Photography by Lauren Allen.
On Sundays, Lake Highlands eats.
The Buddhist Temple of Dallas hosts a weekly Thai market behind their building. Opening at 9:00 a.m., volunteer vendors set up shop in a line featuring the best of authentic Asian cuisine. It’s first come first served, with some vendors selling out by noon.
“We never even marketed to the public,” Ken Theppote says with a laugh.
Theppote is a chiropractor by day. He’s been volunteering at Buddhist temples for most of his life, now serving as the vice president at Dallas temple.
The market didn’t begin as a market at all. The Buddhist Temple of Dallas houses seven monks onsite. By rule, monks are not allowed to get their own food, everything must be offered to them. A small group of temple members began showing up on Sundays to cook traditional Thai dishes for the monks, typically noodle soups with fish and vegetables.
“Food has always been prepared for monks by offerors,” Theppote says. “What was leftover was shared with the public, which eventually grew into a food market.”
Purely through word of mouth, the market grew to host a consistent group of vendor stands that serve hundreds each Sunday.
Tiem BBQ is the welcome party to most patrons. It’s the first stand from the entrance, serving up chicken, pork and beef skewers for just $3 each. You can add on sticky rice or vegetables for $2 more.
Two stands over, Im-Boon Thai is the temple’s only permanent fixture. It’s staffed entirely by volunteer families, offering noodle and rice bowl dishes along with green tea ice cream. It’s also the only vendor that offers cold drinks, making it especially popular on hot summer days.
Just beside Im-Boon is Thai food from Chef Pang. Draped over his table is a huge banner with his face, namesake and dishes on it. He flaunts experience working with Thai chefs Je Ngor and Jay Fai, both of whom operate or have worked on Michelin-starred restaurants in Bangkok.
“For my first time, there were so many vendor stands to choose from so I just started from the first three I came across,” Dan Descargar says. “They absolutely did not disappoint. The pad see ew, Thai BBQ and sticky rice were authentic and delicious.”
Descargar is a Dallas transplant from Los Angeles. He’s always on the hunt for the best Asian food, coming from a great food scene and Filipino family.
“Coming from a diverse food culture in Los Angeles, I think I know what’s good and authentic Asian food,” he says. “The Dallas Thai market did not disappoint.”
Theresa Mosquito agrees. She’s a Dallas foodie, participating in Facebook groups dedicated to finding new spots in the metroplex.
“I saw an Instagram reel featuring the Thai market,” she says. “Dallas has provided more options for Asian cuisine.”
Dallas does have many Asian food options, but finding the right one can be hard. Restaurants come and go, menus get stale. For the Sunday Thai Market, quality is permanent, and the selection might surprise you.
“It gave me the feeling of those Asian food markets when you travel,” she says. “There is always something new to explore.”
