Why: Kindee Thai is among the east Vancouver traditional Thai dining options. The family-friendly restaurant serves traditional Thai food seven days a week for lunch and dinner.
Atmosphere: The modern decor is somewhat minimalistic. Booth seating along the wall provides a more intimate dining experience, and tables and chairs fill in the open floor. Sparkling gold glass pendant lights provide a warm glow above booths, and walls are decorated with matching mirrors and simple shelves. Walls are painted in earth tones that pair well with the laminate wood flooring and dark wood furniture. The T-bars used in the drop-down ceiling have a chrome finish, which adds a touch of reflection from the ceiling. A large-screen TV is viewable for entertainment, and there is another large screen that scrolls through photos of menu options.
What I tried: My dining companion and I started with the vegetarian crispy rolls. I settled on the beef salad and basil fried rice. My dining companion had the pad thai with chicken. We shared a pot of hot mint tea, which was perfect for a cold, rainy day.
The crispy rolls contain rice noodles, carrots and cabbage, and are deep fried to a light, crispy finish. They arrived piping hot to the table with a sweet dipping sauce.
Dining out guide: Kindee Thai
Address: 6700 N.E. 162nd Ave., Suite 713, Vancouver.
Hours: 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily.
Contact: 360-828-5386 or KindeeThai.com
Health score: Kindee Thai received a score of 32 on April 3. 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 beef salad is comprised mostly of thin-sliced, grilled, tender beef combined with some red onions, grape tomatoes, cucumber, bell pepper, mint and cilantro with spicy lime dressing. The salad has a wide variety of flavors that impart a delicious meaty profile accented with fresh vegetables. The spicy lime dressing complements every ingredient with a citrus touch.
I requested the basil fried rice without meat. The rice is mixed with bell pepper, onion, grape tomatoes and basil in a fresh garlic chili sauce. The result is a surprisingly strong flavor experience that went well with the beef salad. A generous amount of vegetables with the fresh, sweet basil leaves was a pleasant departure from typical fried rice.
My dining companion enjoyed the pad thai and noted a fair portion of chicken had been included with the noodles.
Menu highlights beyond what I tried: Crunchy tofu with sweet chili sauce and chopped peanuts from the appetizers sounded yummy. Steamed blue mussels with aromatic lemongrass in a Thai basil broth also sounded appetizing. Tom kha and tom yum soup are available. The Kindee house salad is made with crispy tofu, lettuce, cucumber, grape tomatoes, red onions, cilantro and a hard-boiled egg with house lime dressing. House recommended dishes include crispy duck basil, kabocha curry and the floating salmon, which consists of a grilled filet of salmon with green curry sauce, bamboo shoot, bell pepper, eggplant and basil.
Other observations: The atmosphere is comfortable and orderly. The food is freshly made and tasty. Prices are in line with quality, and service is attentive and friendly. Take out is available.
Cost: Appetizers are $4.50 to $9. Soup costs $8 to $13 (add shrimp for $3 or seafood for $5). Salad is $7 to $12. Pan-fried noodle dishes, wok dishes, fried rice dishes and curry dishes range from $10.50 to $15.50 (lunch prices are $2 less). House recommendations are $14 to $17. Sides cost $1.50 to $3. Desserts are $4 to $7. Hot tea is $2 for a cup and $4 for a pot. Sake is $6 for small and $10 for large. Beer costs $3.50 to $4.50. Wine is $7 and $8 per glass, and $26 and $30 per bottle.
