Gold Winner Cha Baa Thai Restaurant, downtown
Silver Winner Mic Mac Bar & Grill
Bronze Winner Ko-Doraku
At Cha Baa, co-owner Wen Dao approaches the lunch special strategically. The choices on offer are a selection from the gold-winning Best Thai Restaurant’s full menu—“We take all the best-sellers,” says Dao—served in a less expensive, lunch-sized portion. Most of the 12 or so options come with rice and spring rolls, making for a satisfying plate. “Make it easy, make it simple,” says Dao. “People spend less, so it’s easy to eat every day.” Yes, some customers do lunch at Cha Baa several times a week. No, they don’t necessarily explore the whole menu. One person has been ordering cashew chicken for seven years. “They never change,” Dao says. “It’s amazing.”
