Sukho Thai

friday night take-out.

maybe i'll start a special post for that. maybe not. we'll see.

nevertheless, this was the second to last stop on the short hudson valley tour.

After becoming cultured to Thai food during my time in DC over the past five years, I was always sad when I went home that I could not engage in the delicious Thai cuisine. However, I was definitely mistaken because Sukho Thai has been in Beacon for a while now, but it was only until a year or so ago that I had went for my first time.

This review, however, will only be about my Sukho Thai take out experience, but I will remark that the restaurant itself is located on the Eastern end of Main Street in Beacon (both Chill and Homespun were located on the western end) and it is adjacent to many of the well known antique shops in town. The restaurant does feature a nice modern decor and it is a really good spot for a small group of friends or a nice date night with your significant other.

For take out, I ordered the Fried Golden Tofu to start which was served with sweet chili dipping sauce. After having delicious golden tofu from Sticky Rice and decent tofu from Malaysia Kopitiam, I was expecting something at least in between. Unfortunately, I got something that was not really close. The Golden Tofu had absolutely no flavor and even with the dipping sauce which was standard, I was not off to a good start with my meal. However, my entree, the Penang Curry, a Thai panang curry with red bell peppers, snow peas, green beans, topped with a coconut sauce and Kaffir lime leaves, was a completely different situation. You can order it with your choice of chicken, beef, pork, tofu, vegetable, or shrimp. I had my version with a mixture of tofu and vegetables and it was really really really good. I was almost shocked that two things, one with no flavor and another dish with such tasty flavors could come from the same restaurant. You are able to choose the spiciness of your food and I like some heat to my meals, so I chose the "medium" option which was the perfect amount of spice to give it some kick but I was still able to enjoy the other flavor profiles of the dish.

Despite the poor appetizer, my entree more then made up for the meal. Having also been to Sukho Thai a few times prior, I also know that they usually serve up really solid and delicious Thai food, but they definitely need to redo that Fried Golden Tofu.

Grade: B+

Old Siam

thai takeout. yum. i love those evenings when I call ahead, walk around the corner or hop in my car and drive 3 minutes and when I get to some location, my food is waiting for me ready and hot, then i make my way back home, plop on the couch or on my bed and enjoy a nice scrumptious dinner. all in the matter of tminus 20 minutes. i love takeout.

essentially, those are the lazy evenings, the "karri" evenings when I just need some meee time but i dont want to put in any effort of cooking anything. you have those nights. we all have those nights. sometimes, those are the best nights.

having been to Old Siam in Eastern Market on numerous occasions, I always enjoy the food here. It is located right on 8th street in the barracks row/eastern market neighborhood, one of my most favorite areas in the city. old siam also has a very nice happy hour and during the spring, summer and fall, the front outside patio is a really great spot.

i was not in the mood for trying something new so i just opted for the veggie pad thai. however, i have also had the Rama Tofu which is fried tofu stir-fried with yellow curry served on a bed of steamed spinach and topped with peanut sauce. Although the veggie pad thai is good and flavorful there is nothing extraordinarily spectacular about it. I personally would recommend one of their other curry dishes, such as the Rama Tofu because they offer more complex favors with a nice seasoning kick.

if you are lazier than I, I hear that Old Siam now offers delivery and they are also currently working on their web-based ordering. But really, Old Siam does have a pretty nice ambiance so I would also consider going to the restaurant, especially on a nice evening when you can head to Baskin Robins for a dessert afterwards. About the ambiance: The front room features the large granite topped bar with cooler blue colors and some red as well with dim lighting. The backroom has brighter lights with red walls but hardwood floors and tables adorn both rooms.

All in all, it is not the best Thai I have ever had but would I go back time and time again for takeout, absolutely.

Grade: B