Chow Down Atlanta

There were only a handful of good Thai restaurants in Atlanta when we were young. Back in the late 80s/early 90s, our family rotation included King and I, Thai of Norcross, and Taste of Thai (aka ToT). The former two have changed hands twice since then, while the latter is still with the original management. Two years ago, the family sold ToT to someone who used to work at the restaurant and branched out to the north and opened Lime Juice. This wasn’t known to me until I ordered a dish that I knew could only be found nowhere else but at ToT. Then, one of the young servers recognized us and asked us why she hasn’t seen us in a while. We gave her a quizzical look — well, what do you know, she was the same young ‘un as us back when we used to go to ToT every week and she was there helping serve in between doing homework. Small world.

The first thing that impressed me was that this place is packed every lunch time. By noon, there’s a wait out the door. But what’s most exciting to me is the food. The northern Thai chef cooks unbelievably great Southern/Central Thai food in addition to some Northern dishes which he does exceptionally well (as expected, of course). Papaya salad (som tam), a signature Northern dish, which uses crisp, shredded green papaya in a spicy sweet/sour sauce, is as genuine as you can ever get. You can really taste the nam pla (fish sauce), a heavy influence from the north. It is spicy and light.

Another must try here is the northern dish, Yum Woon Sen, with the requisite ingredients: bean thread noodles, ground chicken, shrimp, red onions, mushrooms, and peanuts in a spicy-sweet-sour dressing. It is delicious but very, very spicy. Beware, requesting for a 3-pepper heat level is only meant for asbestos-tongued like me.

The Yellow Curry Fried Rice, a childhood favorite at ToT, is the best I’ve had in town. This isn’t your usual sticky, risotto-textured, rice casserole version. Theirs is true fried rice in form: loose rice held together by delicious yellow curry with chunks of tasty chicken. The smoky flavor is addicting.

ToT makes Spicy Basil Chicken (another childhood favorite) like no other in town. I was surprised to see this signature dish in Lime Juice, not knowing in the beginning that Lime Juice is, in fact, ToT. They use ground chicken which creates great texture and stir fry it with jalapeno and green bell peppers, and sweet basil leaves. The result is the most flavorful Thai dish you’ve ever had. Couple that with a fried egg and you have a Thai meal eaten like a native.

I grew up to this family’s cooking so I love this place. Dining here is like eating at your grandma’s house.

Insider tip:
Lunch entrees either come with soup or spring rolls.
Soda refills are $1.
Lunch prices range from $8-10 and includes soup or spring roll.
Dinner entrees average $15 (but portions are big).

The scoop:
Lime Juice Thai Bistro
684 N Main St
Alpharetta, GA 30004
(678) 242-2991
Mon–Fri: 11:00 A.M. — 2:30 P.M. / 5:00 P.M. — 9:00 P.M.
Saturday: 12:00 NOON — 9:00 P.M.
Sunday: 11:A.M. — 4: P.M.

Technorati Tags: Thai cuisine, Alpharetta, Atlanta

I get delighted when a Thai restaurant serves food that is almost as authentic as it can be. My favorite type of Thai cuisine is the one from the south and central parts, with its creamy curries, tongue-numbing spices, and palm sugar-sweetened dishes. Here at KoKai Thai Bistro, the food is more North and Northeastern, with heavy influences from the Chinese and the Lao. Northeastern and North Thai food are more savory and employ the modest use of coconut milk (read: watery curry dishes). Second to Korean, Thai food is my favorite Asian cuisine. I’ve spent many summers in Bangkok and I can dare say I have eaten every single street food there. Yes, including the bugs of the north and the snakes of the south.

KoKai touts itself as serving authentic street food. Well, the thing is, every food in Thailand is also sold on the streets so I guess they serve Thai food in general. The Tea Rose dumplings is a sweetish-salty appetizer adopted from the Chinese. Soft, steamed wonton wrappers are filled with savory minced pork and crab then topped with fried garlic and served doused with sweetish soy sauce. The serving is big, with 6 pieces, and better for sharing.

Larb Kai is a measuring stick when it comes to Notheastern Thai food and this one’s spot on. The ground chicken is perfectly flavored with green chillies, red onions, and lime juice. Scoop it out onto a piece of fresh cabbage and you get a crunchy, flavorful sensation. You will fall in love with this.

The Thai Boat Noodle Soup is a very common street food particularly in Bangkok, more so in the Floating Market (literally a market on the river and canals where goods and food are sold in small wooden boats). It is called Boat Noodle Soup because, well, you guessed it, it is sold on the boats on the river. For $4.95, you get a medium sized-bowl of rice noodles in a spicy beef broth. If you want authenticity, then choose the pork as it is more common in Thailand. This is a hearty dish, good for sharing, and eaten with other dishes (although this and an appetizer is an ample enough meal). The broth here is bold, simmered for hours, and has the perfect balance of salty-spicy flavors. Comfort food at its best.

Curries here represent all the regional cuisines in Thailand. The KoKai Beef Curry from the North is simply fantastic. The chunks of meat are fork-tender, the curry is thick and spicy, and there’s hardly any coconut milk in it as it should be. It is a thick stew and not the same as what you’re probably most familiar with here in the US which is the Southern Thai variety (sweet and creamy). If you like the more common Southern type, then go for the Panang or the Red Chicken curries, both are on the menu.

Stir-fry dishes, an influence from the Chinese, are a mainstay in any Thai restaurant. Here, the KoKai Grilled Chicken is a must eat. Chicken pieces have a totally different texture which they get from being grilled first and then sauteed. The light brown, savory sauce is infused with curry and the resulting spicy dish is quite delicious.

Desserts are not popular in Asia but must be included in any menu here in our Western world. If you must have it, go for the Sticky Rice with Mango. The sweet, sticky rice here is made with coconut milk and paired perfectly with a sweet cheek of a mango. Their creamy Coconut Ice Cream is a vanilla ice cream with coconut bits. A good choice if you like ice cream.

Overall, I am pleased that we finally have a Thai restaurant that offers dishes from all the regional cuisines in Thailand. Food here is good and fresh, the menu is well thought-out, the serving sizes are big, and the prices are extremely reasonable. It’s become a favorite of mine.

Insider tip:
The Thai Iced tea is a spice extinguisher. Get it.

The scoop:

KoKai Thai Bistro
5495 Jimmy Carter Blvd.,
Suite B-21
Norcross, GA 30093
(770) 409-9219

Technorati Tags: Thai food, Norcross, Jimmy Carter Blvd

This Thai place in Alpharetta has been open for five years and is operated by an all-Thai staff. It has been consistently popular among office workers around the area wanting a quick, delicious, inexpensive lunch. I came in around noon and no tables were available. In fact, there was a wait of about 10 minutes and people were lining up all the way out the door.

The simple menu consists of mainstream Thai food — mainly stir-fry and curries. There are a few notable items such as the chicken wings that are well marinated and fried crispy and the salads (Larb and the Spicy Sausage salads) but I’d forgo the soups (which I think don’t justify the $3 price tag given the small bowl you get). The main entrees are very tasty with the right amount of spices and made with fresh ingredients. Lunch specials come with a tiny eggroll (literally, it takes two bites to finish it), and steamed or fried rice. Overall, I’ve always found their dishes to be consistent. A good place for cheap and quick eats.

Insider tip:
Don’t let the lunch crowd scare you — the kitchen and service are lightning fast. The service is courteous and very efficient.

The scoop:
Thai Thai
11525 Haynes Bridge Rd. Suite 150, Alpharetta, GA 30004
(770) 777-1306
Lunch: M-F 11am-3pm
Dinner: 5-10pm

Technorati Tags: Thai, Thai food, Thai Thai, Alpharetta, Haynes Bridge Rd., lunch, dinner, lunch specials

Opened just two months ago, Aroy-D is already attracting a lunch crowd. And with the humongous space they have, any lunch crowd can be accommodated. For a strip mall restaurant, I was really surprised to see how big the place is — with a good-sized beverage bar and a separate large sushi bar. Speaking of big, the portions are ginormous!

The menu consists of Thai staples and sushi items/combos. I settled for my favorite Gai Pad Gra Pow (minced chicken sauteed with basil leaves) which is the first thing I look for in any Thai restaurant. Here at Aroy-D, they have a funny name for it: Chicken Ka Proud. I give them major points for serving it with a fried egg automatically. None ever do. Saved me time from ordering. The dish was superb, tasty, with just the right amount of seasoning. I would’ve loved it more to be on the spicy side, but hey, you can always adjust that by asking for the condiment set (dry peppers, chili sauce, jalapeno slices in vinegar). I also give them points for using minced meat as most Thai places have gone to using slices of chicken instead.

Another favorite is the Thai barbeque chicken. Aroy-D gives you half a chicken that tastes more Americanized than I wanted it to be. The sauce tastes like, well, ordinary barbeque sauce with no hint of Asian flavoring whatsoever. A little addition of tamarind to the sauce would have elevated this dish to great heights. It came with shrimp fried rice which was flavorful. Read the rest of this entry »