Baan Thai Cuisine & Bar

He said:

Today, we visited another Utah County restaurant, Baan Thai Cuisine and Bar. Located at the Outlets at Traverse Mountain, Baan Thai has a simple, understated refinement that I found endearing. Nothing about its exterior stood out to me. Perhaps it was overshadowed by the Johnny Rockets next door. Inside, I found a calm, peaceful retreat from the bustling outdoor mall.

Baan Thai had two dining areas, both small enough to be intimate. From our booth near the corner of the main dining area, I could see a second dining room overlooking us from a loft upstairs. It appeared to be unused during our visit. I could also see evidence of a small bar upstairs. Beneath the loft were several rattan sculptures of koi, their light color beautifully complementing the black wall on which they hung. The way the rattan canes gracefully bent and curved seemed so natural and contributed to the tranquil atmosphere.

Our booth featured a marble table, set with small appetizer plates and rolled-up cloth napkins. A waitress soon brought us glasses of water, served in crystal goblets. What a nice touch! I’ve always loved crystal. I’m always amazed by how thin and light the glasses are, but they always worry me just a bit. I’ll never forget the time my young brother bit into a crystal glass, with frightening results. But he was okay. I wonder if he remembers¹.

Anyway, the crystal was another detail that added a touch of elegance and elevated our experience. That’s why I was surprised when our diet colas came in a pair of handled mason jars. That’s something I would expect at a country-kitchen restaurant. It seemed a bit out of place at Baan, but I guess that’s okay.

The menu gave us plenty of great choices. When I ordered the Roast Duck Curry from the Chef Special section of the menu, the waiter offered me a choice of white or brown rice. I usually choose the white rice, mostly by habit. This time, I went with the brown rice. It turned out to be an excellent choice. When it arrived, it was . . . well, very brown, almost black. I wondered if it was a dark variety of rice or if it had been cooked in a dark broth, perhaps. I asked the waiter, who said it had been prepared with rice berries. At least that’s what I thought he said, at first. Actually, he had said that it was “riceberry.”

Riceberry is a variety of rice that comes from Thailand. A rather recent cultivar, riceberry was first developed in 2002 as a hybrid of a jasmine rice with a black-purple variety. Rich in antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, and fiber, riceberry is considered beneficial for heart health, blood sugar regulation, and overall wellness. Mine was delicious. Not only that, I found its grains large and plump, chewy, with a rich and robust flavor.

My Roast Duck curry accompanied my rice. It was very colorful, adorned with the blossom of an edible Dendrobium orchid. Chunks of zucchini, green and red bell peppers, and pineapple swam in a broth of coconut milk and red curry. It also included cherry tomatoes. Or maybe they were grape tomatoes. I never remember which are which, never mind that Kathy tries to set me straight every time I mention one of them. I also found Thai basil leaves and slices of ginger in the mix. I even found some other sort of leaf. It kind of resembled a Bay leaf, though it wasn’t that. I don’t know what it was, and I wasn’t sure if I was supposed to eat it or not (I didn’t). And of course, throughout the dish were slices of dark, roasted duck.

I enjoyed all of it. The broth was delightfully sweet, but not overly so. The abundance of vegetables was great. I knew Kathy would love that, if it weren’t for the spiciness. I didn’t find it particularly spicy, but Kathy tends to be more sensitive to it.

I was glad that Kathy had suggested Baan Thai tonight. The food was both attractive and delicious, the setting simple, yet refined and elegant. The service was friendly and fast. We’ll certainly return.

She said:

So, there are probably some people who might have negative, preconceived notions about restaurants that are sandwiched among a Johnny Rockets, an Under Armor outlet, and a Zumiez store at a factory outlets mall. However, the Baan Thai restaurant is a hidden gem.

Upon entering the premises, we were promptly greeted by a friendly hostess who led us to a very nice, roomy booth. The backs of the booths were tall, lending a sense of privacy. The backs and seats were well padded, upholstered in saddle tan-colored leather. The tabletops were white and gray marble slabs. The floors were mahogany-colored wood-grain planks. All of the other seating options were wooden tables and chairs. Breaking up all of the dark wood were a brick wall on one side, while the back wall was painted white. I noticed that there was a faux-live wall adorned with artificial ferns, pink flowers, and other botanical specimens. On the brick wall, the name of the restaurant was spelled out with more of the same artificial plants. It was a lovely touch.

Once I was done perusing all of the options on the menu, I settled on the Chicken Lettuce Wraps that were listed under Salads. The food did not disappoint. The lettuce was very fresh and crisp. The chicken mixture was a wonderful, flavorful medley of ground chicken, a “special house sauce,” green onions, shredded carrots, ginger, raisins, and crispy rice noodles. There was sweet chili sauce for dipping or drizzling on top of the chicken filling.

My meal was thoroughly enjoyable, the food was colorful and attractively presented, and my experience was elevated by the place’s ambiance, the attentive staff, and the prompt service.

Conclusion:

Baan Thai is definitely a step or two above the typical strip-mall Thai restaurant. Elegant and sophisticated, their food is a delight to see and to taste. Do yourself a favor and give it a try.