Thai Mama is a recently opened food truck worth seeking out in Tampa’s Carrollwood area. Specializing in flavorful, homestyle Thai cuisine at 5226 Gunn Highway, the family-owned mobile kitchen is led by the Thai Mama herself: Prayoon “Lek” Brink.
Lek has been cooking at Thai restaurants in both Tampa and Thailand for the past 30 years, and her nickname means “small” in Thai, as she’s only 4 feet 10 inches tall. Lek’s husband, Glenn — who met his future wife while working as an American tour guide in Thailand, where he lived for 10 years before the couple moved to Florida in 1999 — helps out in the kitchen, alongside son Woody and daughter Alysha.
Despite being a restaurant-on-wheels, Thai Mama has a sizable lineup featuring everything from starters and salads to stir-fried specialties. Lek’s signature dish is her famous fried rice, but the curry and noodle offerings sound just as tasty.
Oh, and patrons are able to elect which spice level they prefer, of course, choosing between mild, medium, hot or Thai hot.
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This article appears in May 31 – Jun 7, 2018.
