Kanjana Thai, Rolling Road in Springfield - In the Former Cactus Taverna Space in Saratoga Shopping Center

[Kibbee Nayee]

Tonight was opening night at Kanjana Thai. Still no liquor license (about two weeks, according to staff) and no affiliation with any other restaurants. The old Cactus Taverna space never looked so good -- nicely muted color scheme, beautiful wall hangings, good lighting, standard bar space in the front corner with about 10 or so seats at the bar. An overall nice appearance. And opening night was bustling. The crowd was steady and the place was no less than half full at any time.

I expected the kitchen to have its act together on the first night and the staff to be a little frazzled. I was wrong about the staff. Everyone was hustling nicely, and aside for a slip up or two (two waiters initially thought they both had our table), everything went great for a first night. Service was downright gracious overall.

My nephew and I ordered two appetizers, the chicken satay and the chicken wings. The satay arrived first, slightly thicker and jucier than most I've tried, swimming in a peanut sauce with a nice spike of heat and a sharp tone of ginger. Four toast points came with it, and I can only guess they were to help sop up the extra sauce. The wings were also a hit. Four drumettes that appeared to be skinless, and they were quite meaty and juicy, with a nice hit of heat in each bite. These two appetizers were really, really good.

The menu is cutely organized into sections, with appetizers under "Love at First Bite" (a good 16 of them) and entrees under "Got to Have It" and so forth. Could this be a partial homage to Present? Just a guess....

On to the mains, and nephew ordered the Crispy Duck Krapow (from the menu section entitled "Kanjana Hi-Light from Grandma's Recipes") and I ordered the Drunken Noodles (from the "Noodle and Rice Corner"). Both dishes came American spicy, so I will adjust that accordingly on future visits. The Drunken Noodles were heavier on the noodles than on the combination of chicken, beef and pork, so a few naked noodles were left on the plate at the end. But the flavors were good and fresh, and definitely worth trying again. My nephew declared the duck to be nicely crisp on the outside, tender and juicy on the inside, and American spicy. And I grabbed another entree for Lady Kibbee on the way out, the Pad-Krapow with seafood combination. I scored a scallop from that dish and it was delicious.

Not a bad first night overall, and worth keeping an eye on as it evolves. For me, any place within walking distance from home, as promising as this place appears to be, and with a liquor license coming, is a very, very positive development.

[Kibbee Nayee]

Enjoyed a return visit for lunch today, and I believe this is a really nice neighborhood Thai restaurant. I had the Pad Thai, and the flavors were good, the ingredients were fresh and the value was superb. While I'm no expert on Thai cuisine, this is a place I'll be visiting on numerous occasions. It's at least as good as most Thai restaurants I've visited, certainly on a par with House of Siam, which is now closed, and a bit below Thai Basil in Chantilly. I'll have to sample the rest of the menu and report dutifully.

[Kibbee Nayee]

I can't believe no other Rockwellians have tried this place....I had carryout today and it was quite good. The Pad Thai was flavorful and loaded with fresh ingredients. The Drunken Noodles were silky and tasty, and gave off a pleasant afterburn. The larb gai and the Kanjana wings were excellent starters, the latter being a somewhat unique Americanized Thai version of wings. Nothing to complain about at all. Enjoyable Americanized Thai in a very pleasant space.

Kanjana Thai is nestled in the corner of the Saratoga Shopping Center, so its main dining competitors are Chipotle, Subway, the horrible Hunan Taste, and the forgettable Saratoga Family Restaurant. Kanjana Thai therefore stands out like a brand new Mercedes in a rent-a-wreck lot.

[However, as Thai food in Springfield goes, the hidden gem of Thai Ghang Waan in the Brookfield Plaza (in the old House of Siam space) is an amazingly good restaurant.]

[zurich]

Reviving this thread since this place is my go to spot in the Springfield area for Thai food. They consistently deliver excellent food regardless of what you order with large portions. I've been to Bankok Noodle, Thai Noodle House and this place is leaps and bounds better.

I recommend the Krapow dishes (Thai spicy), and ask for the spices cart to add additional seasoning.

[thistle]

I will definitely try it out, on your recommendation, in the next week-I love Thai food so much, that I want to compare & contrast, & find every single good restaurant close to me. I use to travel Rolling Rd all the time (on the way to the kids' orthodontist)before they did the new FFX county Pkwy. When talk comes up in my household about moving, I keep thinking about the food I would miss (sounds kind of shallow), but if you have to deal w / the traffic, you should definitely have some benefits....

[Kibbee Nayee]

I can walk here from my house. And I enjoy a few things on the menu, especially those great wings on the appetizer menu. However, I don't consider it to be authentic Thai -- that said, I happen to like American Thai -- and the portions are a bit small and the spice is a bit muted. But you can order a table full of small dishes and have a generally good meal.

As I mentioned, I can walk here from where I live, but I would rather drive the 3-4 miles to Thai Ghang Waan any time I need a Thai fix.