Fast Thai offerings fresh, healthful, delicious

Why: Fast Thai recently opened in the space previously occupied by the now-defunct Khun Joe’s Thai Chicken House on Southeast 164th Avenue. All the food is made fresh within the hour, and mostly olive oil is used in cooking as a healthful alternative to vegetable oil. The idea behind Fast Thai is as a “hybrid Thai restaurant” that offers fast, fresh healthful food to go or for dining in.

What I tried: Between my dining companion and I, we tried the pad thai noodles, the drunken noodles, the crispy orange chicken, the Buddha vegetables, the yellow curry, crispy beef and egg roll fries.

It was hard to choose favorites because everything was delicious in its own right. The crispy orange chicken was not overly sweet or coated in too much stickiness, and all of the pieces were premium chicken breast, which made it pleasant to eat because it was void of chewy pieces. The coating tasted as though it had fresh orange zest in it, and the chicken made up the bulk of this dish. I have experienced this dish at other restaurants where it is frequently out of balance and made with more coating and sauce than chicken.

The vegetables contained cabbage, mushrooms, broccoli, baby corn, green beans, carrots and onion. The freshness might best be pointed out by the garden-fresh taste of the cabbage. Too often, when cabbage is included in a stir-fried mix, it has a tangy, almost fermented flavor that I do not find appetizing. This was not the case at Fast Thai.

The yellow curry was mouth-watering. The chunks of carrots, potatoes and onion were not overly soft and maintained their individual taste amid the yellow curry broth, which was creamy and sweet with a nice, spicy kick at the finish of each spoonful.

Both noodle selections were spot-on with flavor. The texture of the crispy beef reminded me of beef jerky, but it was not quite as saturated with flavor as jerky is. The egg roll fries were a slender, long version of the beloved appetizer. Each roll/fry had a flaky, crispy dough surrounding a soft center of familiar flavor.

Menu highlights beyond what I tried: Pad thai noodles and pad khee mao (drunken noodles) are noodle options for entrees. Rice options are fried, white, brown and sticky. Entree options for combo meals include sweet and sour fish, red curry, yellow curry, Buddha mix vegetables, crispy orange chicken and daily chef specials. Made-to-order dishes include papaya salad, lara chicken or beef, tofu, tom ka soup, tom yum soup and kapoon coconut curry noodle. Among the appetizer selection is satay chicken, calamari, salad rolls, salt and pepper shrimp, lao sausage, and daily chef specials. Desserts include kaolasong, taro chips and sweet mango sticky rice. Boba tea flavors include taro, mango, strawberry, honeydew, coconut and coffee with a range of jelly choices that include rainbow, lychee, star mango and grass jelly with a popping boba selection of lychee, mango, strawberry and pomegranate.

Atmosphere: If you have visited every former restaurant at this address, dating back to Strada, you will recognize that the space still possesses a similar character to those that have gone before. Dark, repurposed wood provides seating and wall elements that are sturdy and attractive, clean and uncluttered. Orange and green painted walls lend a pleasant vibe to the space, and white tiles and stainless steel in the kitchen space look traditional and streamlined. Orders are placed below the menu board, where selections are on display and tasting is offered.

Other observations: The service was friendly and fast. The food will bring me back. The atmosphere, though somewhat reinvented for the new restaurant, is familiar and comfortable. The only downside to my visit was the use of gloves through every aspect of the transaction. I observed that the gloves were not removed (by anyone who was working the front) from food service to money handling and then back to food service.

Cost: Combos are available for $7.95 (one entree, rice or noodles) and $9.95 (two entrees, rice or noodles). Appetizers cost $3.95. Made-to-order options cost $7.25 to $8.95. Boba tea is $4.75 and other beverages such as Thai ice tea, fresh coconut drink, fresh squeezed orange juice are $3.95. Soda and bottled drinks are available as well for $1.95 to $2.49. Desserts cost $2.95 to $6.95.