SANDY — As I've written before in this space, Thai food is one of my favorite cuisines. I love the fresh flavors that also manage to be rich and satisfying. I love the bright colors. I love the spices. I love the fact that there's something nearly everyone can enjoy.
But there's even more to love than that at High Note Thai Cuisine, a great little place in Sandy. It's got everything I like about Thai food, plus artful presentations and several dishes that surprise.
Besides a skillfully prepared traditional menu, High Note offers several "fusion" dishes, with ingredients or cooking techniques culled from around the world — or, in one case, just down the strip mall.
We started our dinner at High Note with the chicken satay, a favorite with my kids, and the "gold bags." The satay, featuring four good-sized planks of chicken cooked golden-brown on skewers was well marinated, chewy on the outside and juicy inside. The gold bags used traditional Asian-roll ingredients — ground pork, veggies, Thai spices — but presented them in six little "purses" tied with a bright strand of blanched green onion. Just enough for a big bite, they were great on their own or dipped in citrusy, mildly spicy sweet-and-sour sauce.
One word about spiciness at High Note: the menu mentions that the food is only mildly spicy "so everyone can enjoy the flavor," but the chefs will kick things up a notch or two for any diner who so desires. I like this approach because it means that my spice-averse husband and kids could enjoy a fuller range of the menu.
I had a bowl of my favorite Thai soup, tom khaa kai, with a creamy broth redolent of lemongrass and just a hint of spiciness, plus whole little mushrooms, tons of lean chicken and greens.
For dinner, we shared several entrees, starting with the mild and delicious cashew chicken, a straightforward and well-seasoned presentation of brown-sauced lean chicken, broccoli, zucchini, carrots, bok choi and crunchy cashews. It's served over aromatic jasmine rice.
I wanted to get my "usual," the massaman curry, but opted for the more esoteric High Note beef stew, and I wasn't at all sorry. The stew features highly flavorful broth that reminded me a bit of sukiyaki, having the same meaty sweetness. It's full of meat and veggies that have been cooked slowly, and the cooking time shows in the tender, full-flavored results. It was fine on its own, but I also liked it over rice.
Another "fusion" approach showed in our fried rice, the house special, which features rounds of spicy sausage from High Note's strip-mall neighbor, Colosimo's. It's lovely to look at, with juicy-brown rice, tons of fresh veggies and sprouts sprinkled on top, and it's wonderful eating. But it's also distinctly fiery, with all of that browned, meaty sausage in it. If you don't like the idea of spicy fried rice, there are four other varieties to try, including ham, chicken, shrimp and (another unusual touch) steak.
For dessert, we tried the homemade coconut ice cream over sticky rice with sliced almonds on top. It's wonderful, with fresh, milky coconut flavor and just enough sweetness. We also had a fresh half-mango over sticky rice, a Thai classic. I like the fact that High Note is careful about this dish — if they don't have mangos good enough, they won't serve it, and the menu says so. It's that kind of care with the ingredients that makes this place shine.
Appetizers $1.25-$4.95, soups $1.95 (personal bowl) or $7.55 (bowl for four), entrees $7.45-$9.25, sides $1.25, desserts $1.50-$1.95.
Rating: ***
Where: 8745 S. 700 East, Sandy
Hours: Lunch: Monday-Friday, 11 a.m.-2:30 p.m.
Saturday, noon-2:30 p.m.
Dinner: Monday-Thursday, 5-9:30 p.m.
Friday-Saturday, 5-10:30 p.m.
Sunday 3-8 p.m.
Payment: Checks, credit cards accepted
Phone: 256-0209
Web: www.ehighnote.com
Stacey Kratz is a freelance writer who reviews restaurants for the Deseret Morning News.
E-mail: skratz@desnews.com