The Spot: Thai Rama, 927 E. University Dr., Tempe, 480-967-6013
The Hours: Monday-Friday, 4:30-6:30 p.m.
The Details: Thai Rama offers up six Thai appetizers priced under $5 and a variety of Asian beers for $2.75. Their Sake Bomber is priced at $6 and is basically two drinks, a 12 oz beer and a carafe of warm sake. Thai tea and coffee are also marked down to $1.75 during happy hour.
Get the rundown after the jump.
The Interior: Odd as it sounds, we couldn't stop talking about how beautiful the tile floors are at Thai Rama. Guests are greeted by elephant statues and the open dining room has soft, warm colors and bench seating that run down the center of the space on one side, making it easy to seat a large group of friends. Circular booths occupy the other side of the restaurant, which also creates enough space for medium size parties or for a couple to cozy up.
The Cost: The Sake Bomber is a good deal at $6. It is like getting two drinks for $3 each, a beer and a carafe of sake. The Beef Satay is three sliced of beef cutlet, grilled and served with peanut sauce and a Thai vinaigrette and is a bargain at $3.97. The Thai Toast, crispy pieces of toast topped with minced pork and seasonings, battered and fried, also served with a Thai vinaigrette is deliciously priced at $3.47. The Shrimp and Veggie Tempura is a great dish to share, as the plate is heaped with food, comes with two sauces and is $4.97. We devoured the Satay, Thai Toast, and a Sake Bomber for $14.00.
The Conclusion: If you are a fan of Thai food, Thai Rama will not disappoint. The sweet, salty, and spicy flavors go great with beer and the price is right. The center of one of our pieces of Beef Satay, was a bit tough, but the other two were cooked perfectly. The Fried Tofu Wedges ($3.47) were not much to look at, but they were a nice balance of crispy outside and soft inside. There are also BBQ Pork ($3.97) and Crab Puffs ($2.97) on the Happy Hour menu. Each well seasoned dish comes with one and sometimes two different sauces, all of which were packed with flavor.
Located near ASU, but beyond the craziness of Mill Ave. Thai Rama is a calming and serene place to unwind after work.
The Grade: A-
