By Carolyn Howard
PassPort to San Diego
Whenever I am in Pacific Beach around lunch time, I make it a point to stop by one of my favorite Thai restaurants: Lanna Thai. It’s a quaint restaurant tucked into a small strip mall on Mission Bay Drive.
Inside, easy listening music filters through the dining room and intricate wood carvings from Thailand adorn the walls. The warm waitstaff take eat-in and to-go orders of entrees like Pad Thai, Pa-nang Curry with rice and crispy tropical duck with mango. Other favorites include Summer Salmon, Spicilicious Seafood and Royal Nest (stir-fried shrimp, chicken, vegetables and cashew nuts on a crispy noodle nest).
Every dish I have tried has been excellent, so no matter what you order, it will be delicious! Because I am usually there midday, I take advantage of the lunch special. (Lunch specials are served from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Monday through Friday.) My order includes a cup of vegetable soup which is very light, with thinly sliced cabbage and spinach. It also comes with a vegetarian spring roll and a small salad with a light peanut dressing. There are many lunch options to select from for your entrée.
I usually request the tasty Thai Basil Chicken (pictured at left). I also select the number seven on the heat scale, which is very spicy. A delicious sauce with thinly sliced pieces of chicken breast, carrots, onion and red and green bell pepper along with a side of white or brown rice, round off the plate. I manage to eat everything, but I am stuffed!
Not to be missed, especially when mangoes are in season, is the Sweet Rice with Mango. I get mine to go, so I can enjoy it later.
The staff is always friendly and attentive. The food is served pretty quickly and there is a nice ambiance to the restaurant. Lanna Thai offers light and healthy Thai cuisine with homemade recipes passed through generations. Savor the sumptuous menu for yourself today! It’s open daily for lunch and dinner. Lanna Thai is at 4501 Mission Bay Drive, #1B. Call (858) 274-8424 or visit http://lannathaicuisine.com.