Review: Thai restaurant is stellar example of Thailand's gastrodiplomacy initiative

Lucie Regensdorf
·3 min read

Did you know that in 2002, the Thai government launched the Global Thai Program to increase the number of Thai restaurants worldwide? The “gastrodiplomacy” initiative has given us many choices of restaurants to celebrate the explosive flavors of Thai cuisine.

I have friends who claim they could eat Thai food every day due to its fusion of salty, sweet, sour, bitter and spicy characteristics with Chinese, Japanese and Indian influences.

I don’t know if Krua Thai Restaurant in Stuart is a product of the Thai initiative, but it is certainly a star representative of this wonderful food.

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At Krua Thai in Stuart, the sweet and sour chicken has onions, pineapple, carrots and tomatoes in a delicious, luxuriant sauce.
At Krua Thai in Stuart, the sweet and sour chicken has onions, pineapple, carrots and tomatoes in a delicious, luxuriant sauce.

The restaurant's décor is very pleasing. A beautiful gold and silver statue sits at the front, welcoming visitors into her home. The space is adorned with red accent walls, a large carved teak panel, wicker chandeliers, rosewood-colored tables, and wood chairs with creamy leather seats. The tables are set with simple placemats and white plates edged with colorful orchids. The staff is gracious, attentive and knowledgeable.

Appetizers include gyoza, edamame, calamari, dumplings, and crab rangoon. We started with two appetizers. The spring rolls ($5) were rice and vegetables wrapped in a thin dough and deep fried until golden and crispy. The menu said they were served with a sweet, thick plum sauce, but we were served a sauce that was tart and vinegary. We also ordered chicken satay ($12). Thin slices of chicken were skewered and grilled. The chicken was a bit chewy, but the peanut sauce was very tasty.

Krua Thai Restaurant offers: chef’s specials such as spicy seafood pad cha, soft shell crab ginger, and fish in tamarind sauce; curry dishes such as panang and massaman; wok-cooked noodles; fried rice; bowls; and entrees such as cashew nut, ginger and vegetables, and spicy basil with your choice of meat, fish, shrimp or tofu.

At Krua Thai in Stuart, the Titanic beef noodles soup was a large bowl generously filled with pieces of beef, savory meatballs, rice noodles, bean sprouts and scallions in a beef broth.
At Krua Thai in Stuart, the Titanic beef noodles soup was a large bowl generously filled with pieces of beef, savory meatballs, rice noodles, bean sprouts and scallions in a beef broth.

One of my friends ordered Phuket noodles ($16), which can include either meat, seafood, duck or tofu. Angel hair noodles were swimming in a creamy, sweet, coconut broth with bean sprouts and topped with a fried egg. This was a comforting, flavorful dish.

Another friend ordered crispy duck ($30), which was an excellent choice. The skin on the pieces of bronzed duck were crispy, and the meat was tender and delectable with a delightful sauce on the side. The meat was positioned on a bed of fragrant jasmine rice and bright green broccoli.

My husband loves the contrasts of sweet and sour dishes. His choice was sweet and sour chicken ($17), which was served with toothsome brown rice. The dish had onions, pineapple, carrots and tomatoes in a delicious, luxuriant sauce sweetened with brown sugar and soured with vinegar. The chicken was tender and plentiful.

At Krua Thai in Stuart, the tender and delectable crispy duck was served with a delightful sauce on the side.
At Krua Thai in Stuart, the tender and delectable crispy duck was served with a delightful sauce on the side.

I ordered from the Supper Bowl portion of the menu. A large bowl of Titanic beef noodles soup ($18) was generously filled with pieces of beef, savory meatballs, rice noodles, bean sprouts and scallions in a beef broth. The slices of beef were tender and abundant, but — based on the name of the dish — I had hoped for a more robust and spicy soup. A drizzle of soy sauce kicked the umami up a notch or two.

Whether or not Krua Thai Restaurant is a product of Thailand's effort to encourage entrepreneurs to bring the country's bold, complex cuisine to the rest of the world, the Treasure Coast is fortunate to have this relaxed, homey restaurant to call its own. Krua Thai, which means Thai Kitchen, stands out with its beautiful but simple ambience, fresh ingredients, flavorful dishes and conscientious staff.

Krua Thai Restaurant

  • Cuisine: Thai

  • Address: 3283 S.E. Federal Highway, Stuart

  • Phone: 772-600-8114

  • Hours: 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. to 8:45 p.m. Monday through Friday; 4:30 p.m. to 8:45 p.m. Saturday; closed Sunday

  • Alcohol: Beer and wine

  • Online: kruathaiofstuart.com

Lucie Regensdorf dines anonymously at the expense of TCPalm for #WhatToDoIn772. Contact her at Lucie@theloveofcooking.com

This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: Restaurant review: Krua Thai in Stuart is stellar example of cuisine