Those who lived in Des Moines in the 1980s may remember A Taste of Thailand, with its homemade voting booth for quirky Taste of Thailand polls and Thai food that drew presidential contenders during the Iowa Caucus. Its polls were so accurate for the caucuses that the Chicago Tribune and New York Times noticed.
The restaurant opened in 1983 when Thai natives Prasong “Pak” Nurack and Benchung “Beni” Laungaram renovated a former auto repair shop at 215 E. Walnut St. in Des Moines.
Nurack introduced Des Moines to Thai food at his diner on Court Avenue called Little Joe’s, serving his native food on weekends, before opening A Taste of Thailand. And while Iowans may not have been familiar with Thai food, “Pak, however, was a big personality who could easily talk people into trying something new,” author Darcy Dougherty Maulsby wrote in her book, “Classic Restaurants of Des Moines and Their Recipes.” She noted that the restaurant would hold an International Hot and Spicy Food Day with a buffet of all-you-can-eat hot food and cold beer on the coldest day of the year.
The restaurant paved the way for more Thai cuisine in the metro. Restaurateurs such as Nishapat “Aom” Meesangkaew share tamarind-forward pad Thai and fragrant soups with the city at Eat Thai, Thai Eatery. Lucky Lotus‘ street food take on Thai food offers modern renditions of Thai fare. And Thai Flavors, one of the oldest Thai restaurants in the city, leans into classic Thai dishes at its two metro locations.
Discover a new favorite Thai dish at one of these restaurants in the Des Moines metro. All offer vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free options.
Eat Thai, Thai Eatery
Nishapat “Aom” Meesangkaew opened Eat Thai, Thai Eatery in West Des Moines to focus on cuisine from her native Thailand in 2015. The sit-down restaurant in a strip mall in West Des Moines serves one of the best pad Thai dishes in the metro.
Start with fresh summer rolls, a rice paper-wrapped mix of vegetables and egg served with peanut sauce for a light bite. Som tum, a spicy papaya salad, combines garlic, chili paste, roasted peanuts, green beans, tomato and fish sauce for a refreshing bite. Spicy eggplant, a sleeper hit for those who love heat, and pineapple fried rice, the best seller on delivery apps, offer some different takes on Thai cuisine.
Meesangkaew also owns Ocha Bubble Tea in Windsor Heights, Des Moines and Ankeny. Try the croffle, a cross between a waffle and croissant, topped with options such as strawberry, powdered sugar, bananas and Nutella, Oreos or Frooty Pebbles.
Lucky Lotus
This Ingersoll Avenue restaurant pays homage to Cafe Fuzion, the Thai restaurant from Seng and Dala Chen that served Vietnamese, Laotian and Chinese food on the east side of Des Moines for 15 years. When they moved, the restaurant became Lucky Lotus with sons Souriyno Chen and Kevin Chen running the kitchen and front of house, decorated with colorful upside-down umbrellas hanging from the ceiling and tributes to the family on the walls. Order at the counter and then absorb your surroundings before the food arrives.
Many of the dishes here lean into Laotian-Thai street food that can be customized for the heat level. Try Lucky Lotus’ signature Thai dish, pad Thai — stir-fried rice noodles with an option for chicken, tofu, veggies or shrimp. Khao soi, a northern Thai coconut curry soup; wok-fried Thai fried rice; spicy drunken noodles; and green curry are just some of the options for getting a taste of the family’s Thai recipes. Thai iced tea and Thai iced coffee are some of the other fan favorites. Lucky Lotus is also on the Des Moines Register’s Essential Restaurants list.
Thai Flavors
Locally owned Thai Flavors offers two locations for fans of Thai food. Liam Anivat opened the original on East 14th Street in Des Moines in 2002 with a classic feel and a simple, no-frills interior. The Ingersoll Avenue location offers a more contemporary look with wood tables and colorful accents. Both feature a sit-down dining experience.
Opt for creamy green curry or red curry with coconut milk that’s deeper and slightly richer than its green cousin. Tom yum soup combines a hot-and-sour broth, while pad kee mao (drunken noodles) brings the chili heat Thai food is known for. Fans talk about khao soi, the northern Thai coconut-curry noodle soup served with soft egg noodles in the broth and crispy noodles on top. Customers can order by heat level.
Anivat also owns Banana Leaf Asian Bistro at 5515 Mills Civic Parkway, in West Des Moines, and Cool Basil, 1250 86th St. in Clive.
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Susan Stapleton is the entertainment editor and dining reporter at The Des Moines Register. Follow her on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram, or drop her a line at sstapleton@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Try khao soi and som tum at these great Thai restaurants in Des Moines
Reporting by Susan Stapleton, Des Moines Register / Des Moines Register
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