I stopped by Chada Thai for a quick lunch on a recent fall afternoon. It was still (barely) warm enough to sit at a table out front and watch people meandering in and out of St. Mark's Coffeehouse down the street (Chada Thai also shares the block with Il Posto Italian eatery and the Thin Man).
The restaurant's lunch menu included several vegetarian offerings, including a salad featuring tofu with peanut sauce atop a bed of vegetables and lettuce, and pad thai. I opted for the veg curry, pictured above ($7.25). The dish consisted of tofu, broccoli, carrots, green beans, zucchini, eggplant, bamboo shoots and thai basil leaves in a spicy red curry sauce, a top a bed of white rice. (Brown rice is available for a little bit more - I believe it was $1.) I initially thought that I would need a carry-out box, but soon found myself polishing off everything but the eggplant (it's is one of the few vegetables that I have issues with...).
According to an article in the Rocky Mountain News, Chada Thai's owner is the daughter-in-law of the woman who opened the first Thai restaurant in Denver (and, actually, the entire United States) in about 1960. I can't say that it was the most outstanding Thai food that I've ever had, but it certainly was very good. I personally liked it better than Thai Basil.
Service was prompt and efficient.
Chada Thai
2005 E. 17th Ave
Denver, CO 80203
303-320-8582
