This edition of Excited about Eating takes us to Cha Da Thai, an authentic Thai restaurant that incorporates a “balance of textures, colors and flavors” in Boone, NC.

Dora here. We’ve been frequenting The Local, right next door to Cha Da Thai, for years, but the exterior of the restaurant never really invited us in. But after our son returned from his year-long journey and cooked a Thai meal for us, we knew we had to try this place. The interior was huge and clean, and the server friendly and helpful with suggestions. Oh, and a FREE parking lot across the street is always a bonus!

For my lunch, I chose the Sweet & Sour Pork. The pork was breaded and deep-fried, and the plate was loaded with onion, pineapples, cucumbers, carrots, tomatoes, bell peppers, and rice on the side. Different than other sweet & sour dishes I’ve tasted, more of a stir-fry. They lived up to their philosophy with vivid colors, crunchy texture, and perfectly balanced flavors.

Dora here. Our son suggested we try the Tom Kha soup, and ya’ll know how much I love dumplings. So, I opted for two appetizers. Win, win, right? Oh, yeah.

According to their menu, the Tom Kha soup is “pure Thai comfort food.” The flavors were vibrant, wake-you-up intense, with every dip of my spoon. Huge slivers of chicken, chunks of tomatoes, and mushrooms all mingled in a coconut cream soup infused with lemon grass and chili paste. Deep, complex, and wowza! I can’t say that I would consider it comfort food, but I would definitely order it again. And again. 🙂

And the dumplings were unlike any I’ve sampled before. You have a choice between fried or steamed, and I went with steamed. Pork and chicken and other tiny goodies packed into thin wrappers and served with a sweet (honey?) sesame sauce with a hint of citrus. Oh. Yes! Come to mama! lol.

Steamed Dumplings…oh yes! Come to mama!

We will be back. And I’ll probably order the exact same thing. lol.

What about you? When you find a certain dish on the menu that you enjoy, do you order it every time you visit that restaurant?

We rate this restaurant 5 forks out of 5 for a family friendly restaurant serving outstanding food.