Gastrolust

In a town of 10,000 Thai restaurants (or so it seems), it might seem a bit strange that the best is actually a distance out of town: Noodle Boat in Issaquah. I assert this for three reasons: (1) There are many unique dishes, (2) Prices are great, with very few items exceeding $10, and (3) Noodle Boat doesn’t dumb down the spice levels.

Each time I visit, I start my meal with Mieng Kum: roasted coconut, peanuts, red onion, Thai chili, ginger, lime, palm sugar sauce, and dried shrimp that go into a cha-pu leaf. Wrap it, eat it, and experience a sensation of flavors in your mouth.

Noodle Boat will make some dishes by special request if you ask ahead. Pictured here is grilled baby octopus.

Another favorite is the BBQ chicken. The sauce is a bit on the sweet side, but the dish is great to pair with more spicy offerings.

Noodle Boat serves their phad Thai inside an egg. This may be a conservative choice of dishes, but they do a good job with it. There’s so much more on the menu to explore. Next, I’m looking forward to a dish called “Queen of Banana.”