True Thai Falls Shy (kind of)

I'm generally pretty opinionated. It's hot or it's cold, it's black or it's white, I like it or I don't. But every once in a while I fall into a grey, lukewarm purgatory and find myself somewhere between "like it" and "leave it." Such is the case with my dining experience at True Thai, a Seward neighborhood hot spot and winner of several "Twin Cities Best" awards.

We dropped into True Thai around 8:30 on a Friday evening, and the place was bumping. Young dreadlocked couples were in the corner locking eyes over steaming plates of rice and vegetables, a group of 5 or 6 men clustered around a table, laughing as they waited for their food to arrive, several young children bobbled through through a busy maze of tables an chairs, and throughout the restaurant wide-eyed patrons were digging large spoons into savory fare. People were into this place. I was stoked.

We started our meal with an order of Curry Puffs. Stuffed with curried potato then wrapped up and fried like a pillow-shaped egg roll, this appetizer had lots of potential but just didn't do it for me. The crust was thick and doughy. The filling tasted almost exactly like the sweet, bean paste filling of a fried sesame ball. The cucumber relish accompaniment might have worked if it contrasted the sweet puffs with tart, piquant flavor, but instead I found the relish syrupy and sickeningly sweet.

For the main course I ordered the Wok-fried Bean-Thread Vermicelli with tofu. This dish was stocked with veggies like celery and tomoato, which one rarely sees in Thai cooking, but the tartness of the tomato and the crunch of the celery were nice against the heavy, smoky wok juices. Strangely enough the dish was served with a bowl of jasmine rice, which puzzled me since the dish was really too dry and too muted to necessitate rice. But I appreciated the gesture. Overall the Wok-fried Vermicelli was fine - it was palatable and filling, but I had a lurking suspicion that I just hadn't ordered the right thing. This restaurant is popular and has been adorned with numerous awards, but I didn't taste that in my dinner.

My dining partner, however, ordered the Red Curry with pork. Simply said, it was divine. The julienned vegetables were crispy, not soggy, while the curry was seasoned with just the right amount of coconut milk to make the dish sweet without rendering it overpowering or heavy. The pile of orange, red, and green vegetables, studded with chunks of pork and floating in the indulgent curry sauce was so tantalizing that I just wanted to reach over and grab his plate.

I feel strongly that consistency makes a good restaurant great. That in a great restaurant, patrons have confidence in the kitchen and don't hesitate to experiment with the new flavor combinations or techniques that the establishment has to offer. By that criterion I rank True Thai as "good," but not "great." I'll certainly be back, and maybe next time I'll be as impressed with my meal as I was with my partner's Red Curry. But I will still harbor some doubt, however small, that I could order something lackluster.