The Spot: RedThai Southeast Asian Kitchen
7822 North 12th Street
www.facebook.com/RedThaiPhx
The Hours: Happy Hour is from 3 to 6 p.m. daily.
Perfect For: Watching Pokemon and other anime shows while eating Thai appetizers.
The Interior: RedThai in Sunnyslope is beautifully decorated with high ceilings, a long bar, a Buddha mural, and anime playing on giant screens behind the bar. Happy hour is at the bar area only, though the red booths are appealing. Even though there was a decent crowd when we went on an early Thursday evening, the space was quiet — perfect for good conversation. The restaurant is located in a strip mall on Northern Avenue and 12th Street.
The Food: We were impressed by the long list of appetizers on the happy hour menu, each going for $5. From truffle edamame to pork pot stickers, there's something for every mood. We opted for the sweet chili wings ($5), which came on a plate in a giant portion, dripping with a sticky-sweet chili plum sauce. Though these could have used a salty element to balance out the sweet flavor, we were pretty content with these meaty wings.
Next, we tried the shrimp spring rolls ($5), which came in a plate of four, with a peanut dipping sauce. The rolls are stuffed with shrimp, rice noodles, mint, and green leaf. They've got a lot of ingredients in them, but there could have been fewer rice noodles. The sauce was a perfect balance of sweet and soy, topped with crush peanuts.
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The Drink: We were just a tad disappointed with the happy hour drink options at Redthai. Two beers, Blue Moon and Four Peaks' Kiltlifter, are $3 and well drinks are $5. The long martini list was tempting, but not included in the happy hour menu, which is a missed opportunity. We went with a simple Blue Moon on draft, which was actually refreshing paired with the wings.
Conclusion: RedThai's happy hour is great if you want a simple drink, but not if you're looking for a craft cocktail. The range of appetizers is impressive and the two we ordered lived up to the description on the menu. Admittedly, $3 is a good price for a Blue Moon.
Don't Miss: The sweet chili wings (well worth the sticky fingers).
Skip This: A lackluster happy hour drink menu. We'd love to see the martinis incorporated into the deals.
Grade: A-