Photo taken by Andrew Fabian

In each cuisine, there exists a small list of staples with which you can judge a restaurant by. A Chinese restaurant might tell you everything you need to know by its egg rolls or lo mein, an Italian restaurant by its marinara, a smokehouse by its brisket or a French restaurant by how many menu items you won’t be caught dead trying to pronounce. You can judge Stiks by its Pad Thai.

The new concept on South Tamiami near Demetrio’s is a refreshed concept from Nikki Lum-Kleiber and husband David Kleiber, the former being the daughter of A Taste of Asia’s founders and owners, Lam and Selina Lum. The young couple have modernized the interior space with chic furniture, stylish décor and some neon accents while also reconfiguring the menu into a fast-casual, cafeteria-style concept. But the most important thing is what they haven’t changed: the pad Thai recipe.

Some pad Thai preparations are heavy on the flavor of a well-seasoned wok, some are gummy with starches while others are as sweet as dessert. At Stiks, the pad Thai is just right, combining all the requisite notes of tamarind paste, soy and fish sauce, sugar and vinegar into a rich and smooth profile strung together with a bit of peanut butter. Served in a small to-go box with your choice of protein, Stiks’ pad Thai bodes well for the overall calculus of the restaurant’s concept: fast food, casual atmosphere, inexpensive and customizable menu, and a tasty staple to judge it by. And for those on a fried chicken kick (me), get it topped with fried chicken.

Photo taken by Andrew Fabian

For Stiks' full menu click here