Red Onion

Red Onion Restaurant Review:

Located in the busy NW 23rd Avenue shopping district, the restaurant draws a crowd, so be prepared to wait on weekend nights. Chef Dang Boonyakamol's authentic Thai dishes offer value for the price. The lengthy menu covers both Thai standards and less well-known items from Boonyakamol's native North Thailand. For appetizers, order the papaya salad or the deep-fried calamari tubes stuffed with a mixture of ground pork, shrimp, cilantro, onion and carrot that predominates over the breading and offers a burst of flavor. Dungeness crab fried rice includes a generous amount of the delectable but expensive crustacean. Other seafood hits range from the chu chee catfish (battered and fried catfish topped with curry, mango, asparagus, bell pepper, coconut milk and lime leaves) to a medley with shrimp, scallops, mussels, squid and crab meat. All of the curries are complexly flavored and packed with enticing ingredients, such as the mussaman beef. Stir-fried ginger and lemon chicken are also standouts, as is the pad thai.