Thai spot serves up feast of aromas
Published 9:00 pm Thursday, March 31, 2005
EVERETT – Mae Rim Thai Cuisine opened about two months ago and is located directly across the street from the Everett Events Center. The night my friend and I visited, the Events Center was dark. We shared the main dining room with small groups at a few tables. But our server said that this restaurant overflows with customers when there’s an event across the street.
The restaurant has two dining rooms and a large waiting area, which are accented with treasures from Thailand. Our server, who also worked the kitchen, greeted us and directed us to a table that provides a view of Hewitt Avenue.
My friend is as enthusiastic as any sports fan when it comes to Thai food and she’s especially fond of the spicy dishes. We lingered over the menu and gave ourselves more time to decide on our entrees by ordering appetizers of vegetarian spring rolls and deep-fried squid ($5.95 each).
My dining companion, originally from Iowa, had never tasted squid and was ready for a new experience. She didn’t object to the tentacles on some pieces and decided it wasn’t “half bad.” And it wasn’t. The coating was crisp and the calamari tender. The more familiar egg rolls were also deep fried and amply stuffed with cabbage and carrots. My friend commented more than once on how good they were, as well as the plum sauce served with both.
For our main dishes, my friend found herself torn between the Phad Kee-Mao ($7.50) and the Phad Kra Pow ($7.95). The Phad Kee-Mao is a stir-fry dish of wide rice noodles, eggs, onions, broccoli, bell peppers, carrots, bamboo shoots and basil leaves in a red chili sauce. The Phad Kra Pow is also made with the red chili sauce but it is a meat dish flavored with fresh basil, garlic, onions and accented with green beans. My friend ordered this dish with beef so we wouldn’t have two noodle dishes. I had decided on chicken Phad Thai ($7.50).
Our server was happy to hear that I wanted the Phad Thai. She said that it takes three hours to make and we were the first to order it that night. And this Phad Thai is worth the work. It was delicious, and the rice noodles were perfectly cooked. They didn’t stick together in a lump. My friend had never tried Phad Thai, although it’s a standard dish at Thai restaurants, and liked the combination of rice noodles, eggs, green onions, bean sprouts and ground peanuts.
Although my Phad Thai was excellent, I found her Phad Kra Pow to be even better. The thin slices of beef and whole green beans were infused with the basil and there was just enough chili to give the dish a kick. Combined with the jasmine rice, it was both dinner and aroma therapy.
Herald restaurant reviewers accept no invitations to review, but readers’ suggestions are always welcome. Reviewers arrive unannounced, and The Herald pays their tabs.
Anna Poole: features@heraldnet.com.
Mae Rim Thai Cuisine
2011 Hewitt Ave., Everett; 425-252-3525
Specialty: Thai
Hours: 11 a.m.-9 p.m. daily
Price range: inexpensive
Liquor: beer and wine
Smoking: nonsmoking
Reservations: recommended for parties of six or more
Disabled accessibility: some barriers
Credit cards: MasterCard, Visa
Mae Rim Thai Cuisine
2011 Hewitt Ave., Everett; 425-252-3525
Specialty: Thai
Hours: 11 a.m.-9 p.m. daily
Price range: inexpensive
Liquor: beer and wine
Smoking: nonsmoking
Reservations: recommended for parties of six or more
Disabled accessibility: some barriers
Credit cards: MasterCard, Visa
