What's better than fresh-as-can-be spicy thai food for dinner on a hot Saturday night? Enjoying it while dining al fresco, and all for a reasonable fare. Araya's Place is an oft praised local Thai restaurant that I've heard about through word of mouth for a couple of years now. The family-owned and operated restaurant, the first vegan Thai restaurant in the Northwest, in fact, has been running since 1987, with no signs of slowing down. Though we were late in the game to try out Araya's Place, we will be returning on the regular thanks to the amazing vegan offerings.
The best part of the restaurant's ambiance was the outdoor seating. A tiny strip of bistro tables located outside the restaurant provided a romantic setting for a date night. In cooler months, we will surely expect a wait as the inside of the restaurant is pretty cozy. But, the patio tables were nicely separated so that you weren't sitting atop other patrons, and Main Street is a fun spot to people watch in Bellevue. On a sunny, warm evening, it was the perfect place to enjoy a meal.
By pure luck, we arrived during happy hour, and our hour was made happier by the fact that we were able to enjoy happy hour pricing at a dining room table. The $5 glass of generously-poured white wine I enjoyed didn't hurt either.
We ordered a variety of apps including the tofu fresh rolls, which we upgraded by requesting a side of peanut sauce, the Thai tofu with a sweet and spicy sauce, and the cripsy broccoli. Truly, we couldn't decide which was our favorite. Each dish had a salty richness that was offset perfectly by a balanced sauce. For an entree, we shared the Rad Na, a dish of wide noodles, Chinese broccoli and carrots all in a thick gravy, and the one our server declared is her mother's favorite. We ordered this family-favorite dish with deep-fried tofu, a welcome addition to the decadent saucy noodles. We also ordered a side of sticky rice to sop up some of the leftover "gravy" from the Rad Na. Three apps and an entree were more than enough food for two, and had we not been heading to a post-dinner movie, we would have boxed up our leftovers.
The service was punctual and polite, though not at all fussy. They were busy, so they pretty well left us alone, but appeared prompty when we needed another course, a refill, or the bill.
We both agreed, it was the best Thai food we've had on the Eastside, and rivals the best Thai food we've had anywhere. And, I have to admit it, I love a restaurant where I can order any item off the entire menu. Araya's Place, we will be back!
The best part of the restaurant's ambiance was the outdoor seating. A tiny strip of bistro tables located outside the restaurant provided a romantic setting for a date night. In cooler months, we will surely expect a wait as the inside of the restaurant is pretty cozy. But, the patio tables were nicely separated so that you weren't sitting atop other patrons, and Main Street is a fun spot to people watch in Bellevue. On a sunny, warm evening, it was the perfect place to enjoy a meal.
By pure luck, we arrived during happy hour, and our hour was made happier by the fact that we were able to enjoy happy hour pricing at a dining room table. The $5 glass of generously-poured white wine I enjoyed didn't hurt either.
We ordered a variety of apps including the tofu fresh rolls, which we upgraded by requesting a side of peanut sauce, the Thai tofu with a sweet and spicy sauce, and the cripsy broccoli. Truly, we couldn't decide which was our favorite. Each dish had a salty richness that was offset perfectly by a balanced sauce. For an entree, we shared the Rad Na, a dish of wide noodles, Chinese broccoli and carrots all in a thick gravy, and the one our server declared is her mother's favorite. We ordered this family-favorite dish with deep-fried tofu, a welcome addition to the decadent saucy noodles. We also ordered a side of sticky rice to sop up some of the leftover "gravy" from the Rad Na. Three apps and an entree were more than enough food for two, and had we not been heading to a post-dinner movie, we would have boxed up our leftovers.
The service was punctual and polite, though not at all fussy. They were busy, so they pretty well left us alone, but appeared prompty when we needed another course, a refill, or the bill.
We both agreed, it was the best Thai food we've had on the Eastside, and rivals the best Thai food we've had anywhere. And, I have to admit it, I love a restaurant where I can order any item off the entire menu. Araya's Place, we will be back!
