Dan R.
Yelp
OK, so this was our first time at Dok Khao in Chevy Chase. I specialize in reviewing the growing number of Thai restaurants in the area and Dok Khao can definitely be described as being in what I would call the upscale, and higher priced, segment. The ambiance reflects this -- this is a beautiful place with chandeliers, a bar area and when we visited the restaurant was packed. So, since opening it has obviously built a loyal following. Located on the corner of this new development, parking is a bit challenging for newcomers as the main garage entrance is around in back, a right turn off of Manor Rd, and parking for retail is farther back once your inside. The good news is 2 hours free parking with validation. Service was excellent -- we were attended to in good time and by a waiter who was able to give us his recommendations for the best dishes.
I'll focus on 3 dishes, one that I ordered, another my wife had, and another that our friends had. From the Chef's Special list, the Lamb Massaman Curry was absolutely out of the park superb. I would put it on my list of all-time best dishes I have ever had at any Thai restaurant anywhere. With large chunks with onion and potato, wonderful moist and not overdone lamb, peanuts, carrots, coconut milk, topped with fried shallots and served with curry fried rice and egg, this was an absolute 10. My wife had a noodle dish (Crying or Cry Baby....) that was very good, I would rate at an 7 or 8. Our friends had Pad Thai, which while pretty good was not quite up to the versions that can be found elsewhere in the area. One of our dinner companions remarked that it needed more fish sauce flavor and my assessment was that it lacked that certain "zing" that Pad Thai can ideally have while not overdoing things in the fish sauce area. It would be nice, generally speaking, to see restaurants providing more green onions/scallion with this dish as one would see in Thailand. I did have one of the cold drinks on the menu, Lychee Iced Tea, which I found to be quite enjoyable.
A number of reviews of Dok Khao in Chevy Chase complain about the food lacking flavor, but others give this place 5 stars. I'll be going back to sample other dishes. One observation applies -- this is part of the trend of more expensive Thai restaurants in the DMV. The problem with this is that there are so many smaller superb Thai establishments that provide excellent Thai cuisine at sharply lower prices. As good as the Lamb Massman Curry was at Dok Khao, it's pushing the $30 mark when at other restaurants in the area there are superb versions of this at far below that price. I think this is something that needs to be kept in mind by all of the more upscale Thai establishments, even taking into account obviously higher prices everyone is facing now.