Everything we tried at Fort Worth’s latest Thai restaurant
Magnolia Street has a new snazzy Thai restaurant on the block.
Ko Thai is a new two-story restaurant on Magnolia Avenue with traditional Thai dishes but also specialty items curated towards the southside culture of Fort Worth.
From the owners of Koracha Thai in Benbrook, Joy Theepaka and “Nick” Thana Pornin thought they would bring the Ko (cow) to Cowtown.
“We could have gone to Dallas, but Fort Worth doesn’t have much Thai food,” Theepaka said.
Spice is a block down the street at 411 W. Magnolia Ave., and there are other Thai spots in town, but Theepaka doesn’t just want guests to come to Ko Thai for good food. She also wants guests to enjoy the atmosphere she and Pornin spent two years carefully curating. The attention to detail is evident in everything from the cutlery, menu design, take-out bags, serving platters and dish presentation.
Dining experience at Ko Thai
Ko Thai is the first tenant at 725 W Magnolia Ave., right across the street from the staple Paris Coffee Shop.
The inside of this restaurant represents the culture of the Isan region of Northeast Thailand, where most of the dishes are from.
“The Isan region is known for bold, spicy dishes like papaya salad and roasted whole chicken,” said Theepaka. “We want to bring these Isan classics full of flavor and tradition to our customers’ plates.”
The walls are robed in red with giant Quran statues placed symmetrically facing each other. Moody Thai lamps are warmly lit in clusters above the dining room, lighting up the sophisticated upstairs space as well. All furniture is sleek, dressed with natural woods and golds.
There is also a patio, balcony and bar. The balcony has a pretty view of quaint Magnolia Street. The bar is sexy, stocked with wines and liquors– Theepaka saw the importance of having a wine collection for the area they are in — “because Magnolia is wine street.”
What’s on the menu at Ko Thai?
To pair with wines, Ko is going to offer a “Thai charcuterie” with Thai sausages, cheeses and Thai pickled veggies.
As I enjoyed my Thai Tea, I also tried the E San Classic (Theepaka’s favorite), the Crying Tiger and of course, Chicken Pad Thai with medium spice.
E San Classic: whole roasted chicken (crispy skin with juicy meat) paired with the classic Isan papaya salad (fresh, light, tangy, slight peanut flavor).
Crying Tiger: (most popular dish, according to Theepaka and my favorite dish of the three) grilled, marinated ribeye steak served with lettuce and cucumbers. The classic Isan dipping sauce is bold and spicy.
“According to Thai legend, the dish is so flavorful and spicy that even a fierce tiger would shed tears after tasting it,” said Theepaka.
Chicken Pad Thai: thinly sliced chicken with sweet and spicy stir fried noodles (I tried medium spice and could go for more. The dish is sweeter without the spice).
Theepaka also recommends the red snapper salad, Pla Ma Kaan, an item not offered at the Benbrook Koracha.
Mark Tittle, a fellow diner at Ko Thai, said his Spicy Basil Fried Rice was great. Even though he wiped his plate completely clean, he also ordered the Egg Rolls to top off his lunch.
The Star-Telegram’s Bud Kennedy also recommends the Beef Kra-Praw.
“The sleeper on any Thai menu is the kaphrao, often spelled kra-prow or gra-pow. It’s a spicy stir-fry dish with a choice of meat, basil, garlic, onions and peppers.”
For Ko’s elevated environment, the menu prices are reasonable. If one does not purchase alcohol, they could easily enjoy a meal for under $25.
Ko Thai is freshly opened, still getting things in order. However, they are fully operating in their normal business hours. You can visit them Sunday through Thursday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Fridays and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.
This story was originally published May 3, 2025 at 12:00 PM.