Porchai's Thai Cuisine in Wakefield

Sometimes, an empty restaurant at lunchtime can be troubling. You're not sure if you want to chance it, and spend your money on a mediocre meal. I had that same hesitation when I walked into Porchai's Thai Cuisine in Wakefield last week, when I met my former co-workers for lunch. But after only a few bites of my meal, I was glad we gave this restaurant a chance.

Porchai's Thai Cuisine is off the beaten path in Wakefield, and the empty tables could have easily been because...well, let's be honest: Wakefield isn't that hoppin'. Regardless of the reason, I'm so glad we gave this restaurant a chance. Their menu is chocked full of Thai dishes that omnivores and vegetarians can get down with, and the prices are also very reasonable.

For my lunch entree, I went with the Spicy Eggplant Tofu ($8.50), which was wonderfully vibrant in appearance.

The dish overall was chocked full of fresh flavor from the vegetables and basil, and the rice was cooked perfectly. The dish was a tad bit greasy for my liking, and I prefer my tofu grilled or sauteed vs. fried, but that's my fault for not inquiring before ordering. Regardless, this was a light yet satisfying lunch; I'd definitely order this dish again.

In this instance, I'm glad we gave Porchai's Thai Cuisine a chance, but I have been disappointed in an empty restaurant's food before...and have discovered, the hard way, why the restaurant was empty. 

Are you also hesitant to eat at a restaurant that's empty during peak dining hours? 

My Current Obsession: Gingerbread Construction Co.

It’s not because of their muffins (although, they are good).

It’s not even because of their gingerbread. 

Source:  www.facebook.com/gingerbreadusa

I’m currently obsessed with Gingerbread Construction Co. because of their iced coffee. 

Source:  www.facebook.com/gingerbreadusa 

While I normally make a batch of my own iced coffee at home, I do let myself splurge once or twice each week on iced coffee elsewhere. On the weekends, you can find me sipping an iced mocha from Café Rustica, or an iced coffee from Petsi Pies in Somerville – but during the week, I hit up the Gingerbread Construction Co. in Wakefield for my fix.

Here are the top 3 reasons why Gingerbread Construction Co.’s coffee rocks:

1.) Every single time I go they have a new, inventive coffee flavor, in addition to French vanilla and hazelnut (this week, for instance, one of their flavors was Caramel Nut Crunch – they also had Pistachio several weeks ago).

2.) Their coffee is smooth and perfectly strong (it does the job, but doesn’t give me the shakes).

3.) Whether it’s the case or not, their coffee tastes like the flavor is in the beans (vs. in a sugary syrup form).

I normally order a jumbo-sized, which comes to $2.36 after taxes – and is basically the size of a medium coffee at Dunkin’ Donuts (maybe a tad bit bigger).

The Gingerbread Construction Company has a second location in Winchester. If you ever find yourself in either of the W towns, I highly recommend stopping in to treat yourself!

What's your favorite local spot for iced (or hot) coffee?

The Duck Walk in Wakefield

My new job is located in Wakefield, and despite all the cute restaurants and stores located "downtown," I've already managed to eat at Duck Walk twice. Since I was there both times with colleagues, I didn't snap photos - but I definitely think this place is worth a mention.

The first time I dined at this Thai restaurant, I ordered the Vegetable Curry, which is chocked full of veggies like carrots, mushrooms, sugar snap peas and peppers, coated in a seriously spicy, thick curry sauce. The dish comes with just enough white rice, and if you get the combo meal, you also get two crispy dumplings and mini egg rolls with the dish. This entree was so good, I ordered it the second time I went to Duck Walk. It was good the second time, but some bites of the curry sauce tasted like nothing but butter, which was highly unfortunate.

The service at Duck Walk is also worth mentioning. Service was friendly both times, and very attentive. The waiters made it easy to be in and out of there within an hour, without making me feel rushed.

Overall, both of my visits to Duck Walk so far were good, and I'm excited to go back and try a different dish.

What's your favorite place to get Thai food?