The Wok of Joy — Restaurant in Mountain Village

Authentic Thai Food in an Unexpected Place

My wife and I stopped here two days in a row. We could not stop talking about this place and we referenced this restaurant several times on our two hour morning hike before lunch today.

What makes this food special is the authenic curry. Thai curry is traditionally soupy, with a good degree of heat, a small flavour of coconut and the hallmark separation of oils in the curry. It should be watery and the Jasmine rice should be served on the side. You spoon into the rice for a clump then you dip the rice into the curry and grab some meat and veggies on the journey.

Authentic Thai curry should not be thick, one note, heavy in coconut flavor and poured on top of the rice. This is what you commonly find in the US. Its good, but not authentic Thai curry.

We experienced two Thai curries from Joy. The first was a green curry with chicken. Ingredients are always key to any authentic experience. This curry featured two Thai eggplants, which are so delicious and rather difficult to find. The first is a golf ball sized green eggplant. Flavor is mild and similar to the larger eggplant species. The tiny Thai eggplants are the size of a hazlenut. These take on flavor of the spicy curry and burst in your mouth when you chew on them. They are loaded with tiny seeds and have a pleasant bitter flavor. They very much remind me of goosberries. Sooo, delicious!

The second day we had a Massaman chicken curry. Again, we were delighted with a nice level of spice and this curry featured more basic ingredients like potato, nuts and carrots. It also had a heavier touch of fish sauce, which is pronounced in the massaman curry.

While we are foodies, we are not Thai or by any means, experts in Thai cuisine. But, we did spend two weeks in Thailand a few years back including a culinary tour and a full day cooking class where we made our own green and red curries. The Wok of Joy is a the best Thai experience we have had in the US since our trip to Thailand. A trip to Telluride from our home in Flagstaff is a lot less money than a trip to Thailand.

The only thing not authentic about the Wok of Joy are the Americans that use chopsticks for Thai food. C'mon people! Not all asian cuisines require chopsticks. Thai people eat with a spoon for curry and forks for noodles. Enjoy this little treasure and make sure you try Joy's curry. It will change the way you think Thai...

Nestled just off the main strip of downtown, this low-key takeout spot hits the spot for homemade, authentic Thai food. Chef Joy puts her spin on the menu with daily drink and food specials. I stopped in here twice with my friends during a weeklong stay in Telluride and Chef Joy welcomed us in with open arms!

The food is so so good, but be forewarned- things sell out and the food takes time when it gets busy (and it DOES get busy!). You can order ahead online or stop in and order at the counter. This place is technically take-away forward but there is a small informal dining room that has first come first serve seating.

I suggest trying the specials and asking for Joy's recommendations! But even if you aren't too adventurous, the Pad Thai will surprise you with its unique flavors! The pricing may seem a little high at first glance, but the portions are hefty and the quality is well...

This place is always a surprise with a new menu to enjoy! We love the authentic fresh Thai menu offerings which are original and I must emphasize again FRESH! The spring rolls are freshly made and crispy, the dumplings are like homemade deliciousness, the bao buns AMAZING, and curries and vegetables are all bright and colorful and authentic! This place is a culinary GEM! So grateful to have them in this small town of Telluride! You can’t find Thai food this authentic and original most places in America—and this is from a huge foodie who scouts everywhere she travels for the...