Beauregard's Thai Room

Let me start this review by saying right up front that Beauregard's takes Thai to a whole different level from the vast herd of Richmond Thai restaurants. They stand a definitive head and shoulders above the Carytown Thai corridor, the various Fan Thai spots, and the unfortunate new incarnation of Thai Mama on southside. This is not to say that they are perfect, but for Thai in this town, the buck stops here. Mine does anyway...

This past Saturday was a beautiful. balmy August evening, and outdoor dining was on the menu. Except for the courtyard at Sette (the former Mr. Patrick Henry's) the back garden at Beauregard's is one of the prettiest and most romantic places in Richmond, to eat outdoors. They have a large dining area, full of foliage, brickwork, a variety of lighting, and even a Koi pond. It was the perfect spot to enjoy the weather and admire my beautiful girlfriend while she sipped her drink and nibbled an eggroll. Pretty much everything K does is cute and fun to watch, and tonight was no exception.

I think we must have been seated in the 'gay' section... I overheard the couple behind us asking the waiter all kinds of really sophisticated questions about the food- nuances of different varieties of curries, which spices are paired best with which wines, and so on- and sure enough it was a pair of gay guys.

We started with a couple lemon drop martinis. We're on a quest at this point to compare them at every bar and restaurant, and it's amazing how many different ways there are to prepare a lemon drop martini. This time, we got pretty much straight Citroen vodka with a squeeze of lemon juice, served ice cold in a small rocks glass with a big lemon wedge and a sugared rim. Usually I bitch when I don't get a lemon drop with lemon syrup in it, but this was surprisingly satisfying.

After we ordered, we were enjoying a cigarette and sipping the drinks, when we were surprised to overhear a different waiter at a different table, running down a big list of specials. Our waiter had never mentioned any specials, which definitely bothered us. Even though I doubt either of us would have changed our orders, it would have been nice to know what the specials were. We also couldn't help but notice that almost all the waitstaff was actually running, like sprinting, between the kitchen and the tables... it made us wonder if someone was back in the kitchen cracking a big bullwhip and holding a stopwatch.

We almost always order the crispy rolls to start with- I think they are some of the best to be had- delicate and crunchy on the outside, and a combination of tender and fresh crisp vegetables inside. They are served with a sweet, clear sauce and we requested hot sauce as well. There were two different hot sauces that came in little clay pots and offered different levels of fiery, flavorful Thai peppers. We were a little disappointed, though, that our crispy rolls were almost cold. This was the first time ever, that they were not brought out piping hot. With all the running waiters, we were perplexed that the spring rolls didn't make it to the table before they cooled off. We were hungry though, so we ate them anyway. In contrast, K's Tom Khar Kai (thai chicken soup) was steaming hot, flavorful and delicious. The chicken broth was infused with coconut and lemongrass flavors and had a good sized portion of chicken and vegetables.

We asked for wine with our entrees, and had ordered Sauvignon Blanc, to complement the chicken and seafood dishes. The wine came out right on time with the food. I had ordered the Green Curry Shrimp, which was darn near perfect. Beauregard's makes a mean green curry sauce, and the plate was lovely. A little mound of sticky rice, topped with big butterflied shrimp, perfectly sauteed green peppers, onions and eggplant, and the jade green hued curry sauce. I really liked that the veggies maintained that bit of crispness, and the shrimp were perfectly cooked as well. If I hadn't been in public I would have licked the plate.... (can't help it, after all, I *am* a lesbian).

K ordered the Green Curry Chicken, which is essentially the same dish as I had, but with tender, white chicken pieces instead of shrimp. She said to be sure to mention that the eggplant was extra yummy.

We were too full to order dessert this time, but a word to the wise: Bread pudding with coconut ice cream. You won't be sorry.

Beauregard's, bless them, has an actual sit down dining area for smokers. Smoking is also permitted at the bar and out on the patio. If you don't want to be around smoke, there's plenty of places for you to sit also. While the service could use a little fine tuning, it's hard to beat this place for a nice Thai meal.


Beauregard's Thai Room
103 E. Cary St.
804.644.2328