Racha Noodles and thai cuisine
An Uptown Jewel
Anyone who has been in Uptown lately ("Uptown" being the
replacement name for "lower Queen Anne" for those of you out of the loop) knows
that there is and always has been a lot of restaurant activity in the area. It’s
high-density living, so there are a lot of people supporting their neighborhood
places. It’s also home to the Seattle Center, the Rep, Intiman, Key Arena,
Pacific Northwest Ballet—the list goes on and on. The point being, there are a
lot of people coming into the area looking for a place to eat before an event.
Because of this, there are a lot of good spots to choose from, which then makes
Uptown a dining destination, bringing in even more folks. It’s a fine cycle.
Racha Noodles and thai cuisine is a jewel in the midst of
all this activity. It defies expectations. Yes, it’s Thai food and yes there is
red curry chicken and pud thai. But what it really offers is an authentic look
at, and taste of, what you would get in upscale Thai restaurants in Bangkok.
It’s fusion cuisine (think lamb panang with lime leaves, coconut milk, panang
curry paste and, here’s the interesting twist, fresh steamed artichoke hearts.
The artichoke hearts add just the right touch to the marinated rack of lamb).
 The
owners and Chef Daeng work to keep dishes as close as possible to Thai dishes,
but it’s not basic Thai family food. Thai food (in Thailand) has changed quite a
bit since about 1999. Fusion is in. Ingredients that can’t be found here are
often ordered from Los Angeles.
Racha also offers a different atmosphere than your
run-of-the-mill casual Thai eateries. The decorative items in the restaurant are
from Thailand. The murals (the ones of people and elephants) were painted in
Thailand, rolled up and brought to Seattle. The tall, dark flower pods near the
entrance were shipped from the home country. Even the staff is authentic—about
80 percent are from Thailand, and 20 percent from the U.S. The chef and kitchen
staff are definitely from Thailand. As the restaurant group expands, the owners
head back home to find more chefs.
Along with food and atmosphere, customer service can make
or break any restaurant. The Racha staff is trained to make the customer’s visit
special. If someone has a special need or a food/ingredient they can’t eat, the
staff wants to know. Another important thing to know is that the dishes are very
consistent whether Chef Daeng is on the premises or not. Training is key for the
kitchen staff and it shows.
 At
right: Racha General Manager, Sprite, chats with customers.
On a recent fact-finding mission, more food was consumed
at one table (mine) than was wise. But who could stop? A key to Chef Daeng’s
dishes is the variety of flavors in each dish. One bite and flavors flood the
mouth. Racha Soft Rolls start with rice paper and are filled with pork sausage,
fried tofu, bean sprouts, cucumber, onion and cilantro. They come with a
tamarind sauce, but it’s nonessential. It’s hard to define what you’re eating
when there are so many flavors that work so well together.
Another appetizer that is best without its dipping sauce
is Chicken in the Jungle. Marinated chicken breast is wrapped in pandan leaves
(not to be eaten, these leaves). The chicken is moist and flavorful. The leaves
are not soaked before wrapping, but they must be fresh to use this way.
Unwrapping is almost as much fun as eating. Chef Daeng’s sauces on these
particular appetizers are fine; considering them "nonessential" says more about
the quality of the food than the sauces.
Tom Ka soup is an excellent example of flavors working
together. There is a sweetness from the citrus that works beautifully with the
coconut milk, while the cilantro and shallots add a bit of a bite.
A few of the main dishes need special mention for the deft
touch the kitchen provides. Ocean Wrap Curry finds wontons filled with shrimp
and scallops, steamed and then topped with a green curry sauce. The sauce is
light—even people who aren’t real curry lovers will be happy with this dish.
Golden Halibut is lightly breaded and deep fried, then
served with a hot and sour sauce that has a touch of sweetness. We’ve all been
misled by the words "lightly breaded" before. No need to be scared by them this
time.
Desserts like black sticky rice are hard to stop eating.
But the best dessert of all may be the simple fruit plate that is refreshing and
beautiful to behold.
Along with ferreting out menu information at Racha,
Seattle Dining wanted to dig a little deeper and get answers to the questions
you’ve all been thinking but didn’t want to look foolish asking.
Do Thai people use chopsticks? Yes, but it
depends on what part of Thailand they inhabit. For some people, it depends on
what they’re eating. For instance, some people eat noodles with chopsticks,
but use a spoon with rice. So you can do what’s comfortable and not feel
you’re embarrassing yourself.
What do people drink with their meals in Thailand?
Beer works. Wine imbibing started in the early 90s. Local spirits are popular.
Scotch is key.
What are some of the things in Thai food that add
flavor but you really shouldn’t eat? Pandan leaves (see above—although
they make a great tea). Galanga. It’s sort of like ginger, but don’t even
think about it. Very woody.
If you have a hankering for great Thai food, but aren’t in
the Uptown vicinity, we have more good news for you. The owners—Somchai (Sam)
Bhudsabourg, Kane Bunyaketu and Punya Tipyasothi—opened Racha on Queen Anne in
1997 (and remodeled it extensively in 2000). They also own Thai Place, a quick
service spot, in the Uwajimaya Village Food Court in Seattle, and have several
Thai Go locations in malls. Royal Orchid in Renton was opened together in 1996.
In 2000, they opened Lanna Thai in Everett and Racha Noodles Woodinville. Sam
and Kane had already started the King and I in Bellevue in 1988, and River Kwai
in 1990, also in Bellevue.
The lesson here is that Racha should not be categorized
simply as "Thai food." It can hold it’s own with the other fine dining
establishments in Uptown and across town. So go on—eat with chopsticks or not,
leave the cilantro off or not, drink Scotch and be happy.
SD!/2005
CLICK HERE to visit the
Racha website now.
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