In the Valley of the Sun where mediocre and chain restaurants hail supreme, Satara shines brightly above all and give customers a very authentic Thai experience with nice bold flavors and spices.
Satara is an independent restaurant surrounded by the most boring of chain restaurants. What is it with the Phoenix area? I have been to packed restaurants and found the food to be bland and boring. Satara's food was full of flavor and has been the best food that we have enjoyed during our week in the Phoenix area.
We started with the Pork Laab which is a type of minced meat salad served with sliced cabbage. Laab is a northeastern Thai dish not found in many Thai restaurants because it is a regional dish. The dish was amazing. Probably the best Laab salad we have every had. That is saying a lot since we enjoyed some of the best Thai food in San Francisco.
Our entrees were the Pattaya Black Pepper Beef and the Chicken Panang Curry. Both dishes where in nice big portions but the flavors stood out to us. The Chicken Panang Curry was so flavorful. Everything was very authentic.
I thought service was good and friendly. I hope people understand that good Thai food takes time to cook. Try not to be in a rush. Everyone in Phoenix seems to rate a restaurant based on its ambiance and service. Yes, those are important things but above all else, food and flavor should reign supreme. Understand that good food takes time. If you are in a hurry, go to a fast food restaurant or Chili's where they warm up their food.
Spiciness is Thai Authentic. I ordered mild and it still had a kick to it. So beware!
Satara is one of the restaurants where people should be flocking to for authentic and flavorful Thai food. We come to AZ every year for vacation and we will be sure to add Satara to our must visits.