Sala Thai is a popular local chain that always features good food and standard service, placing it solidly in the pack of similar Thai restaurants at the same price point. The Dupont Circle location is pleasantly decorated in a modern American design with modernistic art works on the wall which echo aspects of traditional Thai culture. The menu features all of the standard Thai dishes we have come to expect in the D.C. area, and they clearly set forth their substantial vegetarian selections on the first page-plus of the menu.
Steven started off with a watercress soup that looked quite delicious. Lots of watercress plus sliced scallions and cooked ground pork floated in a clear pork broth.
For our salad courses, he had the yum nua or beef salad, featuring lots of pieces of grilled beef, and I had the green papaya salad with a mound of shredded papaya and other vegetables with long green beans and peanuts. Both salads were lightly spices and tasted of lime juice, garlic, and Thai chili pepper.
I had the most interesting kee mao j for my main course. This is a noodle dish made with inch-and-a-half wide rice noodles laid in careful strips on the bottom of the plate and then covered with a mixture of stir-fried cruciferous and other vegetables and pieces of deep-fried tofu. It was very tasty, though the design necessitated eating the vegetables and tofu first and then the rice noodles last, and I would have preferred a slightly less sweet sauce. Steven had a dish called "wild pork," with pieces of pork stewed with tomato wedges, strips of red bell pepper, and basil leaves, served with white steamed rice. I sampled a tomato wedge and it was nicely flavored and scented with basil.
There were lots of other interesting things on the menu, including a long dessert list, and Sala Thai has a licensed full bar. Overall the restaurant is comfortable, the service adequte, and the food consistent with other major local Thai places. Give it a try.
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