I'm a connoisseur of good Thai cuisine. The only downside to that is having to drive to Asheville to get good Thai food (short of making it myself or having my Thai friend make it). When I heard that Wise was getting a Thai restaurant, I was skeptical. Authentic Thai is hard to get. So I went into Dara Thai with more than a little trepidation.
Tonight I gave the place a thorough test and it passed with flying colors.
I gauge a Thai restaurant based on four dishes. Gai tom kha, pad thai, gang gai (chicken red curry), and laab (or larb).
The gai tom kha (chicken galangal on DT's menu) is a smooth coconut based soup with hints of galangal (similar to ginger), cilantro and fish sauce. Dara Thai's came with a good assortment of chicken, straw mushrooms, baby corn, and cilantro. While not the best I've had, it was quite good. Add a little rice and you've got a good meal.
The pad thai (rice noodle with bean sprouts, peanuts, tofu, and egg) wasn't bad. A little on the sweet side, but still better than anything you'll get this side of Asheville.
The laab (ground meat with lime juice, fish sauce, cilantro and red onion) was superb. My favorite Thai dish and they served it to perfection. If you try nothing else, try this dish.
The gang gai (chicken curry) was some of the best I've ever had. Sweet with a spicy finish. If it is too spicy for you, eat it with the included rice to deaden the heat a bit. While I like my a little hotter than served, I'm sure they could have spiced it up to order.
To finish off the meal, I had the mango with sticky rice. For just $4 I go the most succulent and sweet mango I've ever eaten. The sticky rice was simple and delicious. Perhaps the finest dessert this county has ever seen. Sadly it is a seasonal dessert due to the limited availability of good mango.
I left with a new favorite local restaurant. While they are not as authentic as my hideaway in Asheville, they are much closer than anything within 75 miles of Wise Co.
If you visit, let me give you one tip. Don't limit yourself to just one dish per person. Order 2-3 dishes and serve it up family style. In my opinion, it is the best way to experience Thai cuisine.
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