Thai Square Arlington, Va

If you want some of the most authentic, fiery, soul consuming Thai food in the DC metro area, give this place a go. Make sure to call ahead or you might be waiting a while. They stay fairly busy but fear not…they deliver. Oh yes folks. You read that right. So let me give you a few examples of the delicious Mom and Pop dishes that will immediately burn their way into your heart.

First, the Somtum also called papaya salad, is an absolute must. Julienned green papaya with tomatoes, peanuts and dried baby shrimp tossed in their chili-lime dressing will melt away the days stresses. Don’t fight the heat in this dish, just let it take you over and I promise you wont stop eating it until its gone. The sauce in this dish is the kind you suck off the plate with your straw. Give me a funnel and some Thai Square chili-lime dressing and I’m a happy girl.

Next I love to get the Yum Talay. This is a spectacular mix of seafood including muscles, scallops, squid, and shrimp. Everything gets tossed in the straw worthy chili-lime dressing with red onion, cilantro, and scallions and is served on a bed of lettuce. A great start to any Thai meal.

Then we have one of their signature dishes…the Crispy Honey Roasted Duck. This is the dish that brings the masses. The honey roasted duck is battered and fried with aromatic Thai basil leaves and chili peppers giving everything in the dish a crunchy texture. The duck meat itself is tender, moist, and fatty creating a savory, succulent complement to the batter. The basil really kicks this one up too. It is fried to a crisp and scattered around the duck like basil gold leaf.

So those are the 3 dishes that I regularly get. I also hear that their crispy squid with basil is die for. I wouldn’t doubt it if the other dishes I have had are any indication of the quality of food these people are making. I love you Thai Square.

~ by cobrawueats on June 24, 2008.