I keep forgetting to do this - since like December.
Best New Restaurant in N. GA - Thai Dish, Spout Springs Road, Flowery Branch
We just got a little strip shopping center across from the Publix store, and out front for months was a sign saying "Coming Soon: Thai Dish". Now, I have become quite a connoisseur of Thai food in recent years, and we have an excellent one down the road in the Kroger Shopping Center, Green Tea (Patrick Dempsey eats there when he's visiting friends over in Chateau Elan), but hey, two options is always better than one, so I eagerly awaited the opening. Finally, it came; I was next door at the drug store, and I ran over and grabbed a menu to take home, and got a peek around inside. Nice dining room - colored walls, dark tables and chairs with nice accents on the tables (might've been candles - it was 4:00 in the afternoon, and nothing was lit yet). I told the guy at the counter that I wanted a menu, and that I would call as soon as I got home Friday night - I couldn't wait to try it. The guy was very nice.
I got the menu home and spent quite some time looking at it; I couldn't believe how extensive it was. Although, to be fair, I usually get Thai food for lunch, so most of the places I go for my weekly lunch out at work probably have a very limited lunch menu; one place only has 2-3 things that aren't sushi or seafood, and for those of us that don't eat seafood, that's not much variety. So Friday arrived, and after perusing the menu for the 10th time, I decided to try the Himalai - cashew chicken, with the 2-star option for hot level (out of 5). The guy on the phone was very personable, and was happy to answer my questions about the menu, and said "Okay, good, see you in about 10-15 minutes!" I went to pick it up, and it was done right as I walked in the door. They had only been open not even a week yet, so there wasn't much going on in the dining room - you know how it takes a couple of weeks for people to get to a new place. I got the food home, and opened up the little plastic box, and was pleasantly surprised; all of the veggies were julienned, and it was so pretty, and the cashews were huge! I scooped out some rice, and piled some himalai right on top, and sat down to enjoy.
Man, it was absolutely perfect! The veggies had the perfect crispness to them, despite how thin they were cut; the chicken pieces were all tender and had big bits and little bits, and the cashews, well, they were huge! I love cashews! The hot was perfect, too - I hate food so damn hot that you can't taste anything; I like spice for flavor, not with the intent to burn all taste buds beyond recognition. After a few bites, my nose was running, and my lips were burning, but my mouth was in heaven! I went back to the box for seconds, and then the boys walked in; I had to let them have a little, but let me tell you, I wanted to eat the whole thing.
We have been back several times since, and have not been disappointed yet. We have added Thai sweet & sour to our list of favorites, and I've sampled a soup or two - all delish! I want to actually eat in the dining room one night, just for atmosphere, if nothing else. They seem to have a full house now on Friday and Saturday nights - that's good. If I had any complaint, it would be that the portions could be a tiny bit bigger for the $10 price tag on most of the entries, which come with only steamed rice. But that is part of why I want to eat in, to see if the dining room portions are more reasonable; carry-out containers only hold so much, and I'm sure they don't want people complaining about spills and such if the pack them.
So if you find yourself in the Flowery Branch area, and hungry for something different, stop by the Thai Dish - there is sure to be somehting on the menu to please anyone's appetite for adventure!
Rating: 5 Margarita glasses out of 5 (perhaps they should be sake cups?)
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