I've been eating a lot of ethnic food lately, and its not by chance. As goes the economy, so go our taste buds -- to bold, exotic flavors that excite the palate and don't exhaust ever-slimming wallets. Ask yourself how often you've had steak lately. Then ask how many carnitas tacos, plates of Pad Thai or General Tso's chicken you've eaten lately. Be honest.
Thai happens to be my favorite of the bunch, with an ever-growing presence around Sonoma. The most recent entrant, however is no newcomer. Lynn Athavimol, who opened Lynn's Thai Restaurant in Cotati in November 2008 is the former owner and founder of the Thai House in Rohnert Park and Santa Rosa. She sold the business in 2004 and has spent the past four years in Thailand. You can taste it in her food.
However, some uninspired recent visits to the SR Thai House and my disappointment with Thai Issan, um, managed BiteClub's expectations. A sort of food flinch.
Crab Rolls with lime sauce ($9.95), given a white-tablecloth presentation set the bar high, making everyday spring rolls seem downright dull. The sharp acid of the lime, along with lots of garlic and cilantro is well-executed but can slightly overwhelm the delicate crab. Minor stuff. She also does duck rolls with sweet black plum sauce.
Lynn's Tom Kha -- coconut milk soup with galangal, kaffir lime, lemon grass and mushrooms is ridiculously fragrant and delicate. It steers clear of the ham-handed tendency to add too much lime or fish sauce.
A rainbow of curries, from yellow to red, green, Panang, brown and pumpkin, kicks out the flavor with a larder-emptying mix of veggies and spices. The sauce stands up to a spoon rather than puddling in fear. Even the rice is light and fragrant. WIth a price tag of $8.95 for lunch (including soup) or $9.95 for dinner, it's a hearty value as well.
Other entrees include familiar players like honey pork ($8.95/$9.25), cashew chicken ($8.95/$9.25), Pad Thai, and fried rice. But there are also some surprises: Noodles with roasted duck and a marinated duck egg (?), grilled salmon with red curry and tilapia with sweet and sour lime sauce.
Lynn does a killer creme brulee infused with lemon grass. She's still tinkering with the recipe (which could use a little more of the perfume-y herb), but it's a solid effort.
With her delicate touch in the kitchen and constant-presence in the dining room, it's a welcome relief to have another reasonably priced go-to Thai in town. Call it your appetite stimulus plan.
Lynn's Thai Restaurant, 8492 Gravenstein Hwy, Suite M, Cotati, 707.793.9300
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Nearby restaurants: Mai Vietnam, Mike's at the Crossroads, Sift Cupcakery, Humble Pie
Lynn's Tom Kha -- coconut milk soup with galangal, kaffir lime, lemon grass and mushrooms is ridiculously fragrant and delicate. It steers clear of the ham-handed tendency to add too much lime or fish sauce.
A rainbow of curries, from yellow to red, green, Panang, brown and pumpkin, kicks out the flavor with a larder-emptying mix of veggies and spices. The sauce stands up to a spoon rather than puddling in fear. Even the rice is light and fragrant. WIth a price tag of $8.95 for lunch (including soup) or $9.95 for dinner, it's a hearty value as well.Other entrees include familiar players like honey pork ($8.95/$9.25), cashew chicken ($8.95/$9.25), Pad Thai, and fried rice. But there are also some surprises: Noodles with roasted duck and a marinated duck egg (?), grilled salmon with red curry and tilapia with sweet and sour lime sauce.
Lynn does a killer creme brulee infused with lemon grass. She's still tinkering with the recipe (which could use a little more of the perfume-y herb), but it's a solid effort.
With her delicate touch in the kitchen and constant-presence in the dining room, it's a welcome relief to have another reasonably priced go-to Thai in town. Call it your appetite stimulus plan.Lynn's Thai Restaurant, 8492 Gravenstein Hwy, Suite M, Cotati, 707.793.9300
View Larger Map
Nearby restaurants: Mai Vietnam, Mike's at the Crossroads, Sift Cupcakery, Humble Pie
But how's the Pad Thai? :)
How about you tell me, Vince. :)
Did "Lynn" once work at, or own, a Thai restaurant in Petaluma on Pet. Blvd. N. many years ago? I think so...
Hooray!! Lynn's cooking is the best of all the Thai restaurants in So. Co. I was first introduced in the late 80's when she had her restaurant on Southwest Blvd. in Rohnert Park. Her Tom Kha is excellent, as is the Pad Thai. I live in Santa Rosa, but will be making the drive to Cotati from now on. The Thai House has gone down hill since she left with unfriendly service and unsanitary conditions.
Welcome back Lynn! Many of us have missed you and your cooking! I will be passing the word that you are back. :)
I had lunch on 11/11 with a friend and was impressed with the food. Portions were right, flavors spot on. It's a bit pricey. Lunch for 2 was over $30, but I'd say it outshines in quality and freshness. The coconut soup - WOW...I'll go back for that alone !
Wow! I had the most amazing dinner there last night. The calamari appetizer was great. The service was wonderful. I have lived in Cotati for several years and have been disappointed by the Thai restaurants. But now I have a Thai restaurant that I can visit frequently.
Heather: Just a little note---there's no such thing as "brown curry" in Thai food... if you're talking about Mussamun curry, why don't you simply say that? It's only three more letters to write its real name. "Brown curry" conjures images of clumpy pedestrian Japanese "curry".
It's probably a losing battle, but I feel determined to raise the awareness of people in the region about true aspects of Thai cuisine.
With regard to Lynn's food---it's not bad, but it does nothing to stand out from any of the other Thai restaurants in the area. Same old "safe" approach. Thick, sugary, cloying Panang, mediocre red/green/yellow curries made from commercial curry pastes... yawn.
Gawd, how I wish JUST ONE of them would shed their fears, stop kowtowing to "American palates" and make it the way they make it for themselves and staff (Thais, in other words) to eat!! If one would, it would instantly skyrocket to the top and eclipse all the others and become #1 overnight! But they are all just so petrified that someone is going to leave in a huff because they tasted the true, strong flavors of Thai aromatics. Oh, the irony!!
The menu lists it as Brown Curry. Thanks for your enthusiasm about Thai food. Having not been to Thailand, I'm sure we're missing out on some of the finer details. I've been to many of Thai restaurants you mentioned in another post -- and they're all great in my mind. You're right about Sea Thai being a Cal-Thai fusion. I think I mentioned that in my review.
I agree with you! I'm half Thai and the curries I know are Red, Green and Yellow. Some Thai restaurants tend to Americanize dishes. I'm spoiled though with authentic thai from my mom! yum!
Had a birthday dinner in there and was totally satisfied with the food and the service. My favorite is the pumpkin curry. All the dishes seemed fresh and had an extra touch to them. the eggplant dish was great... definitely that best Thai place i've been to in awhile. The service was excellent!
The first date that I ever paid for was my first date ever with my first girlfriend. We went to a Thai restaurant, the best Thai restaurant in our area that offered fine dining. I’ll never forget that night that we ate at that Thai restaurant. That wasn’t just fine dining or quick service or exotic Asian cuisine. That was really a very memorable very enjoyable very eye-opening night, one that I’ll never forget.
The first date that I ever paid for was my first date ever with my first girlfriend. We went to a Thai restaurant, the best Thai restaurant in our area that offered fine dining. I’ll never forget that night that we ate at that Thai restaurant. That wasn’t just fine dining or quick service or exotic Asian cuisine. That was really a very memorable very enjoyable very eye-opening night, one that I’ll never forget.