A Lovin’ Spoon-ful

After hearing many good things about Spoon, a new casual Thai restaurant in the blossoming Westside restaurant scene, I decided to give it a try last night. Its not the easiest place to find, located on an industrial stretch of Marietta St. in an older brick building, but on the plus side, there is plenty of parking in an adjacent lot.

The restaurant incorporates a very simplistic approach to both the décor and the menu. It’s not the most diverse Thai menu in town, focusing on basics such as noodle dishes, curries and stir frys. And the dishes are priced very reasonably at $10-$15 a plate for dinner. But from what I saw last night, the dishes they do offer, they do very well.

I started with the Nam Tok beef salad. I am huge fan of spicy food, and went with the “Thai Hot” option. Most Thai places in Atlanta, Thai Hot isn’t really burning, and Spoon is no different. There was definitely a kick, but not the sweat-inspiring spice that the native Thai would expect (although after some “reflection” this morning, it may have been hot enough). For main courses, a friend and I each had curry. I went with the green curry, which was very flavorful and quite spicy. The red curry was just as tasty, while packing a little less of a kick. There is no bar yet at Spoon, so if you are looking to complement your curry or stir fry with a cold Singha, you’ll need to bring your own (at least for now).

Spoon is definitely a welcome addition to the casual restaurant scene on the west side corrider. It’s not going to replace a visit to Tamarind or Nan, which make a better option for a night out in terms of ambiance and menu variety. But it definitely blows away a place like Doc Chey’s. So if good, quick Thai food is what you are after, and you don’t want to break the bank in doing it, I would easily recommend Spoon. Grade: B+.