Recently at ShoreBread, we found ourselves in a bit of a food slump. After several consecutive days of our normal bagged lunch, we decided to step things up a notch by going someplace interesting and new for our midday meal. Our ethnic culinary cravings were met one particular afternoon while we were in Salisbury, with a stop at Thai Rada, located under Seagull Square on Business 13. Between the excitement over finally getting a Thai food fix and the deliciously spicy smells wafting out the door, our mouth was watering before we even walked inside.
This particular Thai Rada is actually the second of a family owned and operated chain of restaurants from the Eastern Shore. Owner Jenny Bergeron and her husband also own a place of the same name in Onley, Virginia. They decided to open this new location to reach a new demographic of customers in the next biggest metropolitan area to their original location. If you are ever on the Virginia side of Delmarva, be sure to stop by and try their Thai cuisine there too!
The Bergeron family chose to serve Thai food because Jenny Bergeron is originally from Thailand. This authentic cultural influence can be seen not only in the food but also in the restaurant’s decor. Hanging on the walls are many beautifully carved mandalas and Buddha statues that add to the friendly, warm atmosphere.
Some people believe that Thai food is too spicy or that some of the dishes are too exotic for the average palette. However, we noted a number of items that weren’t tagged as spicy and other than the duck as a Valentine’s Day special, we didn’t see anything out of the ordinary on the menu. Some customer favorites include Pad Thai, massaman curry and drunken noodles. We especially enjoyed our Hawaiian stir fry. The only thing we didn’t like was how many different varieties of stir fry we had to choose from! As foodies, we have been known to get bogged down in ordering (which is why we typically end up ordering too much).
Thai Rada keeps in tradition with other Thai food restaurants by offering a wide array of vegetarian options for customers. An added benefit to Thai Rada’s food is that everything on the menu is gluten free, so everyone can enjoy any dish.
We finished our meal with a dessert of mango and sticky rice and Thai tea, which is a mixture of black tea and cream that is beautiful to look at and even better to taste. ShoreBread can’t wait to go back to Thai Rada and enjoy another healthy and delicious meal. We are already planning a trip just for the spring rolls.
