During a recent trip to Barracks Road Shopping Center with my roommates, a rumble in my stomach reminded me that dinner time was fast approaching — and that a bowl of cereal for the third night in a row simply would not do. As I began pondering the nearby options for sustenance, I noticed that in place of Italian restaurant Castello’s was a bustling new eatery called Tara Thai.
A familiar place to Northern Virginians like myself, I already knew Tara Thai as a popular restaurant chain offering tasty, exotic food at low prices. Partly because I was curious to see how the restaurant would fare in Charlottesville — mostly because I was unable to resist the opportunity for a nice tall glass of Thai iced tea, I convinced my roommates to accompany me into the restaurant.
Once inside, the atmosphere was inviting as can be. The ultra chic décor, coupled with an alluring color scheme of cool blue tones, offered the perfect dining experience. The exceptionally modern seating arrangement really peaked my interest — individual half spheres, almost bubble-like in appearance, were designed to surround a table of four to six diners. This unique design provided for the ultimate escape from the everyday seating arrangement of a four-corner table and chairs.
Impressed by the atmosphere, my expectations about Tara Thai’s food elevated with each step inside. A look at the restaurant’s menu caused decision-making to be far more difficult than one might expect. Glancing at the beverage menu — which surpassed my expectations for what the beverage menu of a Thai restaurant should be — I instantly resented the few months I have left till my 21st birthday. From pomegranate martinis to the old-fashioned gin and tonic, the menu should satisfy even the harshest cocktail connoisseur. Fortunately for me, the drinks were also offered as nonalcoholic versions.
Although the fruity combinations of many of the beverages sounded utterly enticing, I was unable to deviate from the one drink I knew I could not get at just any bar: traditional Thai iced tea ($2.95). As soon as the drink arrived, I gulped it down and quickly ordered another.
While sipping on the second glass of the delicious drink, I knew I would soon have to make some decisions about the actual meal. The appetizers were fairly standard of a Thai restaurant: chicken satay, spring rolls, calamari — just to name a few of the 10 available options. The prices for these appetizers range from $4.96 to $6.95, a reasonable cost when compared to the average Thai restaurant. As a fan of shrimp, I was torn between the shrimp cakes (minced shrimp lightly battered, deep fried and served with sweet and sour sauce and pineapple slices) and bikini shrimp (pieces of shrimp wrapped in spring roll skin, deep fried and served with sweet and sour sauce and pineapple slices).
A quick coin toss landed me with the bikini shrimp ($6.50) — which tasted great after the long wait measured by my grumbling stomach. The spring roll skin surrounding the shrimp was still steaming when it arrived at the table, and the shrimp inside had just the right amount of flavor. Although I had no complaints about the shrimp itself, the presentation, which trendy restaurants like this one are usually praised for, was fairly disappointing. The pineapple slices around the shrimp were turning brown, thus taking away from the presentation’s overall appeal.
Had I not been in the mood for an appetizer that day, I also would have had the option of a “yum yum” or soup. A yum yum, Tara Thai’s version of a salad, cost between $4.95 and $7.95, and after looking at the menu, I was surprised as to the salad’s actual ingredients. From the “Papaya Salad Deluxe” to the “Yum Talay” (warm shrimp, scallops, mussels, squid, scallions, red onion, cilantro, tossed and seasoned with spicy lime dressing), the yum yum is certainly unlike any salad I have ever ordered at the Olive Garden.
After demolishing the shrimp and my second Thai iced tea, I was ready for an entrée, most of which range in price from $8.50 to $15.95. Because I knew that Thai restaurants are generally known for their specialty curries, I went straight to the curry descriptions. This time, the chef’s specialties seemed too enticing to pass up. After much deliberation, I decided on the “Ginger Perfect” (a generous serving of sautéed ginger, onion and hu-nu mushrooms in a tasty bean sauce, with my choice of chicken, shrimp, pork or beef).
After yet another seemingly long wait, my entrée arrived. The curry was served with a bowl of rice and a platter of several different pepper sauces. After just a couple of bites of my Ginger Perfect, I knew that I would be visiting this restaurant again. The chicken I ordered was just tender enough, the specialty bean sauce had just enough kick and the mushrooms and ginger added just the right combination of flavors.
By the end of the meal, I knew that given a couple of months, I would have the entire menu memorized. As my friends and I walked out of the restaurant, I began making a list in my head of the entrées and drinks I will try the next time I come to Tara Thai — because there definitely will be a next time.
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