HOUSE RULES Owner
Denise Jacobsen (second
from right), her sister,
Maryann Geib (far left) and
House of Thai staff prepare
to greet guests. Specialties
of the House include
Mango Sticky Rice (left)
and Bangkok Duck (right).
HOUSE OF THAI
1483 Route 23 South, Kinnelon
973-750-1600
y aod t g h
Freshness and Flavor Are in the House
WRITTEN BY ADRIANA MARIELLA
H
ouse of Thai, which
opened just over a
year ago, is located
on the border of
Kinnelon and Butler.
This intimate eatery,
owned by restaurateur Denise
Jacobsen, boasts fresh food with
vibrant flavors. The menu offers
something for everyone, from the
Thai-aficionado to the less adventurous, with vegetarian and gluten-free
options available.
Because Thai food incorporates
fresh herbs, spices, meat and vegetables, most of the dishes are particularly light, but exceptionally flavorful.
For starters, Jacobsen recommends
the Thai summer rolls, which have
become a customer favorite. Made
fresh daily, they are filled with
shrimp, lettuce, steamed noodles,
carrots and bean sprouts, wrapped in
rice paper and served with house dipping sauce. Other popular appetizers
include Chicken Satay (grilled chicken marinated in Thai herbs served on
a skewer with cucumber salad and
PHOTOGRAPHY BY ANNE-MARIE CARUSO
peanut sauce), Crab Rangoon
Wontons (stuffed with crabmeat,
cream cheese, carrots, water chestnuts and scallions) served with plum
sauce, and the Thai classic, Tom Yum
Koong (Lemongrass soup).
The menu offers a large variety of
entrée choices. The Yum Neur Thaistyle beef salad is a mix of grilled
sliced beef, red onions, scallions,
cilantro, cucumbers, tomatoes, mint
leaves and cashew nuts in a spicy lime
dressing. Try the Red Snapper in pickle sauce with fresh crisp basil leaves or
one of House of Thai’s noodle dishes.
The Kee Mao Drunken Noodles (stirfried flat rice noodles with tomatoes,
Thai basil, bell peppers and onions in
a spicy chili sauce) and Pad Thai (stirfried Thai thin rice noodles with egg,
smoked tofu, scallions, bean sprouts
and ground peanuts) are artfully
prepared. Jacobsen also suggests the
seafood sampler or the salmon stuffed
with crabmeat and topped with a
tamarind sauce.
For those who like their food spicy
hot, there is House of Thai’s Green
Curry Sauce (Thai spices blended in
green curry paste and coconut milk
with string beans, zucchini, bell peppers, bamboo shoots and fresh basil)
available with beef, pork, chicken,
tofu, shrimp or mixed seafood with a
side of Jasmine rice. Spicy dishes can
be adjusted to one’s liking or prepared without chili paste entirely.
For those hesitant to try authentic
Thai food at all, there are other
options including jumbo shrimp in
garlic sauce or marinated grilled
beefsteak with sautéed mushrooms,
onions and bell peppers. Even the
children’s menu offers Thai specialties such as Thai Fried Rice and
Chicken Satay, as well as plain buttered noodles and chicken fingers.
For dessert, the mango sticky rice
with fresh mango and coconut sauce
and the fried ice cream with raspberry
sauce are musts, along with a flavored
bubble tea (tea with milk and tapioca
or fruit balls).
Because of the restaurant’s
small size, reservations are highly
recommended. ■
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