Sea Thai Bistro | Santa Rosa

I’ve been a fan of Sea Thai’s fusion of Wine Country and Thai cuisines since waaaay back in 2005. But what’s improved with time is the adeptness in marrying those flavors.

Executive Chef Tony Ounpamornchai, from the original Petaluma restaurant, has reinvented the menu in Santa Rosa with a strong focus on seafood–though many of the original restaurant’s favorites remain. New to the menu: panko crusted crispy tofu, shrimp ceviche, filet mignon noodle soup, crispy Ahi tuna, salmon curry and a grilled halibut steak with spicy Asian pesto sauce.

Familiar to regulars is the golden cashew crispy chicken, which (I swear, I forgot) was an entrée I reviewed on my original visit in Petaluma. Indicative of the maturation of the restaurant, the dish went from a sort of bland, floppy, mess to its current incarnation as a colorful dish bursting with jewel-like peppers, baby squash and carrots in a complex sweet, salty honey sauce. My only complaint is that the chicken still fails to live up to its “crispy” name. The evolution continues.

Ounpamorchai’s fastidiousness is more evident elsewhere, with the lush presentations of dishes like the green papaya salad with its yin-yang flavors of tamarind, salt, garlic and chili (no fish sauce); or simple touches on the side salad with a roasted peanut salad dressing infused with sake and soy. Tony’s also a huge proponent of using organic and sustainable products when possible (he’s eager to tell you), and the quality shows.

Leave room for dessert, where Wine Country influences really play out nicely. The raspberry pinot noir sorbet as beautiful to eat as it is to look at. But what steals the show are banana fritters with coconut ice cream. What could have been a frustrating wait for my check turned into a dreamy dive into spoonful (I’m done, really) after spoonful (No, really, I have to stop) of this decadently creamy combination of cream and coconut.

So, while I’m not advocating injuring yourself to get there, if you happen to stub a few toes in the rush for a little coconut ice cream and Pad Thai–all I’m saying is that there are worse things in life.

If you go: Sea Thai is open for lunch and dinner. The décor is absolutely spectacular, but you may feel a little, uh, close to your neighbors in the bistro-style seating along the back wall.

Sea Thai Bistro, 2323 Sonoma Ave @ Montgomery Village, Santa Rosa, 707.528.8333