Asia Market: Houston, Texas
This ethnic grocery’s teeny kitchen specializes in palate-awakening heat. Choose among five spice levels (from “mild” to “1,000 peppers”), and make any necessary adjustments at the table stocked with fiery condiments. The choices here include bowls of kee mao (rice noodles spiked with basil, cherry tomatoes, and chili sauce); preserved duck egg curry; and shredded papaya salad with crab, made Thai style (sweet and sour with peanuts, dried shrimp, and cherry tomatoes) or Laos style (meaning with galvanic bursts of southern Thai fish sauce). Most dishes ring in under $8, making Asia Market’s homespun setting all the more satisfying.