Montee 13 packs a Bangkok street-stall into a Tokyo backstreet: dim lighting, blinking string lights strung across the room, a Thai flag, a small altar by the door, portraits of Thai royalty, and Thai pop blaring over the speakers. Opened in 2006 in the Asakusa underground arcade and relocated to Azumabashi in 2018, it has kept its unfiltered, not-toned-down-for-Japanese-tastes spice level throughout. The kitchen leans into Isaan cooking — fiery larb, fermented pork sausage (naem) stir-fries, a clear sour-spicy Po Taek seafood soup, and its own yellow-curry take on khao soi noodles.
