I'm starting this page with reviews of restaurants Jennifer and I
have dined at recently. I'd be happy to add additional reviews
from restaurants that readers of this page have visited, and will
credit you with the review. Please send reviews or comments to Scott at
ScottShurr@waltham-community.org.
$$ Absolutely Asia [Chinese, Japanese, Korean & Thai] - 864 Main Street - 781-891-1700
$$Asian Grill [Japanese, Korean & Thai] - 265 Moody Street - 781-398-1600
2002 01 11 - Review by Eric Salerno
Excellent Sushi, with Japanese beer available. We enjoy this restaurant
when we want Sushi, but don't want to leave Waltham. The prices are
reasonable, the service is excellent, the Sushi chefs are very talented, and
the restaurant is located right on the corner of Moody and Crescent with
full windows that give the place an open feel.
My family and myself ate at this restaurant for the first time yesterday
after hearing it was an excellent place to eat. We love Asian food,
especially sushi. We had never been in an establishment where we were
treated so badly! We didn't see eye to eye with our waitress on our
food. After that, the service went down hill from there. We were never
asked if everything else was ok, if she could bring us more to drink/
eat or anything else. We sat there with our glasses empty while we
watched her tend to and serve everyone else around us. She never said
another word or waited on us further for the remaining of the meal.
Regardless, we still tipped appropriately but mentioned to her how we
felt her service was rude and unnecessary. My husband and I go out to eat
probably more than any other couple in the area. We will be sure not to
spend our money in this establishment again.
$$Baan Thai - 659 Main Street - 781-893-7700 fax 893-7701
2002 03 10
Late in 2001, the long-lived New House Chinese restaurant closed, and Tumrubthai,
featuring authentic Thai cuisine and a sushi bar, opened. The decor, based on blue
and Chinese red, is deliciously exotic in a serene way. The framed color photos on
the walls add interest to the surroundings. Appetizers range from $4.50 for a corn
cake to $6.95 for a shrimp tempura. The chicken satay ($5.50) was 4 generous pieces
with a surprisingly spicy peanut sauce, and cucumber salad. The Tom Yum soup with
shrimp ($3.25) was seasoned with herbs, mushrooms, lemon grass, and daffir lime leaves.
I thought this was one the best renditions of this soup available at many of the
Waltham restaurants. The Tamarind Fish, one of the house specialties ($13.95), is topped
with tamarind juice, yellow beans, shredded ginger, onions, pineapple, and scallions.
This was a large, delicious piece of fish, well worth the price. A vegetarian pad thai
is $8.50.
Baan Thai is the best restaurant in Waltham! From the Fresh Sushi to
the Red Curry Charlie knows Thai. Charlie is the proprietor of Baan
Thai and his personal touch makes your experience spectacular. I order
out mostly because the food is spectacular. The Crispy Pad Thai, Red
Curry and Beef Fried Rice are some of my favorites but any order is a
sure thing. He used to have a restaurant on Newbury Street where he
served an author and lawyer who loved the restaurant so much, he
featured it and its owner in one of his books. Charlie showed me that
book the last time I was in. For spectacular food- order Baan Thai, to
make it better, eat in. Mark this one Green.
$$Erawan of Siam - 469 Moody Street - 781-899-3399
2002 02 19 - Review by Allan Telio
It's difficult not to be impressed with Erawan of Siam as soon you
enter. We were greeted by two elegantly dressed waiters, a multi-armed,
brightly colored religious statue, and beautiful Thai wood carvings. As
the waiter showed us to our table, I thought to myself, "How much money
do I have in wallet? Can I afford this place?"
My worries vanished as soon as I opened the menu. The majority of the
entrees are reasonably priced between $10 and $14. Judging on the just
the price of the food and the fantastic ambiance, I knew that I found a
great date location. Good thing too, because it was Valentines Day. It
also seemed that ever other cheap romantic had had the same idea. The
place was packed.
Fortunately, I had reserved special seats located in the middle of the
restaurant. These seats are perfect for a quiet intimate meal. Before I
entered the area were I would be eating dinner, I was asked to take off
my shoes. Luckily, my socks didn't have any holes.
For appetizers we had, Thai roles, E.T, and Silver soup. The Thai roles
($4.75), are thin crispy spring rolls filled with meat and vegetables.
They are fried until golden brown and served with spicy sweet and sour
sauce. Our second appetizer, E.T.($4.75), was my favorite. It seemed to
be Thai cuisine's answer to the Indian Samosa, except smaller. The
dish has seven small triangles, that are stuffed with potato and other
assorted vegetables and Thai herbs. It is crispy and lightly delicately
spicy. I think that E.T. stands for extra tasty. Finally, we washed
down our appetizers with a bowl of silver soup ($2.95), a shrimp broth
with snow peas, and glass noodles. The broth was a little bland for my
liking by my girlfriend enjoyed it.
Our main course, however, was far from bland. I had Ginger Chicken
($8.95) with mushrooms, peppers, onions, carrots and scallions. The
chicken was tender and spicy and the vegetables were perfectly cooked,
crispy but not raw. My girlfriend, started with two dishes, Rama Garden
($8.95) and Shrimp with pineapple. Rama Garden is assorted steam
vegetables, with a peanut sauce served on the side. Neither my
girlfriend or I liked the Rama Garden. The vegetables had no seasoning,
and the peanut sauce tasted like melted peanut butter. Who goes to a
restaurant for plain steamed vegetables and peanut butter? Not me. The
Shrimp with Pineapple, however, more than made up for the Rama Garden.
The shrimp were perfectly cooked and the pineapple was sweet and tender.
As we polished off the last of our generous portions, the bill arrived.
I opened it up and smiled because inside was my perfect valentine, an
cheap check.
$$ Tom Can Cook [Thai & Chinese] - 374 Moody Street - 781-891-6977
$$Tree Top Thai Cuisine - 53 Prospect Street - 781-894-3444
2002 01 11 - Review by Eric Salerno
My fiance' and I have had Tree Top's food twice, once in the restaurant, and
more recently, I called in my order from work, and they had it ready (cooked
only minutes ago) when I got there.
While their Shrimp Pad Thai had a few too many sprouts, and only a few
shrimp, the noodles and flavor made up for it. We started eating, figuring
on left overs, and when all was said and done, the container was empty.
The Chicken Pineapple says it's made with Curry, but it isn't very strong.
Plenty of chicken and veggies in there. Flavor wasn't quite as impressive
as the Pad Thai.
The Mango Curry and Chicken Yellow Curry are both excellent, and I am sure
anyone who orders won't be disappointed.
The atmosphere is cozy, since the restaurant is small, (this is a plus in my
book), excellent colors ( I remember a lot of red)- very friendly service as
well. Plan on spending approx. $30 for two, if you get an appetizer or two.
$$ Yasu Restaurant [Sushi & Japanese, Korean, Thai] - 617 Main Street - 781-894-9783
(Formerly at this location: JTK Grille and Sushi Bar)