A friend of mine recently returned from Seattle and continues to
crave Thai food. I've been to Thai Diner and Thai Diner, Too and even though the
food was decent, neither establishment insistently calls me back. And even
though Mom Siam has received great reviews, every time I have been the food was
uninspiring and the service abysmal. We settled on Beauregard's Thai Room,
located on Cary St. between downtown and VCU. It had been years since we had
eaten there. In fact, the last time we visited, it was the only Thai restaurant
in the area.
As we entered and descended to the hostess stand, we were somewhat leary. The
cigarette haze enveloping the entrance was noxious. We held our breaths and
headed upstairs to the non-smoking dining area (not a trace of a cigarette
here). The restaurant is housed in a traditional large brick Richmond row house
with soaring ceilings. The dining room decor is formal, complete with custom
Napoleonic drapes, yet, the walls are a seafoam green. An odd mix of formality
and casualness.
We perused our menus and the wine list. Since we expected our entrees to be
spicy-hot, we bagged tradition (red wine) and ordered a 2004 Jekel Monterey
Riesling - tart green apple with a brief hint of apricot. Bill, our waiter, had
a little trouble with the wine service and began taking orders before we even
had a chance to taste the wine. Hey Bill, slow down next time!
For starters, my husband and I ordered Thai Dumplings, our friend, Wonton Soup.
The dumplings were very different from the other Oriental dumplings we have
tried. These were wrapped in thin Wonton wrappers. Much more delicate. The
ground shrimp and pork filling also had more flavor. The sauce was vinegary and
HOT! We congratulated ourselves on ordering the Riesling! A very tasty
beginning.
For the main course, I decided on Gai Pad Med Ma-Muan (Cashew Chicken) - Sliced
chicken breasts sauteed with cashews, onions, scallions, and dried chillies (2
star spicy). My friend and my husband ordered two versions of Pad Thai. Our West
coast traveller selected Pad Thai - Traditional - Fried rice noodles in a sweet
and sour sauce with shrimp, scallions, egg, bean sprouts, and ground peanuts (no
star spicy). My husband ordered Beauregard's Pad Thai - Rice noodles sauteed
with shrimp, fresh vegetables, Thai spices, and ground peanuts (1 star spicy).
All were delicious. The Cashew Chicken was fresh with a few broccoli flowerets
thrown in and the sauce was flavorful, yet light. I was a little disappointed,
however, with the spiciness. My husband's dish had more of a kick than mine. The
shrimp in both Pad Thai dishes were large and yummy. The noodles were light, but
filling. As we dined our friend shared pictures and tales of Seattle.
It was well worth going back to Richmond's original Thai restaurant. The dishes
were better balanced and we liked the tribute to an older Richmond via the
building. When we dined the weather was rainy, so, we were not able to take
advantage of the courtyard behind the building. Next time, we'll choose a clear
evening and eat al fresco!