Jump to content

Sala Thai - Consistent, Convenient Local Thai Chain With Multiple DC Locations and Delivery


Recommended Posts

I had lunch today at Sala Thai at roughly 20th and P (DuPont). I thought the food was really good. We started with the vegatable spring rolls and the shrimp with lemongrass, onions, cilantro and chili limie. The spring rolls wer pretty standard but the shrimp was fresh and worked really well with the pungent spices.

For entress, we had the chicken with ginger and fresh pinapple, pork with basil and hot chili and garlic, drunken noodles with beef and pad thai. The pad thai was pretty standard, but the other dishes stood out with appropriately spicy sauces and fresh ingredients. It worked for me. On leaving, I noticed that most of the clientele appeared to be of Thai extraction, usually a good sign. Service was efficient and the prices in the cheap eats category. When I get another hankering for Thai while I'm at work, I'll definitley consider returning to Sala Thai.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I had lunch today at Sala Thai at roughly 20th and P (DuPont). I thought the food was really good. We started with the vegatable spring rolls and the shrimp with lemongrass, onions, cilantro and chili limie. The spring rolls wer pretty standard but the shrimp was fresh and worked really well with the pungent spices.

For entress, we had the chicken with ginger and fresh pinapple, pork with basil and hot chili and garlic, drunken noodles with beef and pad thai. The pad thai was pretty standard, but the other dishes stood out with appropriately spicy sauces and fresh ingredients. It worked for me. On leaving, I noticed that most of the clientele appeared to be of Thai extraction, usually a good sign. Service was efficient and the prices in the cheap eats category. When I get another hankering for Thai while I'm at work, I'll definitley consider returning to Sala Thai.

My first post ever on eG was in reponse to a "Best Thai" thread:

My personal favorite is Sala Thai on P St. off Dupont Circle.

So insightful.

I'm not sure I've been back since then, since I've found a pretty good substitute close to home at Tawan Thai in Ashburn. But I did think Sala does a good job with the basics and I've had some pretty good specials there, too.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I had lunch today at Sala Thai at roughly 20th and P (DuPont).  I thought the food was really good.  We started with the vegatable spring rolls and the shrimp with lemongrass, onions, cilantro and chili limie.  The spring rolls wer pretty standard but the shrimp was fresh and worked really well with the pungent spices.

For entress, we had the chicken with ginger and fresh pinapple, pork with basil and hot chili and garlic, drunken noodles with beef and pad thai.  The pad thai was pretty standard, but the other dishes stood out with appropriately spicy sauces and fresh ingredients.  It worked for me.  On leaving, I noticed that most of the clientele appeared to be of Thai extraction, usually a good sign.  Service was efficient and the prices in the cheap eats category.  When I get another hankering for Thai while I'm at work, I'll definitley consider returning to Sala Thai.

I wonder if quality is consistent or differs from Sala Thai to Sala Thai. I've never eaten in the restaurant, but have ordered home delivery from their Arlington "office." I've always been impressed.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I wonder if quality is consistent or differs from Sala Thai to Sala Thai. I've never eaten in the restaurant, but have ordered home delivery from their Arlington "office." I've always been impressed.

I've been to the one in Arlington and did not like it as much as the P st. location.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'll definitely add my voice to those who enjoy Sala Thai. I really like P Street location (I've found the Cleveland Park location to be a bit bland). My favorite is the tom kha gai, which packs an incredible sharp, tangy, and rich wallop. It doesn't look like much: just some chicken in milky broth, sometimes with some parsley or such on top. It's practically cuisine d'essence. On the whole, though, I haven't been too impressed by their noodles or rice dishes. Sala Thai is probably the best value in cheap food in the area.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'll definitely add my voice to those who enjoy Sala Thai. I really like P Street location (I've found the Cleveland Park location to be a bit bland). My favorite is the tom kha gai, which packs an incredible sharp, tangy, and rich wallop. It doesn't look like much: just some chicken in milky broth, sometimes with some parsley or such on top. It's practically cuisine d'essence. On the whole, though, I haven't been too impressed by their noodles or rice dishes. Sala Thai is probably the best value in cheap food in the area.

I've eaten at the Cleveland Park location several times because it is in my neighborhood and its cheap. The food overall is so so. I usually get the chicken pad thai which I find to be good, but not great. One consistent problem I've noticed is that the chicken in a variety of chicken dishes is over-cooked so that it is bland. I've been there with others who found some dishes they liked. I'd definitely say people should go and give it a try because the restaurants have nice decor, friendly staff, and are cheap. If you choose wisely/luckily you might get good food too. :lol:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I just noticed that a new Sala Thai just opened at the 2300 block of Wilson Blvd. near Courthouse Metro along with a Robek's. While not foodie food, I whole-heartedly embrace this addition to the neighborhood (Quizno's and Wendy's and all Chinese places with the word "Panda" in your name: Goooo Awwwwaaay).

Link to comment
Share on other sites

:unsure:

When we moved to Denver, the best part besides Waitman returning from DC (and our moving back to DC) was Waitman returning from DC with the cardbord box filled with 4 orders of Nam Sod from Dupont Sala Thai. Thai spiced sausage. Uncooked as far as I could ascertain except for a brief moment in the skillet to crisp the meat and rice. Pickled in the manner of cerviche but more refined, perhaps a squirt of lime,just enough to be noticed and though they never survived in all the crispy goodness that one would enjoy on P Street, there was still a crrunnccch of rice and a bit of lime kissed, not quite cooked pork, a bit of peanut (though a bit done in after 5 hours on the plane) and I miss this very very much.

Tonight we ordered Nam Sod from the Conn. Ave. Branch and were treated to larb. Larb is fine, great even. But it is not Nam Sod.

Also Thai restaurant owners, enough with the sugar already. Gah! My teeth are on the verge of running out of my mouth and joining up with a group of sugar eschewing monks. Yech! Do you really think we like it like that? Knock it off.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

For those not familiar with proper nam sod, my affection for it once earned me the privilege of taking a trip back to the kitchen to see how it is made. It begins with ground, spiced-and-gingered pork which is then formed into meatballs and -- apparently, we had a bit of a language barrier going -- left to ferment above the dishwasher for a couple of days. :unsure: It's then deep fried and smushed up, so you get a proper crunch, but can also toss it with peanuts, more hot peppers and bit of lime. That the Sala Thai people no longer do this is a sign that Eastern Civilazation, as well as Western Civilization, is in deep decline. Or that Or that one is corrupting the other. Or that nobody takes pride in their craft any more. Or something.

If anyone knows where to get something that sounds like what I described above, please write.

Please.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

If anyone knows where to get something that sounds like what I described above, please write.

Please.

I have had it at Ruan Thai in Wheaton, but not in the past two years. Might be worth seeing if it's still available there.

I have also made it at home. It's not a pretty process but yields fine results. PM for recipe.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I believe that Sala Thai has been in that location for a number of years (at least 5) and was not relatively new. I also thought that I saw that the building was going to be razed for some more condos or office buildings. With all of the great Thai options available in Arlington, this is not a great loss.

I happened to end up in my building's elevator with a Sala Thai delivery guy this evening, and I asked him about the closing of the Courthouse location. There was a bit of a language barrier, but he seemed to say that the Courthouse location was just too close to the older location (at N. 10th and Washington Blvd.), and the new location in Courthouse was not getting enough business. (And I bet the rent was on the high side.) The delivery guy said that the older location is expected to stay open for the foreseeable future.

Sala Thai's older location (next to the CVS) has a sign that says Garfield Park Condos, Coming Spring 2007. Given what the delivery guy said to you, and given that Spring 2007 has come and gone without any sign of condo construction, I guess there's been a bit of a reprieve.

The Sala Thai (and CVS) at the corner of Washington Blvd and N. 10th Street in Arlington is closed. Guess the construction is on its way.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

There is now a Sala Thai in the Park Kennedy Apartments near Stadium - Armory metro (1901 C Street, SE). It opened a few months ago, but yesterday evening was the first time I stopped in. I got some food to take out, and I have no idea* why I made the choices I did. I got one order of Pad Se Ew with Marinated Pork (flat rice noodles, Chinese broccoli, and egg; $16) and one order of...Beef Sukiyaki (cellophane noodles, special sauce; $17). Given that they also have a sushi menu, I suppose getting a Japanese beef dish in a Thai restaurant isn't completely bizarre, but I preferred the pork. In addition to the sweetness being a bit too sweet, the sukiyaki had some sort of aftertaste I couldn't quite identify. I'd happily order the pork again but maybe one of the curries to go with it.

This said, it was a ton of food for the price. It was heavy carrying it home.

Locating near metro stations seems like it should be a pretty good strategy, but when I looked at the online menu for the [.pdf warning] Minnesota Ave. location, it looked pretty different from the [.pdf] Park Kennedy. On the other hand, maybe that shouldn't be a "but" and it's a product of demographic research.

*I also got a covid booster and flu shot yesterday and felt terrible (last October: same 2 shots and felt fine), so this may have had something to do with my scattershot ordering and impressions. My taste buds seem a little off, still. But, I didn't have to cook last night!

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...