Wednesday, February 1, 2012

A Three-Way Thai

We were meeting friends for dinner last night, and Everett was the mid-point for us. We wanted Thai food but didn't know of a restaurant in town. A quick Google search led us to Jasmine Thai Cuisine at 2725 Colby in downtown Everett. It was tastefully decorated and we were served promptly by welcoming staff.

Ordering took a while, as there were so many dishes that sounded delicious. We settled on Pad Thai, Rad Nah, Swimming Rama and Oyster Beef. Each one was tasty and satisfying. I was surprised that the Pad Thai had a thin crust of egg around it, something like an omelet, making it different than I have had before but really good. The Rad Nah had noodles that were at least two inches wide, and was served in a "special yellow bean gravy sauce." It was a two star dish, but quite mild. The Swimming Rama and the Oyster Beef came with brown rice. It was no trouble for the four of us to finish off the dinner; we were satisfied but not stuffed.

Next time I'm in Everett and feeling the urge for Thai food, I know where I'll go!

I have a little more trouble deciding where to go when I'm looking for a Thai restaurant in Stanwood. That's because we have two shops that serve fine Thai food.

Stanwood's own Jasmine Thai Cuisine (as far as I can tell, it's not related to the one in Everett) is in the granary building downtown. I've never been disappointed with the food and the decor is quite authentic with many Asian art pieces on the walls. As well as a full list of Thai dishes, the menu offers nearly two dozen sushi items. Jasmine is a popular eatery for folks in the area.

One evening last fall several of my friends attended a clothing exchange at Stanwood's Jasmine. The restaurant was providing a wonderful venue for women to recycle clothes and accessories they no longer needed and find a few to take home. From what I hear, the event was well attended and was a great success.

The Chatter Box Restaurant is located at 9819 270th NW in Stanwood, just west of the library. It is "a unique Asian restaurant in your neighborhood," and features food from Thailand, Malaysia, and India, as well as some western style sandwiches and burgers. The food and service here are also excellent, and the bright, sunny rooms invite you in. When I eat here I usually order the Nutty Monkey fried rice and always enjoy it.

On my first trip to the Chatter Box I asked how the restaurant got its name. I was told that the owner used to have a restaurant in Boston a  tall and narrow building, like a box, and she wanted people to chat over their meals, so she called it the Chatter Box. When she opened in Stanwood she kept the name.

I like all three of these three restaurants. The prices at Everett's Jasmine are the most reasonable, but parking could be a problem during the day. (There are free 90-minute head-in parking spaces along Colby, but that doesn't guarantee you will find an empty space.) The Chatter Box is the most expensive of the three restaurants with the price of some dinner items as much as $2-3 higher than you will find at Jasmine in Everett. The prices of menu items at Stanwood's Jasmine are right in the middle.

Here's my recommendation: try them all out for yourself. Chances are you will also find that you end up with a three-way Thai.

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