Courtney L.
Yelp
One step inside this small eccentric restaurant and you'll feel as if you've been transported to a shrine in Thailand! Traditional figurines and antiques adorn the shelves while lovely red fabric drapes over the chairs and hangs from the windows. I even heard once that the family who owns this restaurant travels to Thailand every Summer and returns with fresh spices.... Although not a confirmed fact, I have no doubts after tasting their delectable dishes. This is as real as it gets!
Three of us arrived for an early Saturday dinner shortly after 5:00P, and as expected, quite a few tables were already occupied. Arrive any later than 5:30P, and there could be a wait. After a browse of the extensive menu, we ordered a couple classic dishes and tried one of their specials for something new. Similar to other Thai eateries, essentially all the dishes can be customized based on your choice of protein and level of spiciness. Keep in mind that they take spice seriously here - you will feel the heat! We ultimately decided on Panang Curry, Pad Kee Mao, Thai Basil and one of their special dishes known as Red Cheek, all of which were aromatic and delicious.
Intrigued by the name "Red Cheek", we gave it a try since it's something we've never seen elsewhere. Along with our choice of chicken, it was combined with vegetables and cashews in a red chili sauce. It was a little tangy with slight notes of sweetness - overall pretty tasty, but I sadly didn't love it. My favorite dish of the night was the Pad Kee Mao since I can never resist the perfectly chewy wide rice noodles! The Thai Basil dish was also delicious which we ordered with beef (tossed with mushrooms, onions, green peppers and fresh basil). The basil added a ton of flavor, starting out a little peppery with a touch of sweet. Finally, despite the heat, we really enjoyed the Panang Curry; the coconut milk gave the sauce a smooth creamy consistency. This was the only dish we ordered at a medium spice level (2 stars) and we definitely felt the burn! I appreciated the perfectly cooked vegetables across all the dishes, which tasted fresh and retained their crisp texture. Unfortunately also consistent was the seemingly overcooked meat as many pieces were on the drier side and tougher than expected. If not for this, our dinner would have been essentially flawless.
The waitstaff took great care of us throughout the night by stopping to check on us and keeping our waters filled. Additionally, our food was prepared in a timely manner and served all at once. Every food-tographer knows this is something to take advantage of. The clean plating and pop of bright colors from the fresh ingredients made for such a beautiful photo. The Noodle Boat has called Issaquah home ever since I can remember and for good reason! It will always be high up on my list as one of the top Thai restaurants on the Eastside for its authentic cuisine.
4.25 stars.