Thai Food

If you love Thai food that is skillfully prepared with the fresh ingredients, herbs and spices that are traditional, you’re in luck. The two locations in Wilmington for Authentic Big Thai Restaurants are sure to be just what you’re looking for.

Locals refer to the restaurants just as Big Thai (perhaps for its big, bold flavors) and the downtown location in the 1000 block of North Fourth Street was the first. The restaurant is just around the corner from PPD headquarters and is a favorite lunch spot for their employees, whether they dine in or take out the food. A second location at Landfall Center on Eastwood Road opened in 2010.
It’s hard to pick a favorite dish at Big Thai since so many of them are superb. Basil rolls, combining lettuce, basil, carrots, rice noodles and tofu wrapped in a rice wrapper and served with plum sauce, and chicken satay, lean chicken breast that is char-grilled on a skewer and served with peanut sauce and fresh cucumber salad are just two of the outstanding appetizers. As one would expect, soups are superb and can be ordered both as a cup and as a pot for a full meal.

Any of the Thai curry dishes, which can be made with tofu, chicken, pork, shrimp or beef, are delicious. Another dish that can be made with whatever protein clients prefer is basil leaves, a healthy blend of fresh basil, peppers and onions stir-fried in a spicy chili sauce. A number of special entrees are available only in the evening, with crispy duck, Bangkok bay, a combination seafood dish in homemade yellow curry paste, and soft shell crab tempura particularly outstanding.

You definitely will want to order the coconut cake here; most people think it is the best they’ve ever had. Those who eat frequently at Big Thai have learned to reserve a slice when you first walk in since the restaurant has a hard time baking enough cakes to keep up with the demand. Big Thai serves beer, wine and sake to complement the food.