaches Chiang Mai’s, but Houston might be among the closest. This similarity in climate, plus the region’s large population of Southeast Asian immigrants, affords Foreign Correspondents chefs Apple Stoops (Thai) and her husband, PJ Stoops (not Thai but lived there for a bit) a unique opportunity: to find—locally—produce not usually seen outside Thailand. Through a relationship with Sameth and Lee Nget of nearby Khmer Farms, Foreign Correspondents fills out its menu with rarities like crispy water spinach, fragrant holy basil and lemongrass, and funky heart leaf. That means that their stir-fries taste brighter, their curries fresher, and their laaps more herbaceously nuanced than anything you’re going to find anywhere else on this landmass. Though the room is modern and fun (with walls covered in psychedelic murals), Foreign Correspondents doesn’t underestimate Houston diners. “Frog Bundles”—that’s the amphibian’s offal steamed in a banana leaf—as well as “possibly the best balut in the country” (just look it up) are almost always on offer, not to appeal to foodie bros looking to one up each other, but because the chefs really, really want people to understand how delicious these dishes are.
PRO TIP: In addition to à la carte options, the restaurant serves family-style set-menus ($80 for two people; $140 for four; $180 for six), which are the best way to experience FC for the first time. And while we usually think wine pairings are fussy, the ones offered with the prix-fixe are decidedly not: A server simply drops small bottles of a number of tasty options on the table and lets you go to town.
THE DETAILS: Open daily. Dinner from 5–10 p.m. (11 on Fridays and Saturdays).
