Racha Noodles and thai cuisine

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.

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.

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.

*Sprite is no longer at Racha Queen Anne

SD!/2005