Nu-Thai Bistro, 2055 28 St SE - 8/18/11

This fairly large retail, strip center has housed a great variety of businesses over the years, and this Thai restaurant is a wonderful addition. Thai restaurants are springing up all over Grand Rapids and this is one you should visit.

The restaurant is small, and has a smaller menu to match, which is very refreshing. Five booths and four tables populate the space, and the booths have divider curtains for a sense of privacy. Unfortunately, mirrors on the walls defeat the privacy curtains. Heavy plastic is placed over the tablecloths but the setting is otherwise very pleasant and comfortable.

From the four-page menu, we ordered Shumai Pork to start but were informed that it wasn’t available today. So we opted for potstickers that were served with Shumai sauce. They were perfectly prepared for our tastes, very lightly fried, and the sauce was tastier than the usual soy/ginger sauce that accompanies potstickers.

Before they arrived, however, and immediately after ordering, we were served Tom Yum soup that was soon followed by a Spring Roll for each of us, complimentary.

The soup was a Thai hot and sour broth that contained mushroom, onions, basil, tomatoes, lemon grass, and lime leaves. The taste was very interesting with a subtle but distinct citrus flavor. The vegetarian spring rolls were nicely prepared as well.

Our first main selection was from the curry category: Panang with chicken, green and red peppers, string beans, broccoli, basil, and baby corn, with coconut milk and Thai Panang curry. We like spicy and this dish came as ordered. The vegetables were all there as promised and the chicken was tender.

Our second dish came from the Nu-Thai specials, Sesame Chicken. The fried meat had a thin coating of breading and was served with red and green peppers, white onions, peapods, and carrots, and it was all stir-fried with sesame sauce. Of the two dishes, and although the curry was good, the Sesame Chicken was the favorite.  

Instead of having to choose between spice levels of one through ten, we had only to select from four. We both went “three” and were very satisfied. Our server did not try to talk us out of it but did confirm that we like our food spicy.

Service was perfect, prices are reasonable (we came in under $26.00), the atmosphere is not quite intimate but close to cozy, and the food is very good. Menus are online and the owners have no visible facebook or twitter presence. And don’t bring your American Express card.
                        
www.nuthaibistro.com