Saturday, March 1, 2008

Chai Thai - DT

ChaiThai
3334 Curry Ford Road, Orlando, Fl map
407.898.1181

Sa-wat dee. There’s new Thai in town. Chai Thai located on Curry Ford Road just a few blocks east of Bumby. The décor is clean and comfortable and the prices very reasonable. For this visit I met two friends of mine for a quick bite while their kids attended karate next door.

I see fresh summer rolls on the menu therefore I must have them. I love the fresh julienned carrots, and lettuce with a generous proportion of shrimp rolled in a rice paper wrap and served chilled. While smaller than other summer rolls I’ve tried, you get three to an order accompanied by a house sauce, sweet with a soy base and topped with chopped nuts. I asked the owner Toy what was in the sauce. She just smiled and said her husband Chai makes it special. While quite good, she allowed me to sample the peanut sauce as well.

My friend ordered the Tom Kha Gai, a gusty Thai tradition of white meat chicken and straw mushrooms in a seasoned broth of coconut milk and lime juice. He had the same soup at another restaurant recently and describes this bowl as better than most. The broth was spicy and smooth with a complementary blend of herbs.

My other friend ordered the Sweet Sticky Rice with Mango. A seasonal desert decorated with a touch of black sesame for contrast, the sweat creamy custard provides an effective bridge between the cold rice and the tangy, ripe mango. Most tasty with an elegant presentation.

Did I mention the awesome karate dojo next door?

Other reviews:
http://www.yelp.com/biz/chai-thai-cuisine-orlando

Service: òp òon (friendly)
Quantity: appropriate
Price: All dishes under $5 each.

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