It’s not always easy trying a new Thai place. It’s especially not easy trying a new Thai place that still has a wood carving of a Bigfoot in its parking lot. E-San Thai Cuisine moved into the building where Bigfoot Bar and Grill used to serve up burgers and booze.
Don’t worry, I took the risk. My party ordered an appetizer of chicken satay that comes with a peanut sauce and cucumber. The meat was cooked well but didn’t suffer the dryness usually associated with a kebob’d meat. The peanut sauce wasn’t quite as spicy as other options, but there’s often a fight over who is using the leftovers on their entree. Make a note to order an extra side of peanut sauce if you’re into that sort of thing.
For the entree, chicken pad Thai was the go-to staple. I’ll go so far as to suggest that it might be the best chicken pad Thai in Salem. It came with the regular assortment of egg, bean sprouts, onions and ground peanuts. The spiciness was relatively tame, so order a medium if you like a little zing and a hot if you want to scorch yourself. The servers have always been willing to mix and match so a “medium-hot” works just about right. They offer pad Thai with a variety of different meats like squid, beef, or scallops – there’s also a vegetarian option for the herbivores out there.
Service is iffy. There are some experienced waitstaff that take care of orders quickly, while others have a hard time getting orders right. It’s something that happens occasionally at all restaurants, but be extremely clear with what you’re ordering for the best results. Even so, the staff has a good habit of getting food out quickly, even when they’re at their busiest.
The owners have fixed up the building, which now offers a fresh, cleaner look. Assuming that Mother Nature cooperates, their outdoor seating is decent, but nothing to brag about. There’s some water in front, but a combination of cars zooming past on Commercial St. and the picnic seating isn’t much of an invitation to linger.
E-San has two locations in Portland. Their website boasts online ordering, which might not be necessary, considering their serving speed. It’s definitely worth a shot; you might even enjoy the mythical primate carving in the parking lot.
E-San Thai Cuisine
3330 Commercial St. SE
503-991-5918
