Restaurant Review: Sukhothai II in Denton

by Carrie Sands and Carli Baylor of North Texas Daily

DENTON — While it might have an unattractive atmosphere, Sukhothai II delivers satisfying Thai food at an affordable price.

The restaurant recently changed its look after renovating in the late summer of 2007. Sukhothai II is named after the first capital of Thailand.

Conveniently located at 1502 W. Hickory St., the Food Snobs found it easy for any UNT student to find.

The restaurant looks like a small house with a big porch on the side. The inside atmosphere was not impressive. It was simple with only a few paintings and pale yellow walls. The music that played within the eatery was modern, such as One Republic and our good ol' teen idol, Britney Spears.

This Thai restaurant was not attempting to recreate an authentic Thailand environment, but the food presented a different experience. Unlike most sit-down restaurants, Sukhothai has the customer order at the front counter first.

There is a big, color-coded menu on the left wall. It clearly shows pictures of the meals and describes what goes into them. Carli ordered a spring roll and the orange peel chicken. Carrie chose the soy sauce noodles with chicken.

Carli hates a cold meal, but has experienced a few recently. Her orange chicken came out hot, sweet and tangy. The presentation of the rice was similar to a tower and looked enticing. Her only complaint was that there was too much. Carrie's soy sauce noodles exceeded her expectations. The chicken was tender, there was enough broccoli and carrots and the taste was sweet.

Even though the food tasted great, the Food Snobs began to sweat, and it was not because of the spices. The temperature inside Sukhothai is warm and uncomfortable, especially for the summer.

The service is not typical. It is more of a self-serve place with an at-home feel. Carli said it feels like she came to "chill" at someone's house. Carrie agreed as the waitress at the front counter got their cups and asked what drink they wanted. After Carli ordered her usual Diet Coke, the waitress poured it from a liter bottle. This was humorous and showed the casual feel of the place.

The price of Sukhothai II meals does not generally exceed $6. The portions are big enough that Carrie had to get a to-go box. Sukhothai II is open 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Monday through Sunday.