Gumrai Thai
Gumrai Thai opened last weekend and after trying them, we have a big problem; two good Thai restaurants about two blocks from each other. How to choose between Gumrai Thai and AltThai? The good news is that while both are good, they are both very different.
Gumrai Thai is at 170 N. Arlington Heights Road at the corner of Northwest Highway (next to the Egg Harbor Cafe in the space formerly occupied by Edwardo's) in downtown Arlington Heights. Gumrai's dining area is open and inviting with simple Thai decoration. In fact the dining room is downright spacious with plenty of room between tables and no worries about hearing the conversations around you. The menu is large with all the traditional Thai fair, but also make forays into Chinese and Japanese dishes, making Gumrai a good option for mixed parties with non-Thai fans. Some of the Japanese dishes (soba noodles and tempura especially) may be choices on some of my next visits.
We started with a cucumber salad and 'Golden Bags' (crab and shrimp lightly fried in a pastry bag - excellent). Inga had the curry noodles (red curry and wide rice noodles) and I had one of their house specialties, the Salmon Chu-Chee (grilled salmon with chu-chee curry sauce). Both we very good though the vegetables were lacking. The vegetables in the curry noodles seemed like a throw in and the broccoli and carrots that came with the salmon were uninspired. The salmon in contrast was excellent: fresh, cooked perfectly and a very generous portion. Overall it was very good and we'll make it a regular part of our dining circuit.
Compared to AltThai, Gumrai is not as fancy and is a better option for families. AltThai is a classy, modern, little place with Thai dishes that explore new takes on classic dishes. It's cozy and great for couples. Gumrai is more traditional, better for larger (louder) parties and has the advantage of plenty of parking. There are times when we are in the mood for Thai, but don't feel dressed-up enough for AltThai (not that AltThai is dressy, but we feel that you don't go to a place like that in a t-shirt and track pants). Gumrai has the edge in carry-out if you don't live in the surrounding high-rises as it is much easier to park and run in. This is a make or break option for some, but I do not know if Gumrai has a liquor license. I didn't notice anything on the menu, so I'll have to confirm that. AltThai has an extensive wine list, so for some that would be a big edge for AltThai.
So overall, Gumrai Thai is good and worth visiting. AltThai is better, but Gumrai has it's pluses too, that will make us come back.
