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| Don't let their font deter you. |
Vanessa: The restaurant is small with maybe thirty seats, but the space is well thought-out and is very cozy and comfortable. When we arrived, we were the only ones there at one o'clock on a holiday Monday, though I have trouble imagining a bustling downtown El Sobrante lunch crowd on any day. We were greeted warmly and immediately served water and small green salads. While a local pop radio station played in the background, we figured out four dishes to order.
I'm not sure the crispy sweet potatoes actually qualify as Thai (aside from the Thai sweet chili sauce they were served with), but they were tasty and hot, those little battered and deep-fried sticks of sweet potato. Though maybe a touch under-salted, our ba-mee chicken noodles were generously portioned and tasty with nicely grilled chicken, tender bok choy, and lots of chopped peanuts to garnish. My favorite was the jungle curry, a brothy, vaguely sour, not-too-spicy blend of fresh vegetables, lots of basil, and chicken. The barbecue pork and rice was totally fine, though over-marinated and not really tender; the steamed vegetables on the plate were super fresh and cooked well, even better than the pork itself.
I have to admit that when we first sat down, I was a little skeptical about the restaurant based on menu items like crab rangoon and something that had the name "volcano" in it -- and that the menu lacked items like larb and sticky rice, which I think of as must-haves at a Thai restaurant. But I was really happy with the freshness and the flavors, and we had plenty of leftovers to make another meal later. It's a place that has a warm vibe, gracious service, and a view of the Rancho across the street. What could be more El Sob?
Tony: I was happily surprised that the inside of the restaurant was totally different than the outside (though V enjoyed the font used on the outside awning for the restaurant name). Comfy as it was, I was able to hear the entire conversation of a first date between two fifty-somethings, and we were politely interrupted by a man who lost (ahem) his wedding band from his pocket, somewhere near us. El So...well, you know the rest.
When we hit up Thai restaurants, I generally defer to my dining companion for food selection. Some sort of Pad Thai noodle usually makes the cut. Go with what you know. The barbecue pork was tasty but had the slight taste of being marinated for too long. Not bad though. My standard drink is Thai Iced Tea but found Thai Iced Coffee next to it on the menu. After a bit of debate, I ordered it and found that is sweetened coffee with a float of milk topped with whipped cream.
I should've went with what I knew.
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| T versus crispy sweet potatoes. |
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| Ba-mee chicken noodles with thin egg noodles, bean sprouts, green onions, bok choy, and peanuts and sweet chili sauce on the side. |
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| Jungle curry, a classic northern Thai-style curry that is made without coconut milk. |
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| The pork on a bed of perfect vegetables with a hefty portion of rice. |
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| T versus Thai iced coffee with whipped cream. |
