MOUNTLAKE TERRACE — When we stepped into Amorn Thai, everything smelled delicious. The dining room is small and cozy, and it’s hard not to get hungry as you read the menu and smell the food. My husband and I had time for a leisurely dinner, we had some planning for a trip to do, and we were looking forward to lingering over the meal.
Our server, who turned out to be the owner, Amorn, was friendly and happily answered our questions about the food. After a few questions, we ordered the Tod Mun fish cakes ($7.25) as an appetizer. The cakes are deep fried with a curry paste, green beans and lime leaves. The appetizer also came with a small cucumber salad. The fish cakes were an interesting texture, like firm, fried tofu. The flavor was great, made even better with the cucumber salad spooned over top. The salad was delicious, sweet and sour and very fresh tasting. You can also order the salad by itself ($2) and I’d highly recommend it.
Just as we were finishing up the Tod Mun, our order of Tom Kha Gai ($7.50) arrived. Tom Kha Gai is a soup in a coconut milk base with mushrooms, lemon grass, lime leaves and other spices. The soup was outstanding. It was creamy and full of rich flavor. We chose a three-star spice level for the soup (on a scale of one to five). The spice was perfect. It added a really nice heat and flavor without being overpowering. A bowl of soup would easily make a meal for one with some rice on the side. We ate it with our appetizer and took a little home for lunch the next day. For the record, it heats up great in a microwave.
For our main courses, I ordered Panang curry with chicken ($8.50). It was delicious. I would definitely order it again. The sauce was smooth and creamy with a pleasant spice, not overpowering, but very flavorful. The chicken was tender and tasty and soaked up the sauce nicely.
My husband ordered fried garlic with beef ($9.50). The sauce and seasoning were great, but the beef was tough. I left most of the beef for my husband and just spooned the sauce over some rice. I suspect this dish would be better suited for chicken, which they prepared extremely well in the curry. There’s also a seafood option.
Speaking of the rice, my husband — a self-described rice snob — declared the rice passable but too wet. It was slightly mushy and only got softer once drenched in curry. My husband ate all the rice, however, so it must not have bothered him too badly. Also, the rice doesn’t come with the meal. You have to order it separately ($1.50 for white rice or $2 for brown).
Amorn Thai is a nice place for a casual, leisurely dinner. We’ll certainly visit again.
Herald restaurant reviewers accept no invitations to review, but readers’ suggestions are always welcome. Reviewers arrive unannounced, and The Herald pays their tabs.
Contact reviewers at features@heraldnet.com.
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.
