Spork and Knife

For 2 years, I have been searching far and wide for a fun, friendly and satisfying Thai restaurant in Washington.  On Friday night I may have found just that.  The Regent on 18th street in Dupont is an oasis on a block of been-there-done-that dining experiences. 

From the outside it has the appearance of a trendy bar, but upon entering I found the need to center my chakra and find my inner peace.  The scene is modern Asian, with clean lined furniture, dim lighting, and little waterfalls dotting the very open space.  There was a humming sound throughout, the kind I equate with happy patrons enjoying their friends, family, and food.  The noise was enough to create a great atmosphere yet quiet enough to hear the person across the table. 

D and I sat down and within 2 minutes were greeted by our infectiously happy waiter.  He suggested some dishes after I informed him that while curry is my favorite, I was looking to expand my Thai food knowledge.  I settled on the Pad Prig King-hot (Chicken stir fry with prig king sauce and string beans) and D went for the Pad Gra Prao-hot (Chicken stir fry with sweet basil in a chili garlic sauce). 

The dishes were out quickly and the presentation was artful.  A much appreciated touch when compared to the assembly line production of other Thai restaurants.  The food was fresh and flavorful and just what the doctor ordered.  In layman’s terms, my Pad Prig King appeared to be a chicken stir fry with chili paste (the prig king sauce) and green beans accompanied by a mound of sweet thai rice.  Yum.  D’s dish was very similar, just substitute the chili paste for a sweet and subtle garlic sauce. 

I should mention that in my eagerness to show off, I told the waiter to make my dish Thai-hot.  Here-in lies my big mistake of the evening.  Half way through the meal, I managed to take a bite that apparently consisted of 1/8 chicken to 7/8 prig king sauce.  If I was a cartoon character, steam would have been pouring out of my ears and my face would have turned a nice shade of beet red.  I literally lost my voice for 2 minutes, and later on had to make a trip to CVS for a dose of the pink stuff.  Serves me right for trying to be a show off.  Next time I’ll stick to spicy, not thai-hot. 

 Overheating aside, The Regent provided a great evening with friendly staff, wonderful food and a vibrant atmosphere for under $30.  I will definetly return, and bring a few friends along.  (The space seems perfect for parties of 2-6)