It’s been a while since I’ve talked about a good food find in Suzhou, so let me introduce you to Stray Asia!
This hidden gem is located within an underground passageway that leads from the Xinghai Square subway station (星海广场站) to what is now called Global 188; it used to be called Frasier Suites.
Stray Asia specializes in what I would call Vietnamese-Thai fusion. So far everything I’ve had is delicious but would definitely suggest getting rice dishes with any of their Thai curries instead of noodles. When it comes to spice levels, what they call spicy I call wimpy, so don’t worry too much if you’re spice adverse. (I might also be getting the “white man” spice consideration, even after confirming in Chinese that I like it spicy! 辛辣!)
Ordering is easy as you just mark what you want on a dry-erase menu, hand the menu to one of the cashier’s, and then wait for it to be prepared. Eating “in” (they have tables in the underground passage way, not inside a store) or taking your meal home is perfectly acceptable. You can even order from Sherpa (the Seamless of Suzhou & Shanghai for English speakers) if you’re feeling lazy.
Best of all, Stray Asia is located about 100 metres away from another hidden gem of this underground passage way: the cheap beer, wine, and liquor store! Cherry Story Store is the name, but why they have welcoming Americana print tables with chairs outside the shop I have no idea!
