Sabai Sabai — Restaurant in Middlebury

My family loves this place. It is the place we go for most of my children's birthdays. I have been to many Asian restaurants around the world in my lifetime and I have to say that the food served here is near the top of my favorites for Asian cuisine. I only made it to Indonesia, not quite Thailand. The owner/chef makes the dishes look more like a piece of art arranging food with tiny dishes and these beautiful little carrot flowers carved for the dishes served. Once he came to our table apron and all to show the children how he did the flowers. I do wish it cost less, but if it were less I probably wouldn't like it as much so it remains a special occasion place for my family.

The use of space, for being in the small downtown area convenient for people walking by, is warm and inviting. There are special large round tables near the large plate glass windows that my children love to sit. There is also a large oval bar in the middle that separates one dining area from the other. The bar has Thai information and trinkets that draw the attention and curiosity of my children. The lighting and ambiance is nice for a quite dinner for 2 or a large group.

The waitstaff wear black and are usually college students I believe. I have never felt anything but welcomed. Our table is usually met by the owner or his wife when we go. They have a reservation close to my heart for their hard work and congenial mannerism. Since the last time I visited I heard they had a hard time keeping their Sushi chef but I hope that it returns. COVID has hit many restaurants hard. I may just have to visit this weekend to help support Middlebury's outstanding Thai restaurant.

This restaurant deserves nothing less than 5 stars in...

My fiancé and I stopped in here for lunch while running errands in Middlebury today. I am so glad we did! The hostess was so kind to us. We just moved to the area and she gave us the warmest welcome. I believe it was the chef who brought our food out, and he was very friendly as well. He talked about the food and the best way to eat curry.

We sat in a cozy window seat and got to watch the people in the street doing their holiday shopping. There was a fresh rose on the table which made me so happy. It is the kind of atmosphere that makes you want to stay all afternoon!

We were very hungry after a busy morning and ordered two appetizers: the fried wonton and the fresh rolls. Both were delicious! We had a hard time deciding on the entree because everything on the menu sounded delicious. My fiancé had spicy miso ramen (one of his favorite dishes) and he really enjoyed it. I had the grilled salmon special with panang curry sauce. I was so excited to try something new! I've never had salmon prepared this way and it was absolutely delicious. I wish I had thought to take a picture, because it was plated beautifully, too. I think we were both smiling throughout our whole meal.

You can tell that this restaurant is a family effort and so full of love. I would recommend it to anyone. We can't wait...

Overall: Great tasting thai food in a simple (though effective) loud setting.

Appearance: From the outside, the restaurant has a nice appeal. Inside, the high ceilings and tiling gives a quaint feeling. The layout of the restaurant and design of the building is appealing, though the lighting creates no ambience.

Service: I highly recommend reservations. It is unlikely you will be seated within 15 minutes of walking in ever (even for a party of two) during dinner time any night of the week. They are definitely understaffed, but for the most part all of the employees were kind and observant. The manager though was a little rough around the edges.

Taste: Awesome! I highly recommended any of their seafood dishes, along with their curries. The flavors are wonderful. You won't find "americanized" asian food here! Very authentic. The sushi was also very good. I debated on getting the fried ice cream to top off my meal, but the portion sizes were large so I did not have room.

Price: The prices are fair, but still plan on spending $50+ for two entrees, waters, and...