Bal wrote: >My wife alerted me to a new restaurant in the Kroger shopping center >at the intersection of Kildaire Farm Rd and Maynard Rd in Cary. Just >the name "Sushi-Thai" brought ... <SNIP> Just returned from lunch there, based upon the recommendations found here on the group. Although I went to check out the Thai, the cold weather convinced me to try some saki and sushi. I was a little surprised to find that an order in not a pair at "Sushi-Thai," but I'm flexible. Tried the maguro (tuna), toro (fatty tuna), ebi (shrimp) and taco (octopus). All were excellent. On the Thai side, I have my own bell weathers to rate the chef. With the sushi and saki (no work today), I tried an appetizer and one of my litmus tests -tom yum. Both were top drawer. Tom Yum was made properly with straw mushrooms rather than the cheaper brown mushrooms. The Flying Shrimp (?), pla goong, was another winner. Both were light, citrusy and well-balanced. LIke Bal, I also didn't specify spiciness, but after ordering the chicken version as tom yung gai, I heard the sushi chef indicate 'Thai spicy.' Usually (tho not in Raleigh), this means hotter than the normal hot. It wasn't. I enquired later and found that they thought that they had given me a very spicy version by American standards. Tomorrow night, when I take my wife, I will order it 'pet,' and report back. Sometimes, there is a great gap between 'extremely hot' and 'pet,' so it best to go slowly until you a get a feel for the kitchen. There is a tendency in all oriental cuisines to 'protect' non-natives from the cuisine, but when you use their language to ask for it hot, then all bets are off. Unfortunately 'Sushi Thai' doesn't serve som tom. Since the Thai House closed, the only place making it regularly is the 'King and I' at Reedy Creek, but the chef there is Laotian, and tends to get heavy handed with the nam pla, since Laotians use a sauce closer to the stronger Vietnamese nuc mam. I refuse to even discuss the atrocity that calls itself a Thai restaurant on Hardimont in north Raleigh. After tomorrow, with my wife to help me over-order, I'll have a much better handle on 'Sushi Thai,' but so far, it's shaping up as a great addition to Raleigh. Bob Preston
Raleigh-Durham, NC
First Impression : Sushi-Thai
On Wed, 30 Dec 1998 20:57:49 GMT, [email removed] (Robert B Preston, III) wrote: >Bal wrote: > >>My wife alerted me to a new restaurant in the Kroger shopping center >>at the intersection of Kildaire Farm Rd and Maynard Rd in Cary. Just >>the name "Sushi-Thai" brought ... <SNIP> > >Just returned from lunch there, based upon the recommendations found >here on the group. > >Although I went to check out the Thai, the cold weather convinced me >to try some saki and sushi. I was a little surprised to find that an >order in not a pair at "Sushi-Thai," but I'm flexible. Tried the >maguro (tuna), toro (fatty tuna), ebi (shrimp) and taco (octopus). All >were excellent. > >On the Thai side, I have my own bell weathers to rate the chef. With >the sushi and saki (no work today), I tried an appetizer and one of my >litmus tests -tom yum. Both were top drawer. Tom Yum was made >properly with straw mushrooms rather than the cheaper brown mushrooms. >The Flying Shrimp (?), pla goong, was another winner. Both were >light, citrusy and well-balanced. <remaindder snipped> I have eaten at Sushi Thai twice more in the past several weeks.... Each time exploring a bit deeper into the menu. So far, no disappointments..... Thanks Bob, for the Thai lesson... I'll definitely make use of it..... I took some close friends there on Tuesday (around 7:30) and the place was full-up. We ran into some friends who complained they had been seated for nearly an hour and still had no entree. Within 15 minutes of our arrival however, we were seated, had drinks, and appetizers were on the table. I spoke to the manager who told me they did not staff for the unexpected holiday rush, but when the place filled up he rounded up the staff to come in. He feels like he is still "working out the kinks". I had no problem myself.... Service was very good. On the brighter side, my friends (who are not sushi eaters) started out ordering steak teriyaki and Katsu Don.... By the time they finished eating my sushi (maguro, sake and some rolls), I had to order more. I only wound up with a fork-full of MY Phad Thai, but, the Steak teriyaki I was "forced" <g> to eat was excellent.... That's what I like most about this place, the ability to experiment between the two cuisines...... Happy New Year, Brett