At the far end of Broadway in Placerville sits the aptly named restaurant, Thai Unique, which—to my knowledge—is the only Thai eatery in town. Being the only restaurant of its ilk, and the fact that they serve delicious food, make Thai Unique a popular destination…if the evening I visited was any indication.

The natural wood interior is as warm and inviting as the friendly staff. My companion and I ordered the papaya salad with shrimp for our initial course, and were soon greeted with a colorful plate of crisp green papaya, sweet shrimp, chopped and sliced green beans, tomatoes and peanuts—all tossed in a light dressing with just the right balance of sweetness and acidity. 

Our next dish was something I had not seen in any Thai restaurant before, including Chef David Richter’s celebrated Pok Pok in Portland, Oregon. Tod Mun Kao Pod—a Thai version of a deep-fried corn fritter—boasted whole corn kernels fried in a flat cake of sorts and came with a traditional sweet chili sauce alongside. Talk about a palatable surprise. The crunchy, slightly chewy corn and mix of green onion—paired with the sweet, spicy chili sauce—was fantastic, and made ordering a Singha beer a no-brainer.

Even with the heatwave outside, I knew I wanted a bowl of their Thai spicy noodle soup with seafood. The offering fit the bill perfectly; succulent shrimp and squid with noodles in a slightly sweet broth came equipped with heat guaranteed to get your nose running—the kind of delicious discomfort you just can’t get enough of. I have to mention here that the kitchen will prepare your dishes at any heat level you desire. I like to taste my food, so medium worked for me.

We finished with a Thai classic, duck curry, featuring tender slices of duck breast in a red curry and coconut milk sauce with eggplant, potatoes, pineapple, bell peppers, onion and sweet basil. Poured over their perfectly cooked, delicate white rice resulted in the quintessential cure for my curry craving—and left me anticipating my next visit to this El Dorado County hotspot.

by Lorn Randall // photos by Dante Fontana

Thai Unique, 1160 Broadway, Placerville, 530-621-5995, thaiunique.net.