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Sushi Thai Garden

By Bess Hochstein

January 2008                                       

There’s a double benefit to events and exhibits at venues such as MASS MoCA, The Clark, Williams College Museum of Art and the ’62 Center for Theatre and Dance,

or hiking North County trails on Mount Greylock, or the many properties of The Trustees of Reservations. I look forward to these northward expeditions not only for what I’m going to be doing, but also for what I’m going to be eating. These outings provide the perfect opportunity to dine at great restaurants that are out of my regular orbit. In fact, many of the restaurants at the northern border are worth the drive in their own right.

One of these is Sushi Thai Garden, on Spring Street in Williamstown - (413) 458-0004 . A while back it was simply Thai Garden, but then the menu was expanded to include Japanese food—and not just sushi. This is not a “fusion” restaurant; the dishes are distinctly Thai or Japanese. What’s surprising is how well the restaurant prepares both types of cuisine.

The challenge at Sushi Thai Garden is choosing what to eat. It’s easy to navigate the vast menu, which intermingles Thai and Japanese appetizers, salads and soups. In the winter soup hits the spot – sometimes Japanese miso, and sometimes a Thai-style Hot & Sour Vegetable Soup or Vegetable Coconut Soup. In the summer, I’m more disposed toward a Seaweed Salad. Whatever the season, I’m a sucker for the crispy Thai Spring Rolls.

After the mixed starters section, the menu splits off, starting with Japanese items from the sushi bar, as well as traditional entrees such as Teriyaki and Tempura selections, Noodle dishes featuring Soba or Udon, and combination specials. Though I usually like to try many different things, at Sushi Thai Garden I always order Naruto Vegetable, which is similar to a makimono (sushi roll) except that the wrapper is thin-sliced cucumber, and the filling is all vegetables—with no rice—and it’s topped with a luscious, fruity miso sauce. There’s also Naruto Maki with crab, avocado, and masago (smelt egg), or Kansu, with shrimp instead of masago. I haven’t seen these cuke-wrapped rolls in any other Berkshire restaurant.

The Thai segment offers the classic spicy Curry dishes, as well as a few less familiar of these coconut-milk-based stews, including my favorite, Thai Melon Curry, which includes winter melon and pumpkin along with vibrant summer squash and bell peppers. All curries can be made with meat, seafood, or vegetarian, with tofu. The same is true for the section called Fantasy Thai Garden, which includes K’s favorite dish: Basil and Chili, which has an intriguing smoky flavor.

Of course the best way to judge a Thai restaurant is to try its version of the most famous national dish, Pad Thai—from the Rice and Noodles section—and here also the restaurant does not disappoint. The House Specialties include several dishes I’ve never heard of, including Beef Macadamia, Thai Gai Yang (sliced charcoal-grilled chicken breast with steamed asparagus, broccoli, baby corn, carrots and snow peas with a sweet chili sauce) and Tamarind Duck. There’s also an extensive selection of Specialties from the Sea, including Drunken Squid, which is marked with three chilis, making it the spiciest dish on the menu.

I’m sorry to admit that the generous portions have prevented me from sampling the dessert menu, which boasts some great choices for cooling off if you order that spicy Drunken Squid, or if you overdo the wasabi with your sushi. Ice cream—coconut, ginger, or green tea—should do the trick, or try it tempura-style. Thai Custard would also soothe over stimulated taste buds, as would Chilled Rambutan or Lychee, or Fried Banana and Honey. I can’t tell you what a Thai Donut is, or if it would cool down your palate from the heat of chilis, but it’s another one of those interesting menu items I’ll have to try next time I head north… if I remember to save room for dessert.

About Bess Hochstein
Bess J.M. Hochstein came to the Berkshires as a second-homeowner before deciding to move here full time. Previously a communications executive, she's now a freelance writer living in Tyringham with her corgis Duffy and Hobbs and K. She writes for several publications, including Berkshire Living, the Boston Globe, New England Wine Gazette, and Healing Lifestyles & Spas magazine.