I have found the best soup in Flagstaff. As you can see in previous blogs, there are many fine, tasty restaurants around Flagstaff. Some of these have received impressive awards. Brix, Cottage Place, and Josephine's always have solid offerings of seasonal soups. Some of the Thai restaurants in town offer wonderful, savory concoctions as well.
However, hands down the best soup belongs to: Cuzco Peruvian Restaurant. Cuzco is relatively new in town. They opened, then closed for some remodeling and are back open again. It is a good thing. This soup will invoke cravings.
The winner is "Aguadito de Pollo" (Cilantro Chicken Soup). This soup has a soothing broth as its base, finely minced cilantro that lends complexity, white meat chicken chunks with peas and diced carrots. It is a large helping that comes with plantain chips on the side. It is truly fabulous with a comforting tone, yet a little kick to it that will have you coming back for more.
Cuzco Peruvian Restaurant
109 E. Phoenix Ave.
(just east off of S. San Francisco St., around the corner from Dara Thai)
779-0106
M - Sat. 11 am - 2 pm, 3pm - 9 pm
Closed Sunday
Monday, April 14, 2008
Monday, April 7, 2008
It's a Thai!
Flagstaff offers six Thai restaurants. They are scattered around the city, so there is bound to be one close to you. Most all are decent, each with its own subtleties.
Bangkok Thai Cafe (3 out of 5 peaks)
2112 N. 4th Street
527-3293
Bangkok carries a few unique dishes compared to the other Thai restaurants such as a starter of cilantro-jalapeno hummus. Other creative meals are the Arizona Heatwave and Tropical Heatwave (although Dara Thai also carries these two). Curries seem to be their specialty here.
Bangkok's cuisine is so fresh, you can tell from the taste. The spice amount is right on par. Mine had a great bite but was not overwhelming. Bangkok uses jasmine rice as a standard - a fave of mine and so much better than most regular white rice, plus it renders a lovely scent in the air.
The restaurant is tucked back on 4th Street in a drab strip mall next to the Tortilla Lady and behind Fratelli's Pizza. I wish the owner of the mall would freshen up the exterior because it is easy to overlook the businesses within because of an appearance they cannot control.
Inside, the restaurant is quite nice with clean, orderly tables and sparse yet warm decor with soothing green walls. Bangkok may want to talk to their tortilla store neighbor because the Tejano music is so loud, you can hear it through Bangkok's own calm tones.
I am pleased with Bangkok over all and will visit again.
Dara Thai (3 out of 5 peaks)
14 S. San Francisco
774-0047
Dara is a popular restaurant as it is close to the NAU campus, south of the train tracks, and offers a full bar with fun cocktails. It can get boisterous on weekend nights, but it's all good vibes.
Dara's cuisine is solidly decent and crowd pleasing, and offers everyone's favorites. Dara also carries a fairly large selection of vegetarian items. Dara does hold back on the spice though to make it acceptable for all, and if you like it hot, you should go high on the scale.
The atmosphere is fun and accommodating, the food is good and so are the cocktails. Enjoy!
Little Thai Kitchen (3 1/2 out of 5 peaks)
1051 S. Milton Rd.
226-9422
M-Sat. 11 am - 8:30 pm
Little Thai Kitchen lives up to its name. It's a tiny place next to Crystal Creek Sandwich Co. However, the quality and taste is in no way little. Ingredients are very fresh, of good quality, and dishes are well done. LTK has my favorite "Evil Prince/Princess" (depending on the restaurant) dish in town. Definitely try the Tiger Rolls for an appetizer and really, everything is great. Curries are wonderful too.
I'd love to give LTK 4 peaks, but because it's so small, it can't offer all of the amenities of a larger space and I have to knock off a 1/2 point because of that. Decor is cute though and the space does not feel constricted. It's a treat!
Pato Thai (3 out of 5 peaks)
104 N. San Francisco
213-1825
M-Th 11 am - 10 pm
F - Sat. 11 am - 11 pm
Sun. 12 - 9 pm
Pato occupies a prime spot downtown on San Francisco amidst all the bustle. This location formerly housed Racha Thai, which has relocated (more on that later). Pato has done a nice job of transforming the room from an ordinary space into a comfortable atmosphere reminiscent of Karma.
I like Pato. Pato offers a nice lunch special for a reasonable price where you chose a special of your choice plus a set appetizer and a generous side salad with a good dressing. Many of the other restaurants offer lunch specials too; Pato's is especially good and generous. Dinners are done just as well.
The food is very fresh and tasty; the spice is just right. Everything I sampled was done well. Pato's hours are generous too. This one's a keeper.
Swaddee Thai (3 1/2 out of 5 peaks)
115 E. Aspen
773-1122
Lunch: T. - Sun. 11 am - 3 pm
Dinner: T. - Th. 5 - 9 pm, F. - Sun. 5 - 9 pm
www.swaddeethai.com
Swaddee is new in town and located in the former Corea House downtown on Aspen between San Francisco and Agassiz. Swaddee is an import from Phoenix, where it has been voted "Best of Phoenix" six years running, plus holds an award from Thailand. In short, their cuisine is quite good and they know Thai.
First, it must be known that Swaddee is serious about their spice. This could be either a warning or a very good thing depending on your take. Order accordingly.
The cuisine is fresh, tasty, and everything is good. The only thing I'm not partial to is the Thai Toast appetizer. It's surprisingly bland and a little to filling for an appetizer. It would work for a light dinner though. I would also like to see the vegetables cut a little finer, easier to eat in general, but sometimes this has not been an issue. I guess it depends on the cook.
The space is nicely put together and comfortable, cozy. Something to note though - in winter, the bathrooms can be really cold. Not sure why, because the dinning area is always quite cozy. Service can be a little spotty - sometimes just fine, other times it's difficult to get your server back to your table, even when not busy. But it all works out.
I'd like to give Swaddee 4 peaks, but because of some of those discrepancies, I just can't yet. However, dinner or lunch, Swaddee is a solid pick and you won't be disappointed.
Racha Thai
1580 E. Route 66
774-3003
It seems that Racha Thai has been suffering a downfall. Formerly located in Pato's prime spot on San Francisco, Racha's lease was not renewed and they have moved into the restaurant space at the Western Hills Motel at Route 66 and Enterprise/railroad tracks. Once doing a decent business at the old location, I was the only one in the restaurant on a Friday at 12:30 - prime lunch time.
I found out why.
The location of Racha's new spot seems like a great one on paper - the location is right in the center of town, basically. But the restaurant is housed in a shabby motel. The space appeared generally clean, but standard and boring.
However, upon my entry I was hit with the strong smell of old cooking oil. It was not an appetizing way to begin the meal. The spring rolls I ordered were quite oily and tasted off - something was not right with this cooking oil. The filing of the rolls was standard and bland.
The entree was not good either. The sauce was made by combining jarred chili powder and flaked red pepper. It was not a sauce at all and the powdery taste overwhelmed the dish. The meal was not fresh, the egg in it overcooked.
**NOTE: Racha Thai has now gone out of business.
Bangkok Thai Cafe (3 out of 5 peaks)
2112 N. 4th Street
527-3293
Bangkok carries a few unique dishes compared to the other Thai restaurants such as a starter of cilantro-jalapeno hummus. Other creative meals are the Arizona Heatwave and Tropical Heatwave (although Dara Thai also carries these two). Curries seem to be their specialty here.
Bangkok's cuisine is so fresh, you can tell from the taste. The spice amount is right on par. Mine had a great bite but was not overwhelming. Bangkok uses jasmine rice as a standard - a fave of mine and so much better than most regular white rice, plus it renders a lovely scent in the air.
The restaurant is tucked back on 4th Street in a drab strip mall next to the Tortilla Lady and behind Fratelli's Pizza. I wish the owner of the mall would freshen up the exterior because it is easy to overlook the businesses within because of an appearance they cannot control.
Inside, the restaurant is quite nice with clean, orderly tables and sparse yet warm decor with soothing green walls. Bangkok may want to talk to their tortilla store neighbor because the Tejano music is so loud, you can hear it through Bangkok's own calm tones.
I am pleased with Bangkok over all and will visit again.
Dara Thai (3 out of 5 peaks)
14 S. San Francisco
774-0047
Dara is a popular restaurant as it is close to the NAU campus, south of the train tracks, and offers a full bar with fun cocktails. It can get boisterous on weekend nights, but it's all good vibes.
Dara's cuisine is solidly decent and crowd pleasing, and offers everyone's favorites. Dara also carries a fairly large selection of vegetarian items. Dara does hold back on the spice though to make it acceptable for all, and if you like it hot, you should go high on the scale.
The atmosphere is fun and accommodating, the food is good and so are the cocktails. Enjoy!
Little Thai Kitchen (3 1/2 out of 5 peaks)
1051 S. Milton Rd.
226-9422
M-Sat. 11 am - 8:30 pm
Little Thai Kitchen lives up to its name. It's a tiny place next to Crystal Creek Sandwich Co. However, the quality and taste is in no way little. Ingredients are very fresh, of good quality, and dishes are well done. LTK has my favorite "Evil Prince/Princess" (depending on the restaurant) dish in town. Definitely try the Tiger Rolls for an appetizer and really, everything is great. Curries are wonderful too.
I'd love to give LTK 4 peaks, but because it's so small, it can't offer all of the amenities of a larger space and I have to knock off a 1/2 point because of that. Decor is cute though and the space does not feel constricted. It's a treat!
Pato Thai (3 out of 5 peaks)
104 N. San Francisco
213-1825
M-Th 11 am - 10 pm
F - Sat. 11 am - 11 pm
Sun. 12 - 9 pm
Pato occupies a prime spot downtown on San Francisco amidst all the bustle. This location formerly housed Racha Thai, which has relocated (more on that later). Pato has done a nice job of transforming the room from an ordinary space into a comfortable atmosphere reminiscent of Karma.
I like Pato. Pato offers a nice lunch special for a reasonable price where you chose a special of your choice plus a set appetizer and a generous side salad with a good dressing. Many of the other restaurants offer lunch specials too; Pato's is especially good and generous. Dinners are done just as well.
The food is very fresh and tasty; the spice is just right. Everything I sampled was done well. Pato's hours are generous too. This one's a keeper.
Swaddee Thai (3 1/2 out of 5 peaks)
115 E. Aspen
773-1122
Lunch: T. - Sun. 11 am - 3 pm
Dinner: T. - Th. 5 - 9 pm, F. - Sun. 5 - 9 pm
www.swaddeethai.com
Swaddee is new in town and located in the former Corea House downtown on Aspen between San Francisco and Agassiz. Swaddee is an import from Phoenix, where it has been voted "Best of Phoenix" six years running, plus holds an award from Thailand. In short, their cuisine is quite good and they know Thai.
First, it must be known that Swaddee is serious about their spice. This could be either a warning or a very good thing depending on your take. Order accordingly.
The cuisine is fresh, tasty, and everything is good. The only thing I'm not partial to is the Thai Toast appetizer. It's surprisingly bland and a little to filling for an appetizer. It would work for a light dinner though. I would also like to see the vegetables cut a little finer, easier to eat in general, but sometimes this has not been an issue. I guess it depends on the cook.
The space is nicely put together and comfortable, cozy. Something to note though - in winter, the bathrooms can be really cold. Not sure why, because the dinning area is always quite cozy. Service can be a little spotty - sometimes just fine, other times it's difficult to get your server back to your table, even when not busy. But it all works out.
I'd like to give Swaddee 4 peaks, but because of some of those discrepancies, I just can't yet. However, dinner or lunch, Swaddee is a solid pick and you won't be disappointed.
Racha Thai
1580 E. Route 66
774-3003
It seems that Racha Thai has been suffering a downfall. Formerly located in Pato's prime spot on San Francisco, Racha's lease was not renewed and they have moved into the restaurant space at the Western Hills Motel at Route 66 and Enterprise/railroad tracks. Once doing a decent business at the old location, I was the only one in the restaurant on a Friday at 12:30 - prime lunch time.
I found out why.
The location of Racha's new spot seems like a great one on paper - the location is right in the center of town, basically. But the restaurant is housed in a shabby motel. The space appeared generally clean, but standard and boring.
However, upon my entry I was hit with the strong smell of old cooking oil. It was not an appetizing way to begin the meal. The spring rolls I ordered were quite oily and tasted off - something was not right with this cooking oil. The filing of the rolls was standard and bland.
The entree was not good either. The sauce was made by combining jarred chili powder and flaked red pepper. It was not a sauce at all and the powdery taste overwhelmed the dish. The meal was not fresh, the egg in it overcooked.
**NOTE: Racha Thai has now gone out of business.
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