The Four State Food Critic loves to extend his culinary
experiences whenever possible. One of
the cuisines that I know little to nothing about is the foods and flavors of
Thailand, so Mrs. FSFC and I eagerly walked into Finn Thai Restaurant & Bar, a Thai restaurant in Hagerstown, MD
– excited to try something completely new and different to our palate.
(Image Credit
– www.finnthai.com)
The restaurant occupies the space that was formerly home to “El
Ranchero” in the Martin’s plaza on Wesel Blvd.
The makeover was long overdue, as the former interior orange and yellow walls
have been repainted and the space is now a simple black and white scheme making
the dining room much brighter.
I was immediately drawn to the “authentic Thai” side of the
menu. I started with the Chicken Tom Ka
soup, which had a creamy coconut broth and was loaded with fresh mushrooms,
chicken, and other spices. The FSFC is
not a big fan of coconut, but this soup was delicious, with a mild sweetness
that was nicely intermingled with a slightly spicy kick. Mrs. FSFC had pot stickers from the appetizer
menu, which were nice and crispy on the outside and moist on the inside. The dipping sauce was also good.
After house salads, which were loaded with nicely cut
veggies and a creamy dressing, we moved on to our main courses. Mrs. FSFC went with the traditional Pad Thai,
which was nicely prepared Thai stir-fry noodles with plenty of bean sprouts,
green onion, chicken, and crushed peanuts.
Both of us found it satisfying and delicious.
The FSFC eyed the menu choices, eager to try something
spicy. They have two levels of spice
here (marked by chili pepper symbols on the menu) – one chili means “American”
spicy (presumably a milder kick) and two chilies means “Thai” spicy – so of
course, I went with two chilies and ordered the “Kapow” beef. Slim strips of beef were accompanied by hand
crushed chili, garlic, and basil leaves – served with a side of rice. The dish was fragrant, tasty, and yes – spicy,
but spicy in a flavorful, good way (not heat for the sake of heat).
Service was accomplished by an eager and pleasant waitress
who did a wonderful job. There is also a
full bar with several signature drinks and wine selections as well as a very
small kids menu.
The FSFC was impressed by the freshness and flavor of the
food at Finn Thai Restaurant & Bar. If other Thai cuisine is as tasty as my first
dip in the waters experienced here, I’ll definitely be back to sample something
else.
The Four Star Food Critic Review
(Each category has a possible “best out of 5” rating)
Atmosphere: 3.5
Food: 4
Price: $$-$$$
Service: 4
Overall: 3.75
Finn Thai Restaurant & Bar is open
daily at 11:00 AM and has two locations:
1580 Wesel
Blvd. #K (in the Martin’s Plaza)
Hagerstown,
MD 21740
(301) 302-7680
748 Foxcroft
Avenue
Martinsburg,
WV 25401
(304) 262-2200
Check them
out at www.finnthai.com
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