Tom Yum Thai Kitchen in Henderson fills quick-serve niche

The pad thai and fried rice served with yellow curry (top right), as well as the panang curry (top left), a spicy option manager Jason Sugai typically warns unsuspecting customers about. (Diego Mendoza-Moyers/View) @dmendozamoyers

A peach boba drink served with a main entree of pad thai noodles and fried rice alongside the two types of curry Tom Yum serves: yellow and panang. (Diego Mendoza-Moyers/View) @dmendozamoyers

Some of the entrees served at Tom Yum Thai Kitchen on Sept. 28. The two curry options are on the left, as well as two beef options like the Tokyo beef (top) and Siam beef (bottom). (Diego Mendoza-Moyers/View) @dmendozamoyers

The front of Tom Yum Thai Kitchen in Galleria at Sunset Mall on Sept. 28. (Diego Mendoza-Moyers/View) @dmendozamoyers

While Henderson has had Thai restaurants, a niche was being missed, said Jason Sugai, manager at Tom Yum Thai Kitchen.

“There wasn’t … a quick-serve Thai place,” he said. Sugai’s mother’s side of the family is from Thailand, and his father’s family is from Japan.

Tom Yum opened in January in the food court at the Galleria at Sunset mall. It serves traditional Thai staples such as yellow curry and panang curry, Japanese dishes such as Tokyo beef and Filipino dishes such as chicken adobo.

“It’s not like Panda Express, where it’s really ‘Americanized,’ Sugai said. “A lot of the dishes we chose are ones that probably are most popular; people are aware of yellow curry, tom yum soup.”

Entrees can be ordered on small ($6), medium ($7.20) or large plates ($8.70) and are served with pad thai noodles or fried rice. Sugai plans to add a soup station.

Tom Yum also has boba drinks for $4-$5. Popular flavors include mango, taro, cookies and cream and horchata. Desserts, including honey toast with taro ice cream ($4) and roti with condensed milk ($3) are available.

“We envisioned this concept of the fast Thai with the boba; it goes together pretty good,” Sugai said.

Contact Diego Mendoza-Moyers at dmendozamoyers@viewnews.com or call 702-383-0496. Follow @dmendozamoyers on Twitter.