If you’re heading out for a work-week lunch date, you need two main things: quick service and tasty food. Lanna Thai in Everett offers both.
Lanna Thai features a nice lunch menu, smaller than its dinner menu, but with plenty of options for an enjoyable meal.
A friend and I visited recently during the lunch-hour rush. The service was quick, so quick in fact, we had to ask the waitress to come back while we actually looked at our menu.
I felt a bit rushed by the wait staff, but if I had been there for a quick lunch, not a leisurely chat with a friend, I would have thoroughly appreciated the attentive service. I noticed most of the customers appeared to be business people grabbing a fast lunch. The tables around us filled and emptied quickly.
We ordered the Lanna fresh rolls ($8.50), with prawns, rice noodles and lettuce. The rolls showed up at our table promptly and were just as promptly eaten. The prawns were fresh with good flavor, and I enjoyed the hint of mint rolled in with the lettuce. The sauce was tasty, too, and I spooned big globs of it on my roll.
For an entree, I ordered the ginger garden ($8.95). My friend picked a Panang curry ($8.95). Both arrived swiftly, with an extremely generous serving of brown rice. The rice was free. I always appreciate that. Who eats Thai food without rice?
The ginger garden was delicately flavored, with a mild sauce that went nicely with the simple vegetables and tofu. The vegetables were perfectly cooked, with the just the right amount of crispiness left. This was great spooned over the brown rice, which was also nicely cooked.
The Panang curry was a star. I love coconut milk, and it paired well with the spicy heat of the dish. (You choose the heat you prefer, like most Thai places.) This also paired nicely with the rice, but I was just as happy eating it straight.
When we were nearly finished with our meal, my friend noticed that she had actually ordered beef, not the chicken curry we received. However, we were both happy with the chicken — and more than halfway through it — and didn’t complain.
Given how prompt the staff was, I suspect if we had noted the error, we would have gotten a replacement in short order. I took the curry home with me as leftovers, and it was even better after a bit of time in the fridge.
I was also intrigued by Yum Seafood Soup ($13.95), a mixture of seafood, chili, basil and cilantro. I think I’ll order it next time. I also think it would be worth giving them a Lanna Thai at dinner, when they have a larger menu, including a nice variety of appetizers.
I’m happy I found Lanna Thai. A simple place to have a quick, affordable lunch is always good to discover.
Jessi Loerch: 425-339-3425; jloerch@heraldnet.com.
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