Full Moon Thai Cuisine is definitely worth gazing at— or grazing at. The Richmond Beach restaurant is a perfect place for Thai food fanatics, or anyone who could use a little spice in their meal.
Located in Richmond Beach, this eatery changed ownership about a year ago. It is now owned by Somkhit Inthoulay and is a family-run establishment.
Unlike many Thai restaurants, which are cozy and small, Full Moon is situated in a fairly large building with plentiful seating and an open atmosphere. The decor is quaint, authentic and almost romantic (depending on who you bring).
On a recent Friday afternoon (conveniently at lunch time), a dining companion and myself decided to dine at Full Moon. After perusing the lunch menu, we settled on chicken satay for an appetizer, and both ordered lunch combinations of panang curry and pud thai.
Growing up, I found it is often best to order the same entree as whomever I am dining with, such as my twin sister. This quickly solves the problem of which meal is better. However, I had a feeling this precautionary measure was not needed here, as everything looked quite edible.
The chicken satay (skewered chicken marinated in herbs and served with peanut sauce) was very flavorful. The chicken was tender and the peanut sauce was not overwhelmingly nutty tasting, despite the fact that it was made from peanuts.
Our main meal was delivered just in the nick of time, right when we finished our appetizer. The wait staff very likely timed this, but it nonetheless never fails to impress me.
The pud thai (rice noodles with egg, tofu, ground peanuts and chicken) also was extremely flavorful and the combination of noodles and sauce was just right.
The panang curry, (red curry sauce, blended with coconut, bell pepper and Thai basil) came with chicken, and although being a bit spicy, was very flavorful. If it had been any less spicy, it would not have been as good.
Pep Inthoulay, the owner’s sister, said the main cook is an aunt who was previously a chef at several Thai restaurants. Other relatives, such as uncles and brothers help out on the weekend, she said.
Even though the ownership has changed, the name will be retained, as will the menu. A few additions are yet to come, such as more noodle variations and sauces. Pep Inthoulay said some of the most popular dishes include Thai green beans, pud Thai and panang curry (I honestly did not know this when I ordered).
The restaurant is located in a two-story building, and the second story is reserved for special occasions.
“It is small, quiet, and all run by family,” Pep Inthoulay said. “The food is good and we like to put our own little twist into it.”
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