Two Great Thai Restaurants in Northern Denver

When we go out to eat, my four year old either wants "Mac n' Cheese" or Pad Thai. Needless to say, we happily frequent the Thai joints over the Mac joints. There are two we go to all of the time in northern Denver, Colorado. There is one we went to once, and won't go back to. First I'll review the good ones.

Thai Chile in Old Towne Arvada (5725 Yukon St., Arvada, CO). While the décor is not the best (heavy textured walls painted over with 70's mint green paint, tacky red furniture) the place is clean, the service is friendly, and the food presentation is always entertaining (rice formed into cute shapes like hearts and pyramids). Their Pad Thai is always good and if you like spicy, coconut based soups (po taek is my favorite) you're in the right place.

Swing Thai on Tennyson St. in North Denver (4370 Tennyson St., Denver, CO). Technically, this is a chain restaurant but it's a locally owned, Denver chain. It's by far our favorite Thai restaurant. The ambience is relaxing and interesting. Their hot tea is great. Their Spring Rolls are well worth the ~ $2.50 per roll you pay (they are big enough to be the main meal for our 16 month old and our 4 year old. My 4 year old is always telling me I need to figure out how to make their peanut sauce.) The Pad Thai passes the test. Their green curry with coconut milk is the best (I eat mine over calamari). The service is great and consistent (we always recognize at least 2 or 3 of the servers). We prefer the Tennyson restaurant not only because its close to our home but also because its in a friendly, old town area. Parking can be tough but if you go early enough, it's not an issue.

Unfortunately, where there is good, there is bad. Jumbo Thai in Lakewood (1560 Kipling St.) fits the bad bill. My husband and I managed to eat what we ordered but neither of my sons ate much (luckily... my husband and I both had messed up stomachs after eating there) The Spring Rolls had fried stuff in them, the Pad Thai sauce was..weird. The place looked dirty, the guy who served us seemed put out that we were there. It's a pain to get into the restaurant unless you are heading south on Kipling or turning north onto Kipling from Colfax. Don't waste your time!