Lexington, KY - Every time I hear someone talking about Thai Orchid Cafe, the discussion is invariably punctuated with phrases akin to “hidden gem.” I don’t really know how “hidden” a restaurant can be in the South Broadway Park plaza, but Thai Orchid certainly is a gem.
The family restaurant’s emphasis is on fresh ingredients and made-from-scratch items, a practice that will no doubt become more emboldened as the restaurant’s new owner, Toa Green, injects a youthful and exuberant influence on the food and restaurant. (Green opened the restaurant with her parents in 2006; she assumed full ownership last year.)
Thai Orchid’s modest menu is a traditional affair (at least for American Thai restaurants, I don’t know what they’re serving in Bangkok). There are some curries (red, green, pineapple and “panang” –– a thick curry with peas), speciality seafood plates, standard noodle dishes (such as drunken noodles and the ubiquitous pad thai), and “the classics” –– various medleys of assorted vegetables and herbs paired with chicken, tofu, beef or shrimp. Interestingly, pork was curiously absent from the whole menu. The menu also features a section of “crispy chicken” dinners, each featuring lightly battered chicken tenders matched with a melange of other flavors, such as a zesty pineapple-tangerine sauce and toasted sesame seeds.
For appetizers, a handful of fried delectables is available –– egg rolls, spring rolls, fried tofu, shrimp “pillows” (a spring roll, with shrimp). We ordered the sampler platter, and after the first bite, the gulf between homemade and store-bought appetizers was evident. Each morsel was delicious and came with its own particular dipping sauce.
For our dinner, my guest and I struggled making the selections. Encouraged by the menu to try eating our meal “family style,” we opted to share an order of pad kee mow (drunken noodles), which is wide rice noodles stir-fried with egg and tomatoes in a chili sauce (with shrimp, $14) and the “Triple Crown chicken,” a sampling of items from the crispy chicken menu –– peanut chicken, pineapple tangerine chicken and sweet chili chicken ($16).
Concerning the drunken noodles, both of us were a little surprised how “dry” (dry as in moistureless, not dull) the entree came prepared; we were both accustomed to this particular dish being soggier, more “drunken.” Regardless, it was delicious and went well with the plump shrimp. Likewise, the assortment of crispy chicken was equally scrumptious, with each sauce, especially the peanut, casting a unique flavor over all the pieces.
For dessert, my guest and I were both floored by a banana roti (banana halves rolled up in a crispy Thai flatbread) drizzled with honey and served with a side of ice cream. I don’t think it would have mattered how dinner had turned out if I ended the meal with this dessert.
Ahead of many of its local counterparts, Thai Orchid has embraced a wide palette of online tools, such as an online ordering apparatus and a mobile application for viewing menus and placing orders on the go. The restaurant is also dedicated to being as sustainable of a business as possible, enrolling in many local initiatives like Live Green Lexington and Seedleaf’s compost program. Not that these programs enhance the flavor of the food, but a side of guilt-free environmental consciousness is always a welcome digestif.
Thai Orchid Cafe has an abbreviated lunch menu that is available on weekdays. Our bill, prior to tip and tax, came to $66.50 and included a couple of Thai beers, an appetizer, two entrees and a dessert.