“We have to give credit to Thawin Thomngan because mainly these are his recipes and those of my mother, Khannica.” The family hails from the northern part of Thailand and Wongphiboonrat sees that the menu reflects the flavors of her homeland. Dishes at Tracy Thai are made-to-order and the staff takes pride in the fresh ingredients and dedication that go into each meal made. “People have to remember that Thai food is not necessarily spicy,” explains the owner. “We have all different types of dishes that are mild and range in spice and flavor. If a customer wants something a certain way, we can cater to them and their taste buds!” With such an extensive menu and entrees that can be made with a choice of spice levels, the number of unique entrée combinations is vast.
“Our Tracy Thai Salad is our most popular salad,” says Wongphiboonrat. The signature salad includes romaine lettuce, cucumber, red onion, tomatoes and shrimp tossed in a sweet basil dressing. The dressings and sauces at Tracy Thai are homemade fresh daily and reflect the wide range of both delicate and bold flavors associated with Thai cuisine. The Oriental Chicken Salad is also a crowd favorite. The Kiew Soup is a flavorful dish that is also very healthy. “It’s like a wonton soup, but it has more greens. We add bok choy, spinach, prawns, chicken and homemade dumplings, made with white meat in a vegetable broth.” Curry dishes are some of the most popular in Thai cuisine and at Tracy Thai they create yellow, green and red curries with varying levels of spice. One of the standout entrees in the curry category is the Tracy Thai curry delight. The dish combines the most popular flavor elements in Thai cooking with seafood, pineapple, bell peppers and sweet basil, cooked in red curry paste and a coconut milk sauce.
“We try to give the customers a lot of choice on the menu and we’re actually trying to add more,” says the owner of this massive entrée selection. There are lunch entrees daily as well as a curry-of-the-day available for lunch and dinner. “We also have lunch specials and dinner specials like asparagus delight and mango paradise,” Gesa adds, “Another outstanding entrée is the pineapple fried rice which includes shrimp and chicken stir fried with egg, cashew nuts, pineapple onions and raisins. It is a tasty blend of sweet and savory. No Thai restaurant would be complete without traditional Pad Thai. “If you haven’t ever tried Thai food, Pad Thai is the best place to start,” says the owner. “We prepare our Pad Thai noodle dish fresh on a daily basis.” It includes stir-fried noodles, shrimp, egg, tofu, green onions, bean sprouts and ground peanuts. It’s a great way to introduce someone new to Thai cuisine!
Whatever you do, save room for dessert at Tracy Thai because the selections are different than what can be found at other restaurants. Desserts include fried banana with honey, fried banana with coconut ice cream, sticky rice with coconut ice cream, sticky rice with mango, fried ice cream and Thai tapioca pudding. “In Thailand, coconut milk is used often in our desserts.” Their desserts are light and refreshing with unexpected flavors that are the perfect way to end a meal. Tracy Thai serves beer, and in fall, the restaurant will begin serving hard liquors too. The last seven years have been a labor of love for Wongphiboonrat. “I love to see my regulars! They’re so supportive and every day, I’ll see them and greet them by name. When they don’t come in, I miss them!” she smiles.
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Tracy Thai
1035 Central Ave.
Tracy, (209) 833-9703