On our recent trip to Aruba my son was all excited to see a Wendy’s on our way to our timeshare.  I was more intrigued by a brightly colored restaurant located right next door Sawasdee Thai Restaurant.  When we got to the Marriott’s Aruba Surf Club, I asked about it and was told it was very good.

We decided to give it a try.  Like most Palm Beach Restaurants it was an easy walk from the high rise resorts so we chose to walk.  After that try we went again.  In fact I think we would have gone their every night.  WOW.

There are so many great things about Sawasdee Thai Restaurant that I am unsure how to even start.  You know how you look at a menu and something reads like it should taste good and the picture looks great and then when you get it you wonder if you got what you ordered?  Kind of like the Big Mac on the menu looks nothing like the squashed sideways looking burger with globs of goo?  Well Sawasdee Thai Restaurant is one of those restaurants where I felt the chef took presentation to heart.

I found the service to be refreshingly simple.  Meaning it was a feeling of being a guest versus waited on.  Probably not the most prompt but that added to the charm.  One of our orders was taking a long time so they thoughtfully brought us out an order of spring rolls.

My husband looked at them suspiciously then took a tentative bite.  My acting skill are not up to par because his eyes widened and he grabbed his second one.  They were absolutely delightful.  They were crisply cooked and just the perfect size and when accompanied by their sauce they were heaven.

I ordered the Red Curry Adventure and Steve order the Garlic Chicken while our son ate fried rice.  The Curry was spectacular – I am a huge curry fan and it was spicy and flavorful and the meat tender – it was definitely worth the wait.  Steve’s Garlic Chicken was fantastic as well. well cooked, spicy and great cuts of meat.

We had enough left over for lunch the next morning are our bill was only around $50 with tip.  It was the cheapest sit down meal we had in Aruba and we had leftovers.  I will say that the next day the spices were even better as they had really soaked in.

A few days later we went again because my uncle had joined us and he loves Thai.  He lives in Manhatten and eats at some really great Thai restaurants and wanted to get his take on it.

We had the spring rolls again – and again they were perfect.  My son and husband did not deviate (they are like that!) but I ordered the Thai Pepper Chicken and my uncle ordered Pad Thai with prawns.  All were at two of three stars in the heat department.

I am not a prawns lover so I have to take my uncles word for them but he said they were fabulous.  My chicken was spicy hot but in a good way.  Luckily they kept the water glasses full because it was hot.  If you are not into burning spicy food stick with one star.  I grew up in California on real Mexican food and love spicy so it worked for me.

After our meal I asked my uncle how it stacked up to the New York Thai places and he said it was better.  In fact I think all three of us agreed that if we could find cheap airfaire we would fly to Aruba just to eat at Sawasdee Thai Restaurant.

Hey isn’t Jet Blue having a special?  Hmmmmm The JetBlue Fall Fare Sale – fares for as little as $29 each way! Hurry, sale ends 8/5 11:59pm MT.  Better get clicking!