Bites Nearby: Tastes Transcend Ordinary at Ruan Thai

Long before she earned rave reviews, the woman who is the heart and soul of Wheaton's Ruan Thai knew people liked her food. After all, Krisana Suchotinunt grew up cooking in her native land.

"I learned from my grandma. When I was young, I cooked all the time with my grandma," said Suchotinunt, the owner of Ruan Thai.

Her family immigrated to the U.S. from Thailand in 1984. Soon after, Suchotinunt, her grandma and her mother started cooking at Wat Thai D.C. Their dishes from Bangkok wowed people at the Buddhist temple and became the inspiration for starting a family business in Wheaton.

"I wanted to work for myself. I didn't want to work for someone else," said Suchotinunt.

She and her husband, Thongdul, opened Ruan Thai in August of 1998. Suchotinunt's mother, sister and other relatives worked together to present Thai food their way, much to the delight of loyal customers.

"I was here on Friday. I'm going to be here again on Wednesday," said Saida Hentati, a Rockville resident. "I'm bringing all my friends all the time. It's a wonderful restaurant."

One of Hentati's friends already knows it will not be her last visit. 

"I'm glad I came. I had Pad Thai. It's very good Pad Thai," said Anne Lemiale. "Everything is balanced. The seasoning is perfect. I'll come back from faraway Rockville."

Other patrons travel from miles away to experience the Thai cooking that earned Suchotinunt and her staff a place on Washingtonian's 100 Very Best Restaurants in 2012 and 2013. Ruan Thai also made the magazine's list of best Cheap Eats in recent years.

"We go to a lot of Thai restaurants. This is, I think, by far the best one in the area," said Steven Imus, a loyal customer and Wheaton resident.

Imus and his lunch mate are both waiters who have tasted authentic dishes in Thailand. He describes the American versions as "less spicy and a little more sweet." There are no complaints about the Kee Mao (Drunken Noodles) coming out of the Ruan Thai kitchen.

"I think it is the best Kee Mao I've ever had. It really is absolutely fantastic," said Imus.

The high praise Ruan Thai received from the beginning kept the small, unpretentious place so packed, the owner decided to expand her one-room restaurant. Suchotinunt's husband had passed away by the time she completed the expansion in May of 2011. However, her brother-in-law, sister-in-law, and niece work with her to keep the success going.

"She likes having a lot of customers," said Aksara Phanmanivong, the owner's niece. "When it's busy, she likes seeing the customers enjoy her food and being happy when they get to try it."

Many of Ruan Thai's patrons choose the Yum Watercress appetizer for the unique flavors. Other popular dishes include the Pad Se-ew with chicken or Pla Pad Ped, the deep fried Catfish in red pepper sauce.

New Zealand mussels with black bean sauce are popular, and so is Haw Mok Talay Paw, a baked seafood combination in red curry sauce. Another frequent request is the BBQ chicken with Thai-style sauce served with a green papaya salad and sticky rice.

Most entrees are under $16. The appetizers are priced from $3.50 to $7.95. The Sticky Rice dessert comes with mango for $1.75. You can also order Thai tea, beer and wine.

"I've tried many restaurants in the D.C. area. I've been to Thailand before, and I know what is traditional Thai food. This restaurant serves the real one," said Kanae Hirazawa, a Bethesda resident.

Suchotinunt has considered opening a second location. For now, having her Wheaton restaurant rank as a favorite among Thai food fans is enough.

"I feel very happy. I feel very happy that almost every year they love me," added Ruan Thai's owner.

Ruan Thai is open for lunch and dinner Monday through Saturday, and for dinner only on Sunday. Carry out and catering are options. Parking is limited in the restaurant's lot. Some street parking is available.

Check out the restaurant's hours and menu on the Ruan Thai website.

Note: This is a restaurant profile, not a review. Opinions expressed do not represent the ideas of the writer or Patch.