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Whoa moments at Chada Thai & Wine

In pursuit of another Chinatown strip-mall adventure, a group of friends journeyed into a small, dark restaurant called Chada Thai and Wine. More friends = more food = more dishes to try. Our best decision of the night was ordering by our server’s recommendations. Four dishes later, Chada proved itself to be a memorably spectacular Thai experience.

In order of appearance:

Pad Hed: This dish is a ménage of sautéed mushrooms and Brussels sprouts basking in an über-savory sauce loaded with garlic. The medley of mushrooms was perfect and top the veggies were two slices of crisp fried lotus root. Sadly, the Brussels sprouts were undercooked in this otherwise delicious vegetable dish.

Sen Mee Kong Pou: This homemade crab curry dish perfectly highlights the beautiful pairings of southern Thai cuisine. The luscious morsels of crabmeat swim in a delicious, smoky version of Red Curry with an acidic garnish of thin kaffir lime leaf ribbons. The small nests of vermicelli noodles are slightly difficult to maneuver, but act as an exciting rice-substitute.

Moo Kham Whan: This crispy beef dish was, surprisingly, the most scrumptious of the meal. My two friends and I each literally said “whoa” after taking our first bite. Small bits of beef are battered and fried and then tossed with aromatic onions and herbs. The flavors in this dish are very loud, but in the best way—lots of lime, chili, mint, cilantro, and sliced red and green onions. I loved the crispy-acidic combo.

Pla Nua Tod: A nice balancing dish to the other three. The grilled pork dish’s flavors were simple and familiar. Tender slices of marinated grilled pork had a charred sweet glaze and a spicy green sauce loaded with chilies, garlic and lime juice.

In conclusion, Chada Thai is truly a hidden gem. As I’m writing this piece, a few days after the fact, my mouth has actually started watering.