Located in a nondescript little building on Kalamazoo Avenue, I have driven past this little restaurant countless times without truly noticing it. Now, after having dined here one time, it can safely be said that this place is in my top two of Thai eateries in Grand Rapids.

 

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Tod Mun

I suppose the best way to describe this appetizer is as a fish cake. A mixture of fish, herbs, and vegetables. Tasty and chewy, mild but still flavorful. The sauce that accompanied it was delicious, with peanuts and cucumber chunks. I could have eaten it alone.

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Nam Kao Tod

The salad was interesting. It was good, but certainly not my favorite dish. Rice with red curry, ground chicken, onion, ginger, green onion, lime juice and peanuts on top of lettuce. I had a little left over the following day and enjoyed it more cold, as the dish was served warm.

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Spring Roll.

If you order a specialty dish, you receive a complimentary spring roll. It wasn’t the tastiest spring roll ever, but the skin was crispy and light and it made me wonder if they make their own.

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Pad Bai Gra Phao

Holy basil leaves, mushrooms, and onions stir fried in a ginger garlic sauce. I added beef and tofu. As far as the spice level I ordered, whatever it was, most likely it wasn’t hot enough since I don’t remember it. I enjoyed the meal, and the large mushrooms were quite nice. The beef wasn’t the most tender, however. But don’t get me wrong, I wasn’t chewing on overdone beef, either.

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Thai Sweet Iced Tea

They offer Thai Sweet Iced Tea with free refills! That was something different. Always so tasty.

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Complimentary Dessert.

Another pleasant surprise was the free dessert they give with your meal. There were a couple of choices, and I went with the old school ice cream sandwich. They also offer those gross pastel mints you always find at Asian restaurants. I’m a little shocked that they still exist.

There wasn’t anything I raved about. Some things I enjoyed, and others were just okay. So why do I hold this establishment at such a high ranking? At the risk of sounding amateur, looking over the menu gave me the sense that this place has more authentic offerings than any other in town, even if it’s just a couple items. Without exaggeration, there were so many different choices I wanted to try. That is usually a good sign of a great menu! A small little casual spot with very friendly service, and I would say low to medium price points. I very much look forward to going back and trying the other five+ dishes I wanted to try the first time!

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