Review | Thai Eatery Opens in Snoqualmie, Third Time Might be the Charm

Guest Post: Tess Thompson is a Snoqualmie resident and author. She will be contributing to Living Snoqualmie as a guest writer in the coming months, reviewing local restaurants and writing about other things Snoqualmie Valley-related.  You can find out more about Tess at www.tesswrites.com or on her Facebook page.

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Most nights I make dinner. Sometimes I’m inspired, but usually not. And then there are the nights when I feel too exhausted to figure out what to feed my girls, aged 12 and 8, and suggest we go out. The idea is always greeted with delight, until we try to decide where to go.

Unfortunately, I have raised two finicky eaters. What one likes, the other doesn’t. Please tell me I’m not the only mother with this problem? Regardless, it is difficult for the three of us to find a restaurant we all enjoy. But we all love Thai food, so I was delighted to learn that a new Thai place, Thai Eatery, had opened in Snoqualmie Ridge.

Last night was one of those nights I couldn’t face cooking – it might have had something do with tax day and my latest manuscript deadline occurring on the same day. I suggested Thai Eatery and for once, both girls were in agreement. I’m happy to say, we were not disappointed. In fact, we decided it was worthy of many more visits.

Located at the corner of Douglas and Snoqualmie Parkway, it is the third restaurant in that location during the five years I’ve lived here. As someone who will always choose to give my hard-earned money to small, local businesses, I’m rooting for this latest venture.

Newly decorated in soothing browns and greens, it is clean and pleasant. We were immediately welcomed by the staff and barely seated before they took our drink order. The menu is comprehensive, with all the traditional Thai dishes ranging from curries, noodles, soup, vegetables, soup, fried rice, grill/bake, salads, and a category they call Wok, which are mostly stir-fried dishes. Prices range from $8-$16, depending.

We ordered Pot Stickers and Fresh Spring Rolls for appetizers. The Pot Stickers came out hot and crispy with a tangy soy dipping sauce. My daughters fought over the last one, not to mention my youngest dipping her index finger into the sauce for an extra taste several times, much to the disgust of her older sister.

The Fresh Spring Rolls were stuffed with avocado, carrots, green leaves and scallions and encased with a thin rice wrapper, accompanied by a peanut sauce. They were not as popular with my children, but that left more for me. I ate most of the generous portion, saving little room for my entre. The ingredients were fresh and the accompanying peanut sauce worth whatever calories it cost me.

We ordered three entrees: Thai Fried Rice, Drunken Noodles with chicken, and Cashew Chicken. They were all quite good, although on the spicy side. They have the usual 1 through 4 star choices but as is usually the case, it takes at least one visit to figure out the perfect number for you. I would recommend ordering conservatively for children, as my girls asked for 1 star, but said their lips burned after a few bites. I asked for three stars on the drunken noodles, liking quite a bit of heat, but would order two next time.

The service was impeccable. Our drinks were never empty. The food came out quickly. The staff was friendly and accommodating. Apparently, my older daughter and I are clumsy because we both dropped our fork at one point during the meal. The moment it dropped on the floor, our server rushed over to replace it, without us having to ask. I’ve dined in many fine restaurants and have never had that happen. We ordered too much food, but they graciously packed up the leftovers for us, which means I have a second meal this week I don’t have to cook.

They do not serve alcohol, but plan on doing so once their license is approved. While we were there, several patrons ordered food to go and were in and out quickly. They will be adding a delivery service in the near future. I know that would be very welcome in our community!

I’m hopeful they will soon have a full house, as it would be a wonderful addition to our community to have another great family restaurant choice. I encourage everyone to give it a try and wish the new owners much luck and success.

Thai Eatery: 8020 Douglas Ave. SE; 425 888-2025

Thai Eatery is moving into the retail space once home to Bayan Mongolian BBQ.
Thai Eatery is moving into the retail space once home to Bayan Mongolian BBQ.

 

New seating occupies  a wall once home to a long ingredient bar used at the former Mongolian Grill.
New seating occupies a wall once home to a long ingredient bar used at the former Mongolian Grill.

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