Happy Hour at Planet Thai, Beaverton

I am a wordy person. I know. That’s just the way I am when I write. Though in person I have all those same thoughts, I don’t always string them out verbally… I save it often for when I can type at my 90+ words per minute, because even as a fast talker I can’t keep up.

Yes dad, all those typing speed games you gave me and my brother and sisters on the Type-right a Pre-computer Typing Tutors when we were young totally paid off beyond getting us easily through typing class (I can’t believe my typing class was still on a typewriter, and the entire time I thought how they missed an opportunity by not using Word Invaders…)

Looking back, my parents were SO clever. Besides this trick to teach us, they also would take us to the Teachers Store to load us with all the workbooks for us to “play school” during the summer. I also remember super fondly listening to Little Thinker tapes where I would just sit by myself, listening to the storytelling on the tape which had pauses to play music and draw that part of the story, and that all the tapes could be put into one large plastic case. It seems they come in mp3 format now, but I still remember fondly the feel of the cassette tapes. What a clever way for a me as a kid to entertain myself.

Wait, here I go ahead, typing a whole bunch of stuff when this is supposed to be a photo post of a Happy Hour at Planet Thai, Beaverton. This was supposed be a clever setup where this post shows you some pictures, and you have to use your own creative storytelling to fill in the blanks.

Just imagine it’s Friday, it’s finally 5, and it’s happy hour time! Planet Thai is right at the Beaverton Central Max station. Planet Thai boasts $5 martinis such as these, as well as 20 items on their happy hour menu 3-6pm daily, all $5 or less to nosh on, including the spicy saucy Street Vendor Thai Chicken wings and a generous side of Thai fried rice. That last martini isn’t on the menu, but is an alcoholic take on a Thai Iced Tea. When the weather is nice, they can pull back the garage door walls/windows by the bar so you can enjoy the summer breeze as you sip. They have only been open since January (this was the previous location of Typhoon, and this is the second location of a Planet Thai the other being in Vancouver WA), and seems to still be an undiscovered gem.

What are you thinking/talking about as you enjoy lime, pear vodka and blue curacao, and thai iced tea cocktails?

Lime cocktail at Planet Thai, Beaverton, happy hour, cocktails, $5 cocktail Pear vodka and Blue Curacao cocktail at Planet Thai, Beaverton, happy hour, cocktails, $5 cocktail Thai Iced Tea cocktail at Planet Thai, Beaverton, happy hour, cocktails, $5 cocktail spicy saucy Street Vendor Thai Chicken wings at Planet Thai, Beaverton, happy hour, cocktails, $5 food

Is it Friday yet?

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Manao Thai Review

While making a run at Portland U Brew in order to get some supplies for brewing a summer beer, I figured that while I had a car rented for the day and we were already on SE Milwaukie, how about having lunch in the area as well? My sisters just went to Thailand for a short stay and a visit to the rest of my family on both sides (my immediate family is in the US, but extended fam is all in Thailand, divided among Bangkok in central Thailand, Chiang Mai with their Northern cuisine, and my dad’s hometown of Nakhon Ratchasima also known as Korat in the Northeast). Thinking of them, I also have had lots of Thai food on my mind as I think about the deliciousness they are enjoying, as it’s been so long (since 2008) since my last experience in Thailand.

I haven’t actually eaten a lot of Thai food here in PDX because F often eats Thai already from the food carts during his workday, so having Thai for dinner or on the weekends isn’t the first thing we think of, and I should correct that. So far, of the Thai I’ve had, my experiences at Pok Pok, my visit to the food cart Nong’s Khao Man Gai for the Khao Man Gai specialty (and only) dish she offers, and E-San Thai where I loved their Nam Khao are standouts (and as I’ve written about before- click the links to read those entries). But I have quite the Thai To Do List- the wishlist includes PaaDee, Red Onion, Chiang Mai, Mee-Sen, Cha Ba Thai, and Manao, the latter of which is just down the street from P.U.B. Let’s see if I can work this list this summer.

Manao Thai was started by Ekkachai “Chef Chew” Sakkayasukkalawon, an alum from Andy Ricker’s empire including Pok Pok and Ping about a year and a half ago. Manao means lime by the way in Thai. Chef Chew has some staple Thai offerings, but also quite a few more unique Thai dishes that you won’t find as commonly on most Thai menus. Inside, you can tell this is a small family owned business who has kept the décor very minimal and functional.
Manao PDX Thai restaurant Portland Chef Chew

We started with Manao’s Tao Huu Tod appetizer, a dish of fried tofu caramelized with sweet and sour sauce. A special on the board also listed Sai Ua, which is a Northern Thai sausage dish.
Tao Huu Tod appetizer, a dish of fried tofu caramelized with sweet and sour sauce Manao PDX Thai restaurant Portland Chef Chew Sai Ua Northern Thai sausage Manao PDX Thai restaurant Portland Chef Chew

For mains, the vegetarian got the very passable Mussamun Curry with potato, carrot, onion and peanuts (here shown with tofu), I enjoyed both my dishes of the decent Kao Pad Kun Chiang, a dish of fried rice with egg, Chinese sausage, onion, tomato and Chinese broccoli, and then a more unique offering of Thai Chicken Wings, deep‐fried marinated chicken wings caramelized with sweet fish sauce. Are they as good as the Ike Vietnamese Chicken Wings at Pok Pok? Well, they are not as spicy, but still enjoyable and without the wait you would have otherwise had. This seems like a more casual, homey version that is more Thai than Vietnamese, and as noted is more sweet than spicy and good crispyness.

Mussamun Curry with potato, carrot, onion and peanuts Manao PDX Thai restaurant Portland Chef Chew Kao Pad Kun Chiang, a dish of fried rice with egg, Chinese sausage, onion, tomato and Chinese broccoli Manao PDX Thai restaurant Portland Chef Chew Chicken Wings, deep‐fried marinated chicken wings caramelized with sweet fish sauce Manao PDX Thai restaurant Portland Chef Chew

I was also excited to see a Thai dessert you don’t always see on menus here: Sweet Roti, an Indian‐style flat bread top with sweetened condensed milk and chocolate syrup. This is a very sweet dessert. But, I thought this was much better than what our usual stop would have been after P.U.B.- Dairy Queen!
Sweet Roti, an Indian‐style flat bread top with sweetened condensed milk and chocolate syrup Manao PDX Thai restaurant Portland Chef Chew

I will probably be back again when we make another run to P.U.B., as there are other special Thai dishes that caught my eye, such as Kaa Muu Tod, a stewed pork leg dish stew with mustard greens; Kaeng hung lay, a funky Northern Thai pork shoulder curry; the labor intensive spicy Som Tum or papaya salad (get it with sticky rice) of which the mashing of the chilis gave Pok Pok its name; and Pad Wuun Sen Kai Kem dish with stir-fried salted duck egg with glass noodles and ground pork. There is a lot right in front of the restaurant for convenient parking. If you visit, please, take the opportunity to try out some dishes that are not the standard fare you will normally see. Make sure to check out the specials board too for more authentic flavors.

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