FOODIE ALERT! You guys should know by now the important role food plays in my life. I love feeding and experiencing new dishes with people. On my most recent trip to Washington, D.C., a friend and I had a craving for Thai food. Not the typical Thai food people generally think about when they’re on the hunt for pad thai or drunken noodles with a side of bubble tea. We wanted something a little more authentic (or as authentic it’s going to get in the DMV). After some intense yelping, we settled on Baan Thai.
Baan Thai is a casual/family friendly restaurant that specializes in more authentic dishes found namely in northern Thailand. Their menu also offers delicacies from Japan and from eastern and central regions.
First impressions: The décor and ambiance is nothing special. It has a “whole in the wall” gem feel to it. If you’re looking for a restaurant that has eyeball appeal, then this may not be the place for you; however, you will be missing out a treat if you don’t stay for the food. The wait staff look put together! One time for uniformity and waiters who care about their appearance! They all wore these uber trendy but moderately casual uniforms that could easily be worn out after work. Très chic, très hip, très sexy!
We weren’t extremely hunger, so we initially planned to forgo appetizers, but our waiter recommended we try the Khao dtung naa túng / Crispy rice cakes with chicken and shrimp. Bad news first: I don’t have a picture to share with you guys. Good news: that should tell you how good it was lol. The appetizer came out super quick. It was a fun little dish. Not too heavy or filling of an appetizer. If I could put the dish into words, it’s the northern Thailand version of chips and salsa. The flavor of the ground peanut and coconut milk with the chicken and shrimp paired perfectly together. Amazing flavor for such a small dish.
For my entree, I ordered the Khao soi gài / northern Thailand yellow curry egg noodles with chicken. When the dish arrived, you guys, I did not want to touch it. It looked gorgeous. The dish was composed of egg noodles, chicken thigh, pickled cabbage, scallions, red onions, northern Thailand curry paste. The topped it was a crunchy noodle and it looked beautiful. I like my food spicy so I requested it to be extreme hot and they did just that. It was very tasty and super spicy, just how mama likes it. The flavor profile of this curry in particular was perfect. It’s very rich but the amount of flavor and spices they were able to merry into one dish is quite impressive.
Final Thoughts: The service was great! The waiter was very attentive but not overbearing. He brought us a bowl of hot water to wash our hands at the table when we requested it. The food of course was delicious; flavorful and filling! Baan Thai is perfect for just about any outing: family dinner, date nights, dinner with friends, literally anything. Cool and relaxed ambiance, nice décor, attentive service and flavorful food. I’ll for sure be back!
SUMMARY INFORMATION:
Likes:
- You cannot go wrong with the crispy rice cakes. Try it! I promise you won’t be disappointed.
- Service was great. Our waiter was super patient while I bombarded him with a series of “this or that” questions.
Dislikes:
- I no get complaint for una today. (I don’t have any complaints or dislikes to report).
Food rating: 5/5
Service rating: 4/5
Prices: About $11 to $30
Website: http://www.baanthaidc.com/
Address: 1326 14th Street, NW, 2nd Floor, Washington, DC 20005
If you live in the DMV area, or plan to visit, I suggest you check it out. Comment below with your favorite Thai dish! You will not be disappointed.
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