Restaurant Review: Tara Thai
Where: Champaign, Illinois
How to find it: http://tharathairestaurant.com/
Today my wife got to take me out to one of her favorite restaurants of all time, Tara Thai. I'm usually a big fan of what I find in Thai restaurants, and this one was no exception. While my own wussiness diminished some of the flavors, fresh ingredients and excellent preparation have ultimately won me over.
Let's start with the one negative. I tried the "Garlic Pepper Stir-Fried" and my wife got the "Yellow Curry". Both were incredibly spicy! To the point that it kind of killed the other flavors! That may be because I haven't eaten many spicy foods since getting married. Either way, the flavor loses some points by being overwhelmed with heat, especially when we both chose the "mild" option.
You all done writing me off as a pansy? Good, let's get into the reasons why I will be coming back. One, their ingredients were some of the freshest I have ever tried. We had an appetizer of spring roles. The fresh, crisp lettuce combined with the carrot and tiny shreds of meat (I think it was beef) to create a cool, refreshing taste and feeling. Seriously, I could eat hundreds of their spring roles and never get sick.
The appetizers are not the only foods that receive points for freshness. The chicken in my curry was actual chicken, not tasteless, texture-less mystery meat trying to be chicken. The tofu my wife had was the best tofu I have ever had, and it was the right kind of tofu for the dish. Usually store bought tofu is falling apart even if it's supposed to be firm, and it has air pockets in the middle that lend it a strange texture. Not Tara Thai's tofu, it was smooth, firm, no air pockets in the middle, and served as a suitable substitute for more typical proteins.
I also saw that same care in my dish. Instead of feeling like I was eating a kitchen sink, every ingredient felt hand picked, especially as I ate the green pepper. Now, I don't usually like green bell peppers. It's too bitter and earthy for my taste. But in the overbearing spice of my plate, it shined and provided my mouth a much needed relief, soaking up the heat in crunchy, moist goodness. So there you go, I learned how to use green bell peppers at home!
In closing, Tara Thai showed excellence in the freshness of their ingredients, the excellence of their preparation, and the careful deliberation with which their dishes were put together. I chose a dish that was too spicy for me, so if you are a wimp like myself be warned. But otherwise, go there, give them money, and eat their food already. You both deserve it.
Parker Monson
