A tiny Thai kitchen has quietly slipped inside the Citgo on North Armenia Avenue, turning a straightforward gas stop into a pad thai-and-petrol situation at 5018 N Armenia Ave. Chalawaan Thai Delish is working out of a compact pickup window in the station, serving wok-fired noodles, fragrant curries and iced Thai drinks from a menu of roughly three dozen items. Most mains land in the $6 to $18 range, with sweets like mango sticky rice in the mix, and early in-person and delivery reviews are already calling out the Pad Thai and Massaman curry as dishes to beat.
Chef Sirikullaya “Layla” Martinez opened Chalawaan inside the gas station and does her produce runs at nearby Sanwa Farmer’s Market. As reported by Creative Loafing Tampa, Martinez has been in the U.S. for about five years and previously worked at Lemongrass on Kennedy Boulevard. That profile also lays out the counter-style setup and the story behind the restaurant’s name.
What to order
Online delivery menus highlight comfort classics: Pad Thai, Pad Kee Maw (drunken noodles), Panang curry and Mango Sticky Rice show up as customer favorites, with many entrees priced in the mid-teens and Thai iced coffees and teas hovering around $5. Per Postmates, Pad Thai and mango sticky rice are among the most-ordered items right now. The overall feel is classic, crowd-pleasing Thai, tailored to a grab-and-go counter where you can be in and out before your tank hits full.
Hours and ordering
The restaurant’s website lists the address, phone number and current hours as Monday to Friday, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., and closed Sunday, and it also offers online ordering. For the latest hours and the full menu, check the business site at Chalawaan Thai Delish. Delivery and pickup options are also available through the major apps.
A name with roots
The counter’s name nods to folklore from Phichit province in Thailand: Chalawan is the crocodile king in the Krai Thong tale, a character that still shows up in local art and festivals. The Tourism Authority of Thailand notes Chalawan’s role in regional storytelling and iconography, giving this gas-station spot a surprisingly mythic namesake.
A new stop on N Armenia
Chalawaan slots into a stretch of N Armenia Avenue that is already packed with international counters and restaurants, adding Thai flavors to a corridor known for its global lineup. As noted by Creative Loafing Tampa, the span between I-275 and Waters Avenue has long mixed Filipino, South American and Italian options, and this new takeaway window rounds out the mix with curries and noodles.
For now, Chalawaan is clearly built for quick, made-to-order takeout and delivery: apps list pickup and delivery windows and show rising customer scores. You can browse options on Uber Eats or swing by the pickup window at 5018 N Armenia Ave to see what Thai at the pump tastes like in person.
