There has been a flurry of restaurant closings and openings in the past few months. Among the diverse new openings to check out, we discovered a couple of new options for Thai food in north Seattle.
A few blocks north of the zoo we found Roy Southern Thai Cuisine (6114 Phinney Ave. N, Seattle; 206-582-2299; https://roysouthernthai.com). Roy opened this past fall. The interior felt homey, as if it had been converted from an old house (but it was not — this was commercial property). The staff was friendly, with the owner circulating to chat with every table during lunch.
We chose the Lamb Curry Bowl from their weekday lunch specials. Lunch at Roy’s is preceded by a bowl of vegetable broth, which was light but flavorful. The lamb curry was served over rice. We chose brown rice, which made for a very hearty winter meal. The lamb was surprisingly tender, although it was not a very generous portion; the dish was mostly rice, but the flavor from the curry mixed in well.
Roy has a good selection of teas from which to choose, and we chose a silver needle white to accompany our lunch. They have a bar with several featured alcoholic beverages, but Roy closes between lunch and dinner, so they do not offer a happy hour.
We would be happy to return to sample more items from the menu when we are in the Phinney Ridge area.
Right in the heart of what one might call the Green Lake neighborhood’s business district, we found Gao Lhao Bangkok Noodle Shop (7102 Woodlawn Ave. NE, Seattle; 206-710-2170; https://gaolhao.com). Gao Lhao features Thai-Chinese street food. We went for a midweek lunch and had no trouble finding a table without a reservation.
The menu required some time to study, presenting a wide range of options that extended far beyond noodles and reflected the breadth of the restaurant’s Thai-Chinese offerings. There is a vegan page, but gluten-free options are not labeled as such.
We tried the Roasted Duck with spinach noodles (egg noodles were also an option) and the Northern-style Broth Curry Chicken, also known (as subtitled on this menu) as khao soi, a coconut curry noodle soup from Northern Thailand.
Our guest for this meal lived in Thailand for a year and commented that true khao soi is rarely found on the menu around Seattle, and this dish was served almost as it would be found in Thailand; except there, the vegetables would be on the side and there would be bean sprouts). The flavor of this dish was excellent, with a rich broth and a very generous quantity of chicken. Historically this is a Chinese-Muslim dish, so a pork version would not be offered.
The duck and spinach noodles were satisfyingly filling with a very nice flavor. Though it was hard to choose between their noodle dishes, this one would tempt us next time.
We would order both dishes again, although the Northern-style Broth Curry Chicken (khao soi) sort of stole the show. This was lunch, so we accompanied the meal with tea; if we have one negative comment it would be the tea selection was very limited (green, jasmine, and chamomile), but that will not stop us from returning.
Gao Lhao has been open since the summer. It shares ownership with Isarn Thai Soul Kitchen, which are well-established restaurants in Ravenna, Queen Anne, Lynnwood, and Kirkland and with Kin Len Thai Night Bites. The latter is a popular place in the busy hub of Fremont. Like that fun place, this Green Lake location has a modern feel, complete with neon lights, ample seating, and a full bar area in back. We will enthusiastically return to sample more on their menu and to check out their happy hours (3-6 p.m. and 9 p.m. to close).
Dining Out is brought to you by Christopher Howard with the help of friends and family. Please direct any comments or suggestions to him at chh@f2t.com or 206-669-5956.
