We Must Confess…

…we cheated. And we kinda liked it…

When it comes to thai food we are absolutely hooked on Royal Thai in Mesa. Every once in a while though we get the urge to stray just to see what else is out there. If nothing else, we at least will know what our options are if, god forbid, Royal Thai suffers the same sad and untimely fate as Kinfolks. If that ever does happen, once i’m out of mourning, I think Swadee Thai would do a decent job filling that void in my heart, and more importantly in my stomach. It seems like all the good thai places we good to are a pain in the butt to get too. Royal Thai is out in Mesa, and Swadee Thai is up in northeast Scottsdale tucked away in a little strip mall that i must have passed 3 times before we actually found it. They also have 2 other locations, one up in Flagstaff and another in Chandler. When we finally did find the place, despite all the Best Of’s and various other awards and accolades lining the entry way walls, i became immediately skeptical when i realized we were the only 2 people in the restaurant. The first and most obvious difference between Swadee and Royal Thai is ambiance. Swadee actually has some, as opposed to the random decorations and blinding florescent lights at Royal Thai. Who cares about lights when the food is good though…

Once we chose our booth, i started out the meal as i do every time i eat thai, with a thai iced tea, And as usual, spicy, sweet and delicious. Next up, satay. Chicken pieces marinated in yellow curry powder, barbecued on bamboo skewers,  served with peanut sauce, cool cucumber dip and toast points. Delicious, fun to eat and FULL of flavor. I’d eat a tire if it had that peanut sauce on it. After the satay was quickly put down it was time for our entrees which we split. Because we are so fond of the garlic tofu at Royal Thai we decided to see if Swadee’s version of it would compare. Sauteed tofu with onions and scallions in a fresh garlic and white pepper sauce. While we both enjoyed it, Royal Thai definitely has Swadee beat on this one. While the garlic sauce was flavorful, i wish it was thicker to better cote the tofu pieces. The actual tofu itself wasn’t my favorite either, too soft and mushy for my tastes. I believe they offered a fried tofu option which i think probably was the way to go instead of just the straight up sauteed tofu. Along with the garlic tofu we got a bowl of yellow curry, which is potatoes, onions, carrots, bell peppers and chicken in a yellow curry sauce. I never had the yellow curry at Royal Thia, so i have nothing to compare it with but i will say it was delicious just like everything else we ate at Swadee. All the veggies and potatoes were cooked just right until soft and tender. A few spoonfuls of the yellow curry over a pile of warm and fluffy white rice is the way to go. The amount of spice in the curry sauce was just right. I’ve learned the hard way to be careful ordering spicy dishes at thai/indian restaurants, so i usually order them pretty mild so i can actually enjoy what i’m eating.

As usual, we walked out stuffed and satisfied. I’ve got nothing bad to say about Swadee Thai. The food was great, the staff was friendly and helpful, the meal was affordable…but i still feel as though it’s one step below Royal Thai. 

Would i go back? Yeah, it’s definitely a solid thai option when i don’t feel like taking the trip all the way out to Royal Thai. To be honest though, i don’t ever foresee myself NOT willing to make that drive. 

Chicken Satay

Garlic Tofu

Yellow Curry

Thai Iced Tea