Date Night: Chiang Mai Thai

Every so often I have the urge to venture through the traffic in Uptown and hit up one of my favorite Thai restaurants, Chiang Mai Thai. Recently, Zeb and I did just that. We called up fellow Minneapolite Liz and her husband Al to join us for Chiang Mai Thai’s Thursday Date Night special.

Chiang Mai is located in Calhoun Square in Uptown. It serves delicious Thai food and has been voted by City Pages as the best Thai restaurant for four consecutive years. Since it was Chiang Mai’s Date Night, I called ahead and reserved a table for four. We were planning to arrive around 7:30 p.m. On this particular Thursday, a reservation was not necessary. This was reassuring for me. Date nights in my house are rarely planned in advance.

Once we arrived, it did not take long for our waiter to take our drink order. He soon discovered each couple planned to partake in the Date Night — one bottle of wine, two appetizers, and an entree to split ($39.) Our wine came quickly and we proceeded to place our orders. Each couple chose similar appetizers. Zeb and I ordered the plain cream cheese wontons and fried spring rolls. Liz and Al ordered the same, but with jalapeno wontons versus the plain.

The appetizers were fabulous. The fried spring rolls were flaky on the outside with a warm center. The cabbage on the inside still had crispness that made the fried spring roll taste fresh and delicious. The cream cheese wontons were brimming with cream cheese. The texture of the cream cheese with the crispness of the fried wonton wrapper is a combination I always love. Liz and Al enjoyed the uniqueness the jalapeno’s brought to their wontons. The sweet chili dipping sauce added the perfect amount of sweet with the savory in both the fried spring rolls and the wontons.

We then ordered our main entree. Zeb and I chose to split the Fire Noodles with Thai Basil, Liz and Al did the same. Our protein of choice, beef. The Fire Noodles are a favorite of mine. I usually order it with a spice level three. The spiciness of this dish is one of my favorite aspects. However, I also really enjoy the flavor the Thai basil brings. I find the beef soaks up the flavor better than the other protein options.

It didn’t take long for the four of us to devour our meals. The food was really tasty. The price of the Date Night special isn’t the best in town, but any Date Night beats a full-priced meal. We all left with our pocketbooks fairly in tact and our stomachs full. I won’t hesitate to return for another Date Night at Chiang Mai Thai, especially in the company of good friends.

Atmosphere
Dimly lit with a mature aesthetic. The over-sized booths offer a private nook for a romantic dinner or friendly conversation.

Service
Our waiter was extremely friendly and helpful.

Presentation
The plating was nothing special, but you can’t go wrong with simplicity.

Taste
The food was delicious, my mouth waters just thinking of the tastes.

Value for Dollars
The Date Night Special was okay, but it can’t compete with some of the Date Night Specials across the Metro.