by Cody
Root Table to open
January 15, 2009 in Ballard Restaurants by Cody
Root Table opens its doors to the public Friday night, and after a soft opening performance Wednesday that won chef/owner Kalan Intawong a prolonged round of applause, the menu seems to be promising.
The Asian fusion offerings are heavy on Thai influence, light on the portion size, and always under $10. The crowd pleasers were the Ménage à Thai, a trio of yellow, green and red curries with jasmine rice and choice of meat for dipping; the Roasted Duck Spring Rolls with spicy peanut sauce; and the Spicy Sausage Capellini with fresh Thai basil. Everyone just felt sorry for Double-Fisted Duck, a poor creature whose time spent marinating in dark beer and Chinese wine should endow it with great glory, but couldn’t escape the giggles brought on by its less than fortunate name.
There’s a full bar with a brief cocktail menu, a well-selected wine list with ample choices from local producers, and a gloriously large 22-ounce bottle of Thailand’s famous Chang beer, which is a $4.50 no-brainer.
And if you feel inspired by the woodsy décor, there’s lots more where that came from at Intawong’s adjoining home furnishings store, Enlighten.
Root Table
2213 N.W. Market St.
We went here recently and it was super good! You can tell that they just opened and are still ironing out the few kinks, but when we went they had only been open for a week so it was expected. They were really friendly and accommodating, and the food was yummy. We had the duck spring rolls, the samosas, and the coriander chicken and beef skewers. Everything was good. Glad to see it’s been noticed, and hopefully the neighborhood will embrace them! OH, and not to be forgotten, the root fries were great too. I love the idea, and they were slim and crisp and delicious. Overall, a great addition to the hood!