Why: Thai Time opened in December. The restaurant occupies a strip mall space and incorporates a modern look with traditional Thai menu options. Thai Time is open seven days a week with dine-in and take-out service.
What I tried: To start, my dining companions and I tried the pork pot stickers and the spring rolls. I had the pad Thai with chicken, and my dining companions settled on the barbecued pork and the pad see ew made with tofu. As is the norm for Thai restaurants, the desired level of spicy heat is identified by a scale of one to four peppers — four being very hot. I chose mild for my dish, and my dining companions opted for medium spicy (two peppers) for the pad see ew and spicy (three peppers) for the barbecued pork.
The pot stickers were deep fried and served with a sweet-and-sour sauce. The exterior of the pot stickers was light and crispy. I thought they were exceptionally appetizing compared with the pan-fried steamed ones, and the pork filling was tasty. The sweet-and-sour sauce was the color of teriyaki sauce and had a flavor that was more sweet than sour.
The vegetable-filled spring rolls were petite, and each delicate layer of the wrap was extra crispy. Both appetizers provided a delicious start to our meal.
Dining Out review: Thai Time
Hours: 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Friday. Noon to 9 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.
Where: 11310 N.E. 49th St., Suite 107, Vancouver.
More information: 360-859-3914. Thai Time is also on Facebook.
Health score: Thai Time has received a pre-opening inspection, for which a score is not publicly available, and is scheduled for a routine inspection in the near future. Zero is a perfect score, and Clark County Public Health closes restaurants with a score of 100 or higher. For information, call 360-397-8428.
The pad Thai consisted of noodles, a generous amount of white and dark chicken, a marginal amount of scrambled egg and green onion and was topped with bean sprouts. Ground peanuts were included, but I could not taste them apart from the rest of the ingredients. The dish was not as sweet as is typically served at other Thai restaurants, and I appreciated the generous amount of chicken, of which there were not any chewy pieces — another plus.
My dining companion found that the medium heat of the pad see ew, which includes lightly stir-fried wide rice noodles and large pieces of tofu, egg, Chinese broccoli and carrots, made it a bit too hot to finish the entire dish.
The barbecued pork was served on a large leaf of lettuce, and the rice accompaniment was served in plastic wrap on a separate plate. A sweet-and-spicy chili sauce with a hint of citrus came with the dish, too. My dining companion unwrapped the rice, placed the pork on the rice and poured the sauce over the top. He said the pork was tender and juicy, and although he requested a spicy dish, he did not find the pork too hot for his liking.
Atmosphere: Dark-wood tables and chairs set for two to four diners fill the open floor from the entrance to the bar, which is at the rear of the space. Upholstered benches are paired with tables and chairs along one wall. The register is on a counter in front of the kitchen window, and a TV is mounted behind the bar. Large, shaded, drop lights uniformly shed light for dining, and smaller pendant style fixtures above the bar and counter contribute a warm glow. Decor items are sparse, giving the restaurant a minimalist feel.
Menu highlights beyond what I tried: Thai chicken wings and Thai coconut shrimp are included in the appetizer choices. Tom yum goong soup and po teak soup are available. Drunken noodles, larb, curries and several options of fried rice are on the menu as well. Desserts include sweet black sticky rice with fresh mango (seasonal), ice cream and fried bananas with ice cream. Thai ice tea and ice coffee, Thai green tea, regular ice tea, hot jasmine tea, hot coffee, regular and strawberry lemonade, soda and alcoholic beverages are available.
Other observations: The waitstaff is friendly and attentive, the food is fresh and flavorful and there are gluten free options available. The atmosphere is low-key, clean and tidy.
Cost: Appetizers cost $5 to $8. Sides are $2 to $5. Soups, salads, noodles and stir-fry cost $8 to $15. Desserts are $4 and $6. Non-alcoholic beverages are $1 to $3.
