Thai Spice
Corpus Christi Chef Pennee Chanyaman and her host-husband, Paul, have moved their thriving operation one block to a freestanding building that’s larger, more visible, and more accessible, all the while maintaining the emphasis on personal attention that made their previous spot so well liked. A subsequent increase in patronage has led to a bigger staff, which itself has led to a few service glitches, but we trust those will be quickly resolved. As for the food, the refreshed menu offers many choices; we recommend the somewhat mild (relatively speaking) massaman curry with fork-tender chunks of beef and chicken and the Pad Thai Trio: beef, chicken, and tofu served over rice noodles with crushed peanuts, egg, mixed vegetables, and fresh bean sprouts. Beer & wine. 523 N. Water (361-883-8884). Open 7 days 11–11. $$ W+
Sandbar Fish House & Market
San Antonio It’s not new, but with a new location and a larger kitchen, Sandbar is now an even more complete seafood restaurant. One or two favorites from chef-owner Andrew Weissman’s recently closed French restaurant Le Rêve turn up here and there; the signature onion tart is back, as is the Key lime tart (a wonderfully tart tart). A spectrum of left- and right-coast oysters, expensive but ethereal, taste as fresh and briny as if they had just been dredged from the ocean floor, while the lobster bisque is supremely flavorful. The lobster-stuffed fluke is the most refined main course; the crisp-skinned wild bass with bacon is less polished but equally spectacular. Happily, Sandbar’s blue-and-white decorative scheme recalls the original clean look. Beer & wine. Pearl Brewery complex, 200 E. Grayson (210-222-2426). Open Tue–Sat 11:30–10. Closed Sun & Mon. $$–$$$ W+
