Over the weekend, we had the pleasure of trying out one of Bend's newest restaurants, overlooking Bend's iconic Mirror Pond. This restaurant was not only a flavor explosion, it also had a wonderful ambiance and some of the most friendly and helpful staff we have encountered. Sen Thai Noodles and Hot Pot checked all the boxes for us for a great experience and wonderful lunch.
We truly were able to travel back to Thailand by tasting the owners' renditions of classic Thai noodle and street dishes. Their goal is to bring their family's favorite Thai food vendors here and put their own contemporary twist on them. We think they did a fantastic job!
Be sure to show up early! We were one of three groups waiting to dine right at 11am, but the groups of people did not stop coming after that. We expect this restaurant to become and stay extremely popular. The food really does speak for itself but the ambiance has been clearly thought out. From the decorative art on the walls, to airy space above, huge glass windows all around, views of Mirror Pond, and the golden silverware, we felt transported to another world the moment we stepped in.
To start, we ordered a great appetizer and accompanied it with a couple of their wonderful cocktails. The Tod Mun Goong was a great crispy, deep fried pork and shrimp cake with panko breading and both chili and plum dipping sauces. This dish was lovely from first bite. a wonderful crunch, delightful spiciness from the chili sauce, a touch of sweetness from the plum sauce, and overall a great balance of flavors and textures.
We continued our Thai flavor experience with the Guay Teow Moo Sub which is a pan fried wide rice noodles with ground pork, tomato, onion, savory curry gravy all served over nice crunchy green chopped lettuce. This dish was such a comfort food for us and we enjoyed every bite. Each element was perfectly balanced and the flavors melded so wonderfully together that we had zero complaints as we worked our way though the bowl.
Finally, we had to try the Guay Teow Hang which is a dry noodle dish featuring ground pork, pork meatballs, beansprouts, soy and fish sauce, lime, crushed peanuts, chili flakes, green onion, cilantro, and topped with a fried wonton. This dish was absolutely amazing and was a perfect option for someone who did not want to have a full noddle soup but still wanted all the flavors and elements except for the broth. Needless to say, the dishes were loaded with flavor and the service was spot on. Will we be back? 100%. We cannot wait to try more of their menu next time!
-The Bend Premier Foodies
