I find Asian cuisine and I love all of the ones that I have tasted...Vietnamese, Japanese, Thai, Korean, Chinese, and the various styles within each cuisine...Dim Sum, Pho, Country Japanese, to name a few. Years back, I had been on the search for my favorite Thai restauran in Denvert. I had tried many and had not found the mecca. Chada Thai then moved into a spot on 17th Ave in the same strip as the Thin Man, St. Mark's Coffeehouse and now Il Posto. Nita is the fabulous chef of Chada Thai and has been part of a family enclave that brought Thai food to Denver over forty years ago. Chada Thai became my mecca for Thai food in Denver.
Last Saturday night, I found myself dining at Chada Thai with my sister, brother-in-law, best friend and nephew. My sister and brother-in-law both ordered the Chicken Pad Thai, tasty, but the portion size was not enough to satiate either of them. Mary and I split a Vegetarian Pad Thai. The veggies added more bulk so our dish looked much larger than theirs'. Mary and I also ordered one Vegetarian Pad Phet (eggplant, onions, bamboo shoots, tofu and fresh basil stir fried with black mung bean paste) for myself and one Beef Pad Phet for Mary, and a Vegetarian Thai Curry to share (home made curry paste simmered in coconut milk with bamaboo shoots, eggplant, zuchini, bell peppers and fresh basil). Yes, that was four dishes for two people, but if you are Asian you must understand that it is part of the culture to have a variety of flavors and dishes at each meal. Oh, did I mention that Mary is Vietnamese? As many of you know from previous blogs, Mary can eat, but only on one occasion Mary actually finished everything that we ordered at Chada Thai. Normally, we go home with enough leftovers for another meal for both of us. We offered our buffet to our not satiated family, and we still had leftovers to take home. On the other hand, Owen, my nephew, did not have any leftovers. Owen had Chicken Satae and seven and a half scoops of rice and ate every bit of it. White rice is his favorite all-time food. Their is an interesting story about the rice at Chada Thai. Besides the cuisine, the reasonable prices of most Asian cuisines is quite appealing. Chada Thai is no exception. Entrees average just under $10. The caveat is that the bill adds up if you go with someone who views rice as the main meal, which is the problem that I run into when I bring Mary or Owen. Chada Thai is not a restaurant which offers a normal amount of rice to start and we always need one more bowl. Here is where the caveat plays...they charge $1 for every extra scoop of rice that you order beyond the measely original portion. That is an exorbitant amount for something that wholesales for 20 cents a pound. The lesson here is to bring your own rice...just kidding. Chada Thai has great food. Two aspects could use a change, first, don't charge for rice and two, Nita, give your son, who runs the front of the house, some lessons in charm and how to smile. It could go a long way for business if the person that always greets you didn't always act like a Thai chili was lodged up his a__. However, the Thai is that good, that we will put up with rudeness and a lack of rice to get it. What we'll do for food.....
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Cathy SchuberthI am a lover of life! As an eco-friendly interior designer and a social worker, my passion is to create fun, harmonious and healthy communities. I will be sharing design ideas and projects; green living advice; entertaining tips along with new recipes; tools for personal growth; travel ideas; restaurant and out on the town information; and so much more. Please feel free to send me ideas on topics that you would like to see. I'm excited to have you join us! Archives
October 2011
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