Don't let the location scare you! This is one of those "hidden gems" or "hole in the wall" restaurants that all your friends seem to know about, but don't bother letting you in on, until well into your 5th or maybe even 6th year of friendship, it's so special. It is located in a strip mall (and I'm using that term loosely here), next to the African Hairbraiding Salon and behind Chuck E. Cheese/Babies R Us. But, once you wander in from the wild noise of Capital Boulevard and the busy side street, you feel like you're in another world. They have these comfy little armchairs, decorated in what I can only assume is some Thai ethnic print for the 2 seater tables up front that make you feel like you're in some expensive, chi-chi restaurant in NYC. The lighting is low, there's beautiful music playing, the colors on the walls are vibrant, and it smells heavenly. In other words, you've entered another world - get ready for the ride!
I am fairly new to the world of Thai cuisine. I've always enjoyed it, whenever I've had the opportunity to eat it, but I've never lived anywhere before where there were good Thai restaurants nearby, so I didn't get to eat there very often. So, when I heard that Sawasdee was THE place to go, I was very excited to try it out.
For appetizers, we had the Ka Nom Jeep (Pork and Shrimp dumplings). They were steamed and served with some sort of sweet, hot sauce that totally changed the flavor and made them just perfect! The next time we visited, we had the Pinky in the Blanket (Shrimp roll). Shrimp inside some sort of wonton type wrapper, that were fried. Served with a sweet and sour chili sauce...very yummy, but I wouldn't order it again - a bit too greasy. I'm dying to try the Fresh Spring rolls with Shrimp, but my husband detests those, so I'll have to figure out something else to distract him with.
For my main course - I love Pad Thai and all those noodley based dishes, so I decided to try the Tom Yum soup. OH, WOW, that is my new favorite! It is chicken broth based, but has lemongrass as the main flavor. Filled with chicken, shrimp, veggies, of course noodles, and topped with peanuts. And, just a hint of spice. I think next time, I will ask for it to be a bit spicier. Definitely something I will get again and again!
We also tried the Tom Kha soup. Totally different from the Tom Yum soup, but so good, all the same! This one was coconut based, with mushrooms, lime leaves, shrimp and a spice I had never heard of before - galangal. Boy, did that galangal make all the difference! It was a fabulous flavor - kind of like ginger, but not nearly as bitter or overwhelming. Just delicious. And the lime leaves made such a flavor explosion in my mouth!
Cashew chicken was my dining companion's choice...he's not quite an adventurous eater. Even that was delicious. Tender, flavorful, full of spice and juicy to the last bite! Oh, and the rice they serve comes out in these adorable little shapes - star, butterfly, heart, flower, etc. A simple touch, but it adds to the whimsy for me! The next time, I believe he had the garlic chicken. Again - delicious, flavorful, garlicky. Perfect!
Their menu is varied and has something for nearly everyone. From the picky "I only like Chinese food" guy to the person looking for something exotic and spicy. The chef's specials change frequently and they have a wide variety of vegetarian dishes. Oh, and they offer the traditional levels of Thai spiciness...spicy, extra spicy and "make you cry".
The service is nothing short of perfect! What else would you expect in a place that makes you feel like you're in another world, from the moment that you step through the doors? And the prices are just right! Not to big, not too small!
Sawasdee Thai Restaurant
3601 Capital Boulevard, Suite 107
Raleigh, NC 27604
(919) 878-0049 Phone
Sunday, June 8, 2008
Oliver Twist
First off, this restaurant is a tapas restaurant/martini bar, although they do have a small assortment of dinner entrees, the menu is mostly geared to tapas, martinis and desserts. We've been twice now, and have yet to eat inside - their patio is nicely located in the front of the restaurant and if you sit just right, you almost forget that you're sitting outside a strip mall, next to Ace Hardware and Planet Fitness.
They have nightly specials which range from 1/2 price tapas to $5.00 martinis. (I'd aim for the 1/2 price tapas night, if I were you)
Let's see...drink wise...good martinis - a bit on the pricey side, but generously portioned and well mixed. If you're in it for the drinks, $5.00 martini night is for you, as my last bill (for 2 Tanqueray martinis) was around $18.00.
Now onto the food. The tapas are priced around $9.00 up to $14.00 maybe. And, most of them are quite small. There are some exceptions, however, and even though the portions may be small, the flavors are great! For example, the beef carpaccio was delightful! I was so excited to see this on a menu here in Raleigh! Definitely on the smaller side of things, with maybe 5 slices total, but given that the idea is to order multiple items, I can forgive this. However, the chicken satay - with a measly portion of 2 skewers and a pretty hefty price tag of around $12 (can't quite remember the exact amount...I did have 2 martinis), left a bit to be desired.
An outstanding option both in size and price is the crab dip. Both tasty and filling, we've gotten this one both times we've been and haven't been disappointed. It's served with toasted pita chips and is so rich and creamy, it's almost sinful.
This latest time we decided to try the entrees to see how they compared to the tapas. Well, and we had a hard time agreeing on what to order that we would want to share. We had the mustard crusted lamb chops with potato fonduta and zucchini friti and the grilled mahi mahi over lobster and crab risotto. The lamb chops were delicious, and you could actually taste the mustard crust. Amazing in my book, since I've found, in most places with an elaborate description like that, I'm often disappointed with the result. The potato fonduta, on the other hand, was a bit weird. I don't know what I was expecting, but it wasn't what showed up! I know fonduta is fondue, but I thought, how in the world can you make potato fondue? Well, I guess you take potatoes and put them in the food processor until they turn into wallpaper paste - maybe add a little cheese, I couldn't really tell, the texture was just so thick, it was hard to even eat them. The zucchini friti - another name for fried zucchini, was actually perfectly lovely. They were just barely coated with the briefest dusting of panko breadcrumbs and fried until just golden. Those were perfect!
Now, onto the Mahi. It looked a bit dry. And it was. I mean, just how hard is it to cook fish? Come on people! You cook it just until it flakes! I am fairly new to the enjoyment of eating fish, and I have always known that! You don't need to cook the crap out of it - you cook it just until it changes color and then it's done! I have been in so many restaurants lately that just royally screw up even fish and chips! I mean, how can you screw up fried fish? It's frozen, all you have to do is throw it in the fryer and cook it for the stated time. Not rocket science here! Annnnnyway - back to the Mahi - apart from it being horribly overcooked, it tasted ok. The lobster and crab risotto was good too. Not fabulous, but not awful either. Very flavorful and had a definite seafood flavor without being fishy.
The service. We've had the same waitress both times we've dined here, and we have absolutely no complaints! She is attentive without being annoying and always keeps our glasses full and the table cleared. She offers helpful suggestions (and even tells you what NOT to get, which is nice in a restaurant with prices like these).
Will we go back? Yes, definitely. Would we recommend it to others? Yes, with the above caveats noted and try to go on a night when they have a special that will benefit you, and watch the prices. Both times, we've been totally shocked at the bill - and not in a good way!
Oliver Twist
8111 Creedmoor Rd, #137
Raleigh, NC 27613
(919) 844-4426
They have nightly specials which range from 1/2 price tapas to $5.00 martinis. (I'd aim for the 1/2 price tapas night, if I were you)
Let's see...drink wise...good martinis - a bit on the pricey side, but generously portioned and well mixed. If you're in it for the drinks, $5.00 martini night is for you, as my last bill (for 2 Tanqueray martinis) was around $18.00.
Now onto the food. The tapas are priced around $9.00 up to $14.00 maybe. And, most of them are quite small. There are some exceptions, however, and even though the portions may be small, the flavors are great! For example, the beef carpaccio was delightful! I was so excited to see this on a menu here in Raleigh! Definitely on the smaller side of things, with maybe 5 slices total, but given that the idea is to order multiple items, I can forgive this. However, the chicken satay - with a measly portion of 2 skewers and a pretty hefty price tag of around $12 (can't quite remember the exact amount...I did have 2 martinis), left a bit to be desired.
An outstanding option both in size and price is the crab dip. Both tasty and filling, we've gotten this one both times we've been and haven't been disappointed. It's served with toasted pita chips and is so rich and creamy, it's almost sinful.
This latest time we decided to try the entrees to see how they compared to the tapas. Well, and we had a hard time agreeing on what to order that we would want to share. We had the mustard crusted lamb chops with potato fonduta and zucchini friti and the grilled mahi mahi over lobster and crab risotto. The lamb chops were delicious, and you could actually taste the mustard crust. Amazing in my book, since I've found, in most places with an elaborate description like that, I'm often disappointed with the result. The potato fonduta, on the other hand, was a bit weird. I don't know what I was expecting, but it wasn't what showed up! I know fonduta is fondue, but I thought, how in the world can you make potato fondue? Well, I guess you take potatoes and put them in the food processor until they turn into wallpaper paste - maybe add a little cheese, I couldn't really tell, the texture was just so thick, it was hard to even eat them. The zucchini friti - another name for fried zucchini, was actually perfectly lovely. They were just barely coated with the briefest dusting of panko breadcrumbs and fried until just golden. Those were perfect!
Now, onto the Mahi. It looked a bit dry. And it was. I mean, just how hard is it to cook fish? Come on people! You cook it just until it flakes! I am fairly new to the enjoyment of eating fish, and I have always known that! You don't need to cook the crap out of it - you cook it just until it changes color and then it's done! I have been in so many restaurants lately that just royally screw up even fish and chips! I mean, how can you screw up fried fish? It's frozen, all you have to do is throw it in the fryer and cook it for the stated time. Not rocket science here! Annnnnyway - back to the Mahi - apart from it being horribly overcooked, it tasted ok. The lobster and crab risotto was good too. Not fabulous, but not awful either. Very flavorful and had a definite seafood flavor without being fishy.
The service. We've had the same waitress both times we've dined here, and we have absolutely no complaints! She is attentive without being annoying and always keeps our glasses full and the table cleared. She offers helpful suggestions (and even tells you what NOT to get, which is nice in a restaurant with prices like these).
Will we go back? Yes, definitely. Would we recommend it to others? Yes, with the above caveats noted and try to go on a night when they have a special that will benefit you, and watch the prices. Both times, we've been totally shocked at the bill - and not in a good way!
Oliver Twist
8111 Creedmoor Rd, #137
Raleigh, NC 27613
(919) 844-4426
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