The idea of zen, often oversimplified and misunderstood, refers to a meditative practice associated with Buddhism throughout east Asia, Applied to food, it can involve deep, unhurried appreciation of all aspects of a dish, including not only its taste, but also its scent, texture, preparation, appearance, and presentation. Thai cuisine, known for its complex mixtures of flavors and bold colors, lends itself naturally to this idea, and Thailand has the world’s second largest population of Buddhists, so Zen Thai seems an obvious choice for a restaurant name.
Zen Thai is a bit of a departure from the wordplay seen in so many Thai restaurant names, and its approach and menu have a bit of their own distinctiveness as well, covering all the usual bases but also adding a few touches unique to this restaurant. Zen Thai is situated on the west side of Central Avenue just a block from the Downtown Phoenix Hub. Bike racks are found around the corner on Adams Street between Central and First avenues. The space is on the ground floor of a small building sandwiched between several larger office towers in the area.
Zen Thai used to be known as Tom Yum. With the name change several years ago, the decor was upgraded with the removal of an interior wall, creating a more vibrant, open, and unified space that looks like a living room accessorized with just enough dark wood and bright colors to recall the Jim Thompson house in Bangkok. Twin statues greet arriving customers in a foyer, and the dining room beyond is punctuated by ceiling fans, potted plants, towering columns, and a mix of traditional tables and lounge-style seating on dark leather couches in the center.
During the day, the majority of diners are there for lunch specials that include an entree from a list of popular favorites found on just about every Thai restaurant menu and a crisp vegetable spring roll. There is of course a more expansive dinner menu, available in addition to the lunch specials during the working week midday rush, and exclusively during the evenings and weekends. The menu is a mix of the usual panoply promoted by the Thai government’s culinary outreach, some Chinese and Vietnamese dishes, and a few of the restaurant’s own touches.
The spring rolls are pleasing, classic appetizers with a crisp wrapper around julienned carrots and cabbage with a touch of pepper. The satay is another familiar starter. The serving here is four skewers of flattened chicken breast with both a smooth peanut sauce and cucumber chutney for dipping. Among the entree-sized salads, expect dishes such as larb, made with ground meat with mint, and woon sen salad with glass noodles, shrimp, ground pork, and coarse segments of red onion served over green cabbage with a spicy and slightly tart dressing.
The curries are all sufficiently good with the usual panoply of red, green, yellow, panang, and massaman. Spice levels are specified by the customer with “hot” at Tom Yum meaning appreciable heat but not the extreme reaches of the restaurant’s “Thai hot” and “double Thai hot” options. As at nearly all Thai restaurants, there is a noodle section on the menu with popular items such as drunken noodles in a spicy sauce, pad see ew with wide noodles in brown gravy with broccoli, and the ubiquitous pad Thai among the instantly recognizable dishes.
For most dishes, the pick-your-own-protein model prevalent at many Thai restaurants is in effect. As expected, chicken, pork, beef, shrimp, and tofu are all present, as is the option to simply add more vegetables. An expanded selection comprises vegetarian mock chicken, calamari, duck, fish, and, for those who can’t decide, mixed meat and mixed seafood. This modular approach reaches its limits at times. An example is the massaman curry, a dish that tastes best when meat is slowly simmered in the sauce rather than added at the last minute.
The choose-your-own adventure format takes a break on the “chef’s specials” section of the menu where some dishes are prepared with their ingredients already specified, as well as with a selection of soups that are clearly influenced as much by Chinese and Vietnamese traditions as they are by classic Thai cooking. Boat noodle soup features beef stew meat in a darker broth than the restaurant’s take on pho. Duck noodle soup combines poultry with gai lan, and khao soi is chicken in a turmeric-tinged broth with crisp noodles and slivered onions on top of the bowl.
For dessert, sticky rice is available with a firm custard, fresh mango when in season, or a house-made coconut pineapple ice cream. The last choice can also be paired with fried banana in the menu’s most indulgent choice. The liquor selection features bottled beer and wine, as well as some tropical-themed cocktails like the Buddha Sunrise, a simple but effective colorful combination of rum with orange, pineapple, and grenadine. Zen Thai’s iced tea and other non-alcoholic drinks are served in capacious mason jars ideal for summer heat or Thai spice.
With its expansive menu that caters to just about any taste preference and some obvious American, Chinese, and Vietnamese influences, Zen Thai is clearly trying to appeal to a broad clientele of daytime office workers, evening event goers, and the growing population of downtown residents. Sometimes that means tame food for those who are tentative about Thai, but there are also a few bolder choices. Although probably not really zen in a pure sense, taking some time to explore those options is a good way to add a little mindfulness to a meal.
110 N. Central Ave., Phoenix AZ 85004
http://www.zenthaicafe.com/
PHX Rail Food 