Montgomery Mai Thai makes us say mmmm.
Mai Thai Asian Cuisine & Grill 11928 Montgomery Rd. 697-8900
Montgomery is home to many Asian restaurants. You can’t drive 6 minutes without passing one. Mai Thai is one among many on Montgomery Rd. Situated in a strip plaza it looks much like any other little eatery. Once inside, the sushi bar is up front and center, the first indication that Mai Thai isn’t just an average Asian wok. The fact that the server barely speaks English is somewhat standard (although to her credit we speak no Thai and neither does anyone we know, regardless of how much schooling they have under their belt).
The decor is modern-cozy and feels more warm and inviting than most Chinese restaurants. No fat Buddha seated at his wishing well, No faux Asian ornamental knick-knacks littering the walls, no giant wall sized photo of an ancient serene homeland scene, no indecipherable muzak playing the ting tang tong tunes usually heard in Asian restaurants. Just calm, peacefulness and some interesting Asian covers of American pop songs, all in English and with little or no accent. It was obviously quality Asian pop. A little odd at first but interesting enough to cause us to find ourselves playing a “name that tune” game along with the songs. Other than that it was nearly silent... until we ordered. After the server repeated back to us
“Red Curry Tofu hot and Pad See Ew Tofu hot” and then reaffirmed “both hot, right, you like spicy?” We assured her we do indeed like spicy and not to fear for our safety. Moments after she disappeared we heard the unmistakable sound of sllisszzptss! A red hot wok and fresh vegetables always make that sound when they first come together. We always make the uhmm sound when we hear it and our tummies start to grumble. It wasn’t long before we were served and the aroma alone quietened that grumbling tummy. The red curry ($11.95) was perfect, crisp veggies, golden tofu, rich spices and that sweet creamy coconut in the background. Served with white rice, it was filling and satisfying. However it was far from “spicy #5” like we ordered. Perhaps the chef didn’t believe us about our anglo-ability to handle the ultimate #5 spice level, or maybe he was short on spices and a #2 was all he could pull off at the moment. Either way it was still good. The Pad See Ew ($10.95) is basically Pad Thai with slightly wider noodles and a spicy black bean sauce in place of the usual sweet Pad Thai fish/tamarind sauce. It was awesome. We love Pad Thai but often feel it’s served too sweet. This dish had all the features we love about Pad Thai but swapped spicy smoky red peppers & black bean richness in place of brown sugar sweetness. A perfect combination. A new fave for us. From now on when we order Pad Thai from other places we’ll do our best to get it as Pad See Ew. It probably won’t be the same but it is worth a try. In the end we may have to come right back to Mai Thai to get these good noodles. No problem, Mai Thai is worth another visit and there are several interesting menu items we want to try. For example; Pla Naeng Manaew (an interesting fish dish), Pla Lad Prik (another interesting fish dish), Mus-Sa-Mun (a meat and potato curry dish), Drunken Noodles and Pho & Bun Bo (both Vietnamese soups)
All sound like dishes that deserve further investigation. Sushi fans can feed here and alcohol is also available too.
It’s true, the Loveland Mexican Cantina has lost their minds. Yes, El Picante serves damn good Mexican. Yes, the deals from behind the bar can’t be beat by nearly any pub in the city. And yes, the service is second to none. Period, second to none.
We’ve witnessed owner Roberto host, serve, bar tend and bus with more speed and efficiency than anyone we’ve ever seen, and he’s the owner! That’s the way a restaurant in top form should be run, hands on, by the owner. Roberto proves it.
Roberto has gone over the top this time with an insane promotion. All month long in October you can get $5.25 pitchers all day everyday and Monday thru Wednesday Margaritas are just 2 for $6. Plus, for the late night crowd he’s throwing in 1/2 price appetizers from 8-close. When is close? That depends on you! He’s staying if your hanging.
Just look at this quesadilla, this puppy is just $1.63 during the promotion. Screw Taco Bell, El Picante is where the late night action is people.
