Had some of the best Thai food last night that I've eaten in forever at Chiang Mai Thai & Sushi. The place is located in a newish strip mall, smack-dab in the middle of Scientologyland, but the interior ambiance was not short on far-eastern zen elegance. Reading reviews online, I found that the restaurant generally received a composite score of less than four stars on major review sites (usually a red flag for me). Reading further, I surmised that the service was keeping Chiang from reaching its full potential, as that's what most folks b!+c#ed about. I figured our group of four wasn't in any hurry, so we took the plunge.
The complaints about the service, as it turned out, weren't unfounded. It wasn't enthusiastic, it wasn't overly warm, and it wasn't particularly attentive (we had to flag our server down for drink refills). However, the food was delightful...hot, fresh-tasting, generously portioned, beautifully presented and delish.
We started with the $12.99 Chiang Mai Sampler (two each of Thai spring rolls, egg rolls, Bangkok fried shrimp, crab rangoon and curry puffs). It was excellent and perfect for four (what's not to love about a platter full of piping hot, deep fried goodness)? Everyone pounced on it before I could even take a pic.
Entrees sampled were my Panang Curry Crispy Duck, which was the best crispy duck I've ever eaten in an Asian restaurant. Crispy on the outside, juicy on the inside, and swimming in a luxurious bath of crisp veggies and sweet-meets-spicy peanut and coconut sauce.
Hubs ordered the Sizzling Duck, which was served with shrimp, scallops, squid, veggies, and Thai chili sauce. Isn't it pretty?
Another dining companion tried the Amazing Scallops served over broccoli with peanut sauce. His spousal unit opted for a protein laden salad, which I didn't get a photo of...everything we ordered received two thumbs up, however.
White or brown rice comes with everything except the salads. Very good...and no one could eat it all. Date night destination...as long as you don't have somewhere else to be afterwards. We'll be back.
My blog entries contain the unmitigated, and sometimes unforgiving, dining truths and perceptions I experience as an ordinary restaurant patron. Every meal I post about has been fully paid for by one of the participating members of my personal dining party. I do not engage in the gratis blogger freebie dining events I'm constantly invited to attend and never will. If I ooze font-like love for a restaurant in my blog, it's because they totally earned it…not because they gave me free food or knew I was going to share the experience on the internet.
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