Beyond the food, I am always amused by the service and menus.  I love the small, bizarre little shop front that houses this cafe.  Its sign is sometimes flickering, a few letters might be missing light, and you never know if they are even going to be open when you arrive.  If they are open, the dining room is full, sometimes even packed.  Some might find these characteristics annoying or frustrating but somehow I find them endearing.

Another side note you should know before arriving is they prefer for you to share your dishes.  Maybe prefer is not a strong enough word….they nearly demand you share and do not understand why you would want to order two of the same dish.  We’ve been told, “You are in Thailand now.  We share dishes here.”  This is totally cool with me, I actually love sharing and trying several dishes, but my husband would sometimes just like his own bowl of Gang Dang without having to share with anyone.

After a few years of dining at Chanon Thai, we understand the rules and we often share or get take out.  They still remain our favorite Thai in Salt Lake.  In fact, after a bad day the Gang Dang puts a smile back on my face.

Oh and if you want brown rice come before 6pm.

Chanon Thai Cafe
278 E 900 S

After settling back in after a few weeks of crazy traveling around the country, I asked some Twitter friends what I had missed in the food scene of Salt Lake. They told me about Ekamai Thai, one of Salt Lake’s newest Thai food cafes. Ekamai is located near Pioneer Park and conveniently also right by several of my favorite food stops in the city: Aquarius (freshest seafood in town), Bruges (to die for Belgian waffles and fries), Tony Caputo’s Market (delicious gourmet foods market and restaurant), and Carlucci’s Bakery (who sells my favorite cannoli in town). Now I can grab some Thai food after picking up some specialty cheese at Caputo’s or fresh tuna steaks at Aquarius, and maybe even a waffle on my way out. It is almost foodie overload in this little street across from the park.

When asking about Ekamai on twitter, I was told that it was “Like a street cart with a door and roof.” After checking it out myself I agree with that statement but also add that the food is absolutely beyond what you would think of most food cart food. Food carts are stepping up in many cities around the U.S. and you can read more about food carts in my post of Portland here. This tiny cafe serves up a delicious assortment of Thai food favorites. Their menu changes daily so make sure and check out their website or if you’re in the area you can check the chalkboard by the street to see what they are offering that particular day.

I had the pleasure of meeting my fellow food friend, Heather from slclunches on Twitter, who shares my love for adventurous dining and trying new things. We went on a Thursday and loved their Coconut Curry Chicken Soup. I ordered the one-choice lunch option, which is only $4.99. You can get two choices for $7.99. I tried the brown rice, which was a beautiful, almost purple, rice, and ended up being tossed right in with my soup making for an amazingly tasty lunch.

All of their food is fresh, from the fresh ginger in my soup to the bright green basil in the curry. I highly recommend their food and their outdoor dining is inviting. The owner makes sure to greet everyone and see how they all like the food. Friendly service, fresh tasty Thai food, cool location…I couldn’t ask for much more.

Ekamai Thai Curry
336 West 300 South
Monday-Friday 11am-7pm
Saturday from 12pm-7pm

For more info read Heather’s review at The Salt Lake City Lunch Examiner.