DAO THAI 513 N. 36th, 267-8888
KAO SAMAI 406 N. 36th, 925-9979
KWANJAI THAI 469 N. 36th, 632-3656
TAWON THAI 3410 Fremont N., 633-4545, www.tawonthai.com
Fremont proclaims itself to be the center of the universe: If this is true, then the universe is mainly comprised of roam- ing packs of organically grown yuppies, their organically fed dogs, and Thai restaurants. There must be other food to eat in Fremont—the name Longshoreman’s Daughter rings a bell, and there’s the dog biscuit bakery—but mainly, the universe’s center is dedicated to the proposition of life, liberty, and the pursuit of peanut sauce—truly a noble cause.
With so many seemingly identical restaurants within shouting distance, how do you know where to go? Prices at the four sampled (and there are, insanely, even more) are similarly reasonable. Each will have you in and out in under an hour. They all have takeout and pleasantly friendly servers. Two have patios; two don’t. Two have dirt-cheap lunch specials; two don’t. So unless you’re on a mission for dirt-cheap lunch on a patio, how do you choose among them? We ordered three seemingly identical dishes with a seemingly identical spice rating and ate the quite unidentical results.
Farthest from the universe’s center is Kao Samai. It’s the only restaurant-planet that stands out on the block: It’s hard to miss the big house covered with bright peach paint like it’s hard to miss the rings around Saturn. It features the shining twin moons of “parking lot” and “large deck,” and is the only one that lights up the atmosphere with a five-star heat scale. Sticking to the chosen star count of three, every dish was pleasantly spiced but manageable for all but the seriously pepper-phobic. The favorite was Rama Garden ($7.50), with thin slices of fried tofu lurking among a crunchy pile of cabbage, snow peas, baby corn, and carrots. The peanut sauce wasn’t earth-shattering, just smoothly balanced between heat and sweet. Panang curry ($7.95) seemed heavy on the fish sauce, but the subtle mix of chili, lemon grass, and coconut teamed with fat slices of beef ended up being the fastest-disappearing dish on the table. Fearing too many ketchup-heavy renditions of phad Thai, the chosen noodle was phad see iew ($7.50). This version was piled with meat, carrots, and broccoli, with fewer actual noodles than one might wish. As with many phad dishes, superspicy Death Noodles were hiding among more innocent look-alikes; careful attention to chili seed placement will even things out.
Tawon Thai, just diagonal from the precise center (as demarcated by the sign), is the prettiest planet in the whole galaxy. Reminiscent of Typhoon, dark wood, striking art, and a wall of small-paned windows create a comfortably sophisticated atmosphere that’ll impress your out-of-town visitors without making any accompanying kids all wiggy. Their one-to-four star scale seemed light: None of the dishes elicited more than “that bite was a little spicy.” Rama Delight ($7.50) was more problematic than delightful. As water-laden steamed vegetables oozed into the peanut sauce, what started out as pleasingly thick ended up as tasteless and thin. Pouring off a cup of the water helped salvage a few bites, but stir-frying in the first place would’ve prevented Lake Peanut from ever evolving. Phad see iew ($7.50) had few Death Noodles, and a good mix of crisp broccoli and soft noodles. Panang ($7.75) would please even sworn curry haters; sweet with coconut milk, it was both the blandest and the richest of them all.
Dao Thai is a wee place that you may overlook for years, like tiny Pluto. Also like Pluto, it holds a strong magnetic attraction for those nearby. The narrow space is sparsely decorated, and as most of the business is takeout, you may have the place to yourself. The food is some of the best, although again the three-star rating merited comments like “hmm—sort of spicy.” Rama Garden ($6.50) had piles of pan-fried tofu chunks atop a generous platter of fresh spinach. The sauce was dramatically intense, both salty and sweet, with a touch of winelike acidity that worked well with bland tofu. Panang ($6.50) tasted mainly of lime leaves; with crunchy green beans and tiny slivers of beef, it stood out from the pack but wasn’t to everyone’s liking. The Thai iced tea ($2) here is noteworthy—the creamy rich finish turned the drink into a delectably filling treat more like milkshake than tea.
Always-busy Kwanjai Thai has too much in common with Earth: close to the center, overpopulated, and, sadly, overrated. A tiny front porch theoretically offers outdoor seating; sit only if you don’t mind getting friendly with passing dogs whose owners don’t care that you may not like being drooled on. With bamboo bits vastly outnumbering other vegetables, Garden Delight ($6.50) was a total disappointment. The peanut sauce tasted more of curry than anything else but was too thin to hold much flavor. Panang ($6.50) was equally thin, with no creamy coconut finish; dry slices of beef seemed precooked. Phad see iew ($6.50) nearly redeemed the others—piled with crisp carrots and broccoli, soft noodles, and large slices of tender beef, it was luscious, and not a Death Noodle in sight.
So where to land your spaceship? Dao for best food and tea; Tawon for prettiest space; Kao Samai for the spice hunters; Kwanjai for the best-ever phad see iew. Space suit not necessary, but as this is Fremont, one can assume that it would be acceptable attire.
