Chada Thai Brings Fire to the Ice of Denver

Chada Thai arrived in Denver when the winds howled and snow fell by the foot, but it just might be that Chada Thai is the best thing to arrive in Denver since the blizzard of 2006. With a menu of fire and ice, and a restaurant atmosphere complete with intricate wood carvings and bamboo shoot table settings, Chada Thai is an experience that stimulates the senses and fills the soul. For Denverites bogged down by the constant snowfall, it is a roundtrip ticket to the essence of Thailand-no turbulence or motion-sickness involved.

Chada's menu includes flavors for all tastes. The appetizers give only a hint of the diversity of flavor in the menu. The curry puffs are crispy, stuffed with steaming ground beef and potatoes and a side of spicy mustard and sweet and sour sauce. The Thai delight dumplings are filled with ground pork, bamboo shoots, and seasoned with white pepper. Both the curry puffs and Thai delight dumplings are delicate and bite size morsels that combine the power of minimal seasoning to let the flavors of the ingredients shine through. When you're eating beef, you know it's beef. When you're eating pork and bamboo shoots, you know it's pork and bamboo shoots.

The Phad Thai is the classic and best-known dish of Thai cuisine. The presentation is colorful, with delicate soft rice noodles tossed with peanuts, tofu, bean sprouts, eggs, and a red chili. The intensity of the heat comes down to two options: hot or thai hot. Either choice means a well balanced dish, with the spice not overwhelming the flavors of the bean sprouts, and peanuts.

For those with a more delicate palate, Chada Thai also has sweeter options. The Thai baked chicken is half of a chicken marinated in coconut cream and unique blend of spice before being slowly roasted. The aroma is flowery and sweet. The result is a crispy and flavorful crust, with tender and juicy meat. Served with a side of sweet red chili and garlic sauce with rice, it proves a filing meal.

Because Chada Thai uses reasonable portion sizes, it's also possible to take advantage of their great desert menu. The stand-out in this grouping of the delicious, sweet, and unique is the jasmine infused flan. The presentation is simple yet refined by the aroma of jasmine and the cool, smooth flavor of the flan. It is simply not to be missed. The other offerings of the desert menu include homemade coconut ice cream, sweet sticky rice and custard, sweet black rice pudding, and during the summer months, fresh mango with coconut sticky rice.

The experience of Chada Thai envelopes you from the moment you step into the welcoming foyer. The smells of curry permeate the intimate space, which is divided into two rooms at 2005 E. 17^th Avenue. For those unable to visit the restaurant in person, they also offer delivery within the metro area.

Happy eating!