Winston Salem Restaurant Guide

I had a yen for some ethnic food and Downtown Thai came immediately to my mind since I had a great lunch experience last time. It was a rainy cool December night and the ambiance was romantic and calm. My wife and I brought our 5 month old baby with us and she slept peacefully for most of our dinner which was great for us! We were starving when we arrived so we started out with ordering some fresh spring rolls and tofu soup. Wow, finally an asian place in Winston that knows how to do fresh spring rolls and doesn't serve the day old dried out ones that most places pass off as "fresh" fresh spring rolls! The tofu soup was refreshing and robust with garlic and scallions. Something I will want to have close by the next time I have a cold sort of soup. My wife had curry tofu with stir fried green beans and other veggies. The veggies were super fresh and the dish very flavorful even though I would say it departed from what I would call a traditional curry. I got the soft shell crab entree and it was good but the sauce was a touch too sweet for my taste. The crab was very fresh though and delicately done.

On to the desert... which was a big winner with us! The waitress recommended the Thai coconut custard and it was freshly steamed per order. Yum!! It appeared authentic (I can't really say I've had it before so I can't compare it to anything else) and was served in six tiny little dishes each big enough to fit about 2 Tablespoons in them. We split them between us and it was a perfect ending to our meal. Downtown Thai is offering great year end specials right now including 40% more for your money gift cards with no expiration date or restrictions, 20% off all entrees Dec2008 thru March2009 (only on certain nights I think), and buy two of the same entrees, get the second half off (certain times for this one too) which we took advantage of for a Christmas gift. The owner was graciously accomodating with our baby which was really kind. We look forward to coming back and telling all our friends about this great place to eat in the heart of Winston!

You are promptly greeted with a friendly smile during the busy local business lunch crowd. The interior is beautifully decorated with modern Thai furnishing. Spring rolls were quickly brought out as a standard appetizer for all their patrons. I ordered the Thai tea and again the service was fast. The Thai tea was very good and not too sweet as some restaurants often over compensate poor quality tea with sugar! I asked my waitress for the house recommendation and she quickly and confidently responded with "PHAT PRIAO WAN MOO" which translate to Cashew Nuts (a chicken dish). Their description is as follows: "Sliced chicken served with sweet onions, red and green peppers, pineapple, water chestnuts, celery, and carrots. Lightly stir-friend to perfection in a delicious sweet & sour sauce." I found the white chicken meat thinly sliced and yet still tender. There were diced vegetables and some Asian favorites such as snow peas and water chestnuts. The presentation was also very nice. The dish was well balanced with savory flavors with an accent of sweet pineapples.

Overall it was a great lunch experience set in a nicely decorate ambiance. With all the pros of this restaurant you'll expect to pay more for this food and experience. My meal was $11.95 plus $3.50 for the Thai tea. Too much? Well that depends on your budget and occasion. As for me, I believe it was worth it when you are not in a hurry for that next meeting. However, it would be a great location for a business lunch. Give it a try... you won't be disappointed!