Erb Thai, 950 Wealthy St SE - 3/15/12

We have written up a few other Thai restaurants in Grand Rapids over the past couple of years but haven’t visited Erb Thai, until today.  On the corner of Wealthy and Diamond, the restaurant looks bigger than it is. 

Upon entry, you are greeted by the counter on your right, and small tables along the large windows on your left that continue along in an “L” shape past the counter. Although there were restaurant employees at the counter, no one greeted us and we were unsure if we were supposed to order at the counter or if we would be served at our table. We took a table at the bottom of the “L” and waited to find out. It felt a little like sitting in a long, abandoned hallway but we did have privacy. And a friendly server soon came along with a carafe of water for us.

The two-page menu was a very reasonable size for a Thai restaurant (dwarfed by Thai Express and Angel’s Thai Café, and larger than Rak Thai Bistro). 


There were plenty of choices for appetizers and we began with Veggie Fresh Rolls: lettuce, carrots, green onions, cucumbers, rice noodles, and cilantro wrapped in soft rice paper. The rolls were served with a sweet sauce topped with peanuts. It was lovely to behold and taste. They were indeed made fresh and the sweet sauce enhanced the flavor of the vegetables beautifully.

Unfortunately, the dish arrived without napkins, chopsticks, or silverware and we had to ask for them upon our server’s return. 

The Raa Naa noodles sounded irresistible so they became our first selection. Tofu, bean sprouts, pea pods, broccoli, mushrooms were sauteed over thick, rice noodles and served with a garlic, brown sauce. (The leftovers carried out subsequently leaked sauce all over my jeans and shoes but that’s another story.)

The noodles had a good consistency and were not over done; the dish is marked on the menu as being a customer favorite and we can understand why. 

Our next item was the Peanut Broccoli with Shrimp (Ram Long Song - the Thai name has a much better ring to it). The menu describes it as broccoli, string beans, and carrots stir-fried in creamy, sweet peanut sauce. The white rice was above par for an Asian restaurant, and the shrimp was fine as was the sauce. But the broccoli was a bit scarce considering the name of the dish.

The most important thing to know about this restaurant is that they will deliver the spice level for which you ask.  Instead of the far-ranging 10 spice levels found elsewhere, they offer six, beginning with mild (no spice).  Fresh peppers are used and the increments start with ½ tsp up to Erb Thai hot with 3 tablespoons. 

Out of the six levels, the Raa Naa noodles were ordered at three and the Peanut Broccoli at four. We were both happy with our spice levels and really appreciated receiving what we ordered.

So to sum up, the ambiance is not great but our food was fresh, nicely presented, and very well-prepared. The menu is excellent with a made-to-order spice level, and our server was friendly and polite. The small restaurant is a worthy addition to the Thai food scene of Grand Rapids. If you complain that your food was too “hot” then you didn’t read and believe the menu. 

Erb Thai is on Facebook and Twitter, and you can find their website at: www.erbthaigr.com 

Previously reviewed Thai Restaurants:

Angel's Thai Cafe - 1/7/10

Thai Express - 5/6/10

Thai Cuisine - 11/3/10 (closed)

Rak Thai Bistro - 12/22/10

Thai Chef - 4/13/11

Nu-Thai Bistro - 8/18/11

Thai Chef Restaurant, 1971 East Beltline - 4/13/11

Opened last fall, the restaurant is located in the Knapp Corners retail center and is one of the best Thai restaurants in town. And there are plenty of them.

Like most Thai restaurants in Grand Rapids, the menu is huge (this one is seven pages) and they do not have a liquor license. Unlike many others, you will find a few more unusual offerings, and not ten spice levels, but four.

We enjoyed the warning on the menu: “We will not be held responsible for any dish that is too hot or not hot enough.”

It’s a pleasant atmosphere, complete with a carpeted floor, some traditional Asian artwork, and a few typical paper menu/dishes posters. Other than the employees regularly walking past us to use the what-must-be-the-only-restrooms-in-the-restaurant, the place has a comfortable and welcoming atmosphere.  

We started with Chicken Satay and Mama’s Noodle Soup. The Chicken Satay wasn’t the best we’ve had. The marinade was not noticeable but the side of peanut sauce was quite flavorful.

The soup, however, was amazingly good. It consisted of Thai hot and sour broth, shredded lettuce, crushed peanuts, fresh bean sprouts, onions, cilantro, and the noodles. It was dished, with difficulty, with a spoon from a large bowl for two. We managed to serve ourselves and consume this wonderful soup but it all would have been easier with chopsticks for assistance with the noodles. (We didn’t think to ask for them until later.) This soup is worth a take-out or dine-in any time.

Our first entree was Gaeng Garee: potatoes, white onions, and snow peas in a yellow Thai curry sauce. The vegetables were perfectly cooked and not overdone, and the dish had the perfect level of heat but did not overwhelm the vegetables.

The second entree was from the Mang Noodle category that offered three choices, and ours was the Mang Peanut Curry Noodles. The thick round noodles were stir fired with white onions and red and green bell peppers, and served in a creamy Thai peanut and coconut curry sauce. We have to go back for more of these amazing noodles!

Don’t look for an inedible, desiccated slice of fruit with your meal here. The citrus accompaniments were fresh and the perfect antidotes to a very delicious, spicy lunch
    
Each of the entrees offered the following additions: chicken, tofu, vegetable (not sure if this would incorporate additional vegetables or just be the absence of any meat), beef, pork, shrimp, or scallops. Our choice for the Gaeng Garee was pork and for the Mang noodles, chicken.

Spice levels are described as follows: mild, medium, hot, Thai fire. We went with hot and it was perfect for us. But we could not have gone any hotter. We respected the fact that our server and the chef took us at our word and gave us the level for which we asked.

This has nothing to do with this particular restaurant but we have developed a finer appreciation of noodles after watching these two movies: “Tampopo” and “In the Mood for Love.” They come highly recommended and you will never look at noodles the same again.

The complete menu can be found online.
www.thaichefrestaurantonline.com