Dining Out: Bamboo Thai Bistro

After working up an appetite whiffing golf balls at LaFortune park, D and I decided to try the Thai restaurant on the corner- Bamboo Thai Bistro. With its plain facade and strip mall local I learned not to judge a book by its cover. Things are not always as they seem!

Though its name professes it to be a bistro, I was shocked to find that it actually looked like a bistro inside. The interior was freshly decorated and the modern, crisp white china added to the sophisticated look. Most importantly- the food was affordable and fantastic. We had just found a diamond in the rough!

I had a hankering for Thai food last week when I was stuck in the house post surgery and I wanted nothing else but Bamboo Thai Garden. Luckily, when you're sick people are there to help you with things like odd cravings and pain medicine. D was nice enough to agree to pick up the order and even sacrifice his choice in entree for the sake of research.

To start: Fresh Rolls with peanut sauce and Crab Ragoons.

The Fresh Rolls ($3.95), rice paper stuffed with veggies, shrimp, pork and rice noodles, were crisp and refreshing  and the Crab Ragoon ($4.95) was stuffed with more crab than anywhere I have seen. Dine in and you get those tasty shrimp chips- you know, the ones that look like styrofoam and taste kind of curious but you eat the whole basket anyways?

I chose the Chicken Drunken Noodle ($8.55) for D to try:

Tasty, wide, rice noodles with a flavorful brown sauce along with onions, scallions, bamboo, bean sprouts, basil and egg. If you like things spicy they will prepare it for you as hot as you like. D and I both loved this dish- the noodles were light but there was nothing subtle about the sauce. Delicious!

The first time we dinned in at Bamboo Thai Bistro I ordered the Pad Thai- which was super tasty- and D got the Pad Thai Curry. Once again I was plagued by dish envy. So this time I got myself the Chicken Pad Thai Curry ($8.55) and I have a hard time believing I will ever order anything but:

This dish is fabulous because it has the wonderful, warm taste and the creaminess of curry with the brightness of the Pad Thai so that it is not too rich. And I love rice noodles- my favorite!

If one of these dishes doesn't do it for you, check out their other menu offerings at the Urbanspoon link below. Tom Yum Soup, Basil Fried Rice and Peanut Curry caught my eye!

The next time your are looking for good Thai food and want to be nice to your wallet, give Bamboo Thai Bistro a try!