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Rainbow Cuisine Thai - A new contender

Rainbow Cuisine Thai - A new contender
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  • Post #151 - May 16th, 2014, 11:14 am
    Post #151 - May 16th, 2014, 11:14 am Post #151 - May 16th, 2014, 11:14 am
    Today is wanpen's birthday! Thought I'd share that info in case anyone happens to be there today. Wish her a happy birthday!
    Part of the secret of a success in life is to eat what you like and let the food fight it out inside.

    -Mark Twain
  • Post #152 - May 16th, 2014, 3:36 pm
    Post #152 - May 16th, 2014, 3:36 pm Post #152 - May 16th, 2014, 3:36 pm
    NB, Rainbow is one of the few places with namprik pla tun on the regular menu. Two cartoonishly-cute salted mackerel, quickly deep fried, with steamed veggies and the king of the Thai dips, smelling like love and death. Not for the casual pad thai fan.

    Edit: I just realized that I'd pointed this out back when Rainbow opened. Well, still true but I hadn't seenanyone mention it in the glowing threads. A very nice version.
  • Post #153 - May 16th, 2014, 7:02 pm
    Post #153 - May 16th, 2014, 7:02 pm Post #153 - May 16th, 2014, 7:02 pm
    JeffB wrote:...with steamed veggies and the king of the Thai dips, smelling like love and death.


    Banner quote!
    "By the fig, the olive..." Surat Al-Teen, Mecca 95:1"
  • Post #154 - August 14th, 2014, 12:20 pm
    Post #154 - August 14th, 2014, 12:20 pm Post #154 - August 14th, 2014, 12:20 pm
    It's a Miracle!

    Image
    Part of the secret of a success in life is to eat what you like and let the food fight it out inside.

    -Mark Twain
  • Post #155 - August 19th, 2014, 5:17 pm
    Post #155 - August 19th, 2014, 5:17 pm Post #155 - August 19th, 2014, 5:17 pm
    Is the Naem Khao Tod listed as something completely random on the menu? Not seeing it on their website or menupages.
  • Post #156 - August 19th, 2014, 7:43 pm
    Post #156 - August 19th, 2014, 7:43 pm Post #156 - August 19th, 2014, 7:43 pm
    That's because it's not on the web menu--there are a few special dishes that they feel don't deliver well and/or they think take too long to make to satisfy the typical delivery customer so they leave them off the web (delivery) menu. It's on the menu at the restaurant. And they're happy to deliver it if you know to ask for it but you have to place the order by phone.
    "Knowledge is knowing a tomato is a fruit; wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad." Miles Kington
  • Post #157 - September 3rd, 2014, 1:50 pm
    Post #157 - September 3rd, 2014, 1:50 pm Post #157 - September 3rd, 2014, 1:50 pm
    Laikom, thanks for translating that menu at Rainbow Thai. I just tried this place for the first time last weekend. My parents came from out of town to visit me, so I had to take them to a place that would impress. I must admit I had a scare when I pulled up in front of this place and it looked like an abandoned Mexican bakery with the pink awning. My mom gave me this look like, "what the hell is this shit". But all doubts were squashed when the food started coming out. I don’t need to go through everything we got, but to illustrate: my dad is a cranky old guy who basically is not satisfied with anything but his native Taiwanese food. At Rainbow Thai I had the very rare experience of seeing him smile in a restaurant, as he ate issan sausage, crispy rice salad and basil beef. Great meal from a great place. Thanks again
  • Post #158 - September 4th, 2014, 6:07 pm
    Post #158 - September 4th, 2014, 6:07 pm Post #158 - September 4th, 2014, 6:07 pm
    Haha, that's funny about the pink sign. At first I thought they just stole the sign from Rainbow Clothing stores, but upon further investigation the lettering is slightly different.

    I'm glad to hear your parents enjoyed the meal, and you as well!
    Part of the secret of a success in life is to eat what you like and let the food fight it out inside.

    -Mark Twain
  • Post #159 - November 2nd, 2014, 9:05 pm
    Post #159 - November 2nd, 2014, 9:05 pm Post #159 - November 2nd, 2014, 9:05 pm
    Has anyone had the boat noodle soup?

    Got it for the first time tonight. Loved the taste, reminded me of pho.

    Not the flavor I expected. But great.
  • Post #160 - November 3rd, 2014, 11:23 am
    Post #160 - November 3rd, 2014, 11:23 am Post #160 - November 3rd, 2014, 11:23 am
    Boats noddles are a typical dish that all of the board favorite Thai places offer. I liked Rainbow's a lot. The pho overlap is there: lots of star anise, flat rice noodles, funky meats. But boat noodles' much more rustic broth, almost a stew with a pork blood backbone, is 180 degrees from the consomme'-like pho approach, more of a composed soup with elements added at the end. Both great meals in a bowl.
  • Post #161 - November 3rd, 2014, 10:34 pm
    Post #161 - November 3rd, 2014, 10:34 pm Post #161 - November 3rd, 2014, 10:34 pm
    laikom wrote:Haha, that's funny about the pink sign. At first I thought they just stole the sign from Rainbow Clothing stores, but upon further investigation the lettering is slightly different.

    I'm glad to hear your parents enjoyed the meal, and you as well!


    maybe it's like those Oscos in the city now, where the signs are clearly the same design as a Costco. maybe they save on the tooling or something.
  • Post #162 - November 9th, 2014, 2:59 pm
    Post #162 - November 9th, 2014, 2:59 pm Post #162 - November 9th, 2014, 2:59 pm
    4 of us had a typically great feast here last week, most of which was greatest hits . . .

    Image
    Raw Shrimp Salad


    Image
    Raw Shrimp Salad detail
    Seriously spicy stuff.


    Image
    Pad Kee Mao
    Loved the contrast of sweet and spicy here. The thickly sliced wheels of jalapeno were great.


    Image
    Thai Fried Chicken
    Super crispy exterior, moist and flavoful within.


    Image
    Issan Sausage
    It's hard not to order this housemade classic.


    Image
    Nam Khao Tod
    Phenomenal, crispy loveliness.


    Image
    Salted Crab Dip - Lon Phu Kem
    This was a new one for me. Pigmon ordered it and I think he learned about it from laikom. It was salty and spicy, and contained whole pieces of salted crab shell, which were great for sucking on as they contained a good hit of salt and some of the dip liquid. We also dipped the blanched broccoli and carrots. Great stuff.


    Image
    Sai Ua Sausage

    =R=
    Same planet, different world
  • Post #163 - November 10th, 2014, 12:56 am
    Post #163 - November 10th, 2014, 12:56 am Post #163 - November 10th, 2014, 12:56 am
    ronnie_suburban wrote:
    Salted Crab Dip
    This was a new one for me. Pigmon ordered it and I think he learned about it from laikom. It was salty and spicy, and contained whole pieces of salted crab shell, which were great for sucking on as they contained a good hit of salt and some of the dip liquid. We also dipped the blanched broccoli and carrots. Great stuff.


    It was I who notified PIGMON about the dip. Its name is Lon Phu Kem. I usually don't often chew on the salted crabs when they're in Som Tum, but when cooking into this sauce they take on a great flavor. I also think this is a great dish!
    Part of the secret of a success in life is to eat what you like and let the food fight it out inside.

    -Mark Twain
  • Post #164 - November 10th, 2014, 10:18 am
    Post #164 - November 10th, 2014, 10:18 am Post #164 - November 10th, 2014, 10:18 am
    laikom wrote:
    ronnie_suburban wrote:
    Salted Crab Dip
    This was a new one for me. Pigmon ordered it and I think he learned about it from laikom. It was salty and spicy, and contained whole pieces of salted crab shell, which were great for sucking on as they contained a good hit of salt and some of the dip liquid. We also dipped the blanched broccoli and carrots. Great stuff.


    It was I who notified PIGMON about the dip. Its name is Lon Phu Kem. I usually don't often chew on the salted crabs when they're in Som Tum, but when cooking into this sauce they take on a great flavor. I also think this is a great dish!

    Yeah, great stuff. Thanks, for the info. I updated my post above.

    =R=
    Same planet, different world
  • Post #165 - November 10th, 2014, 1:41 pm
    Post #165 - November 10th, 2014, 1:41 pm Post #165 - November 10th, 2014, 1:41 pm
    I do think it would be better with some other veggies. I have no problem with the broccoli, but the crinkle cut carrots and baby corn could be replaced with some raw Thai eggplant and okra for example. While it's called a dip, I couldn't find a way to dip anything in there and have it adhere to the veggies. Maybe it is meant to be eaten with a spoon rather than literally dipped? Further research is in my future.
    Part of the secret of a success in life is to eat what you like and let the food fight it out inside.

    -Mark Twain
  • Post #166 - November 10th, 2014, 1:46 pm
    Post #166 - November 10th, 2014, 1:46 pm Post #166 - November 10th, 2014, 1:46 pm
    laikom wrote:I do think it would be better with some other veggies. I have no problem with the broccoli, but the crinkle cut carrots and baby corn could be replaced with some raw Thai eggplant and okra for example. While it's called a dip, I couldn't find a way to dip anything in there and have it adhere to the veggies. Maybe it is meant to be eaten with a spoon rather than literally dipped? Further research is in my future.

    I liked the broccoli because a lot of the liquid part of the 'dip' was captured in the florets (and I just love broccoli in general) but I see your point.

    =R=
    Same planet, different world
  • Post #167 - November 10th, 2014, 1:52 pm
    Post #167 - November 10th, 2014, 1:52 pm Post #167 - November 10th, 2014, 1:52 pm
    Yeah--generally dipping cooked veggies doesn't work all that well. More raw options would be great. Then again, I did just use a spoon or scooped some with sticky rice and loved it--definitely a new favorite!
    "Knowledge is knowing a tomato is a fruit; wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad." Miles Kington
  • Post #168 - November 16th, 2014, 11:11 pm
    Post #168 - November 16th, 2014, 11:11 pm Post #168 - November 16th, 2014, 11:11 pm
    Was back at Rainbow for lunch the other day and came out with a couple pics . . .

    Image
    Housemade Issan Sausage
    Actually in focus, unlike the shot I posted above. These are so delicious, I had to give them their proper due.


    Image
    Jungle Curry with Chicken
    At least, I think it was. That's what we ordered but I'm not sure it that's what we got because there was some confusion. In any case, it seemed different than in the past. Still, this was very distinctive -- ultra funky and very spicy. Note to self: chicken not the best choice for this dish.

    A great lunch all the way around and we even ran into laikom, who seems to spend quite a bit of time over there. :wink:

    =R=
    Same planet, different world
  • Post #169 - January 1st, 2015, 7:12 pm
    Post #169 - January 1st, 2015, 7:12 pm Post #169 - January 1st, 2015, 7:12 pm
    Just wanted to chime in with my love for this place. The owners are super nice and somehow remember me from the items I order frequently from the Thai translated menu, they were like it's that guy! At some point they stopped delivering to my area in Edgewater but quickly called me back after a failed order attempt to apologize and made the delivery anyway. Just placed another order tonight and looking forward to another amazing dinner. Got the shrimp lemongrass salad, banana blossom salad, mushroom salad and jungle curry. So excited!
  • Post #170 - January 1st, 2015, 7:31 pm
    Post #170 - January 1st, 2015, 7:31 pm Post #170 - January 1st, 2015, 7:31 pm
    Wait til you all see what's coming... :wink:
    "Knowledge is knowing a tomato is a fruit; wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad." Miles Kington
  • Post #171 - January 13th, 2015, 7:16 pm
    Post #171 - January 13th, 2015, 7:16 pm Post #171 - January 13th, 2015, 7:16 pm
    On this Tuesday night at 7pm, I tried to order delivery. The phone was busy and I got a "no voicemail setup" message. Called the second time, same result. Called a third time, got through and placed a order!! At some point, the quality of the food will be outweighed by the quirkiness of the business operation.

    On a happy note, the food we received was hot, fresh, and outstanding as always!
  • Post #172 - January 14th, 2015, 1:56 pm
    Post #172 - January 14th, 2015, 1:56 pm Post #172 - January 14th, 2015, 1:56 pm
    spinonejay wrote:On this Tuesday night at 7pm, I tried to order delivery. The phone was busy and I got a "no voicemail setup" message. Called the second time, same result. Called a third time, got through and placed a order!! At some point, the quality of the food will be outweighed by the quirkiness of the business operation.


    My Mom was in town and we were nearby, so I called to place a takeout order. Phone disconnected. I double checked to see if I wrote down the wrong number. Nope. Drove over and they were open. "Do you know your phone is disconnected?" "Really?" Sadly, it was a 20 minute wait for take out, we were hungry and had the puppy in the car my Mom missed out.
  • Post #173 - January 31st, 2015, 9:36 am
    Post #173 - January 31st, 2015, 9:36 am Post #173 - January 31st, 2015, 9:36 am
    JeffB wrote:NB, Rainbow is one of the few places with namprik pla tun on the regular menu. Two cartoonishly-cute salted mackerel, quickly deep fried, with steamed veggies and the king of the Thai dips, smelling like love and death. Not for the casual pad thai fan.

    Edit: I just realized that I'd pointed this out back when Rainbow opened. Well, still true but I hadn't seenanyone mention it in the glowing threads. A very nice version.


    Had a great meal at Rainbow Thai last night. Based on a memory of your post, we ordered the fish dip. My husband loved it, and picked off pieces of the fish with his hands and dipped it in the sauce. I found it most enjoyable to take rice, flake fish on top, and stir in some of the sauce, which really elevated the mackerel for me. Other dishes we ordered were the mushroom salad (first time trying it at Rainbow and loved it), Lard Nar with chicken (because our server had warned us of how spicy the fish dip would be and we wanted some sweetness for balance; turned out to be an unnecessary safety net, as the dip was even less spicy than the mushrooms and well within our comfort zone), and the Issan sausage, a last minute audible because, well, we were at Rainbow and it's delicious.
  • Post #174 - February 15th, 2015, 10:33 am
    Post #174 - February 15th, 2015, 10:33 am Post #174 - February 15th, 2015, 10:33 am
    First time there (finally...)
    and really enjoyed the entire meal of Tom Yum Soup- the Beef Jerky and
    the Nam Khao Tod and the noodle dish w/ straw mushrooms my friend Mark ordered.

    The highlight for me was their warm service (from the step-son who although hails from Bangkok- lived in Darjeeling
    where he attended boarding school) and the wonderful vibrancy to the Crispy Rice Salad-
    (Nam Khao Tod) a dish that I make at home often- with many variations/ riffs for the "sausage" element.

    With only 5? or 6 tables - I'd surmise that during "prime-time" dinner hours -it'd be tough to get a table.

    Image
    Nam Khao Tod (Crispy Rice Salad) = RAINBOW by Man_of Steel, on Flickr
  • Post #175 - February 15th, 2015, 11:04 am
    Post #175 - February 15th, 2015, 11:04 am Post #175 - February 15th, 2015, 11:04 am
    boudreaulicious wrote:Wait til you all see what's coming... :wink:

    Did something happen?
    Logan: Come on, everybody, wang chung tonight! What? Everybody, wang chung tonight! Wang chung, or I'll kick your ass!
  • Post #176 - February 15th, 2015, 5:05 pm
    Post #176 - February 15th, 2015, 5:05 pm Post #176 - February 15th, 2015, 5:05 pm
    Not yet...soon :P
    "Knowledge is knowing a tomato is a fruit; wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad." Miles Kington
  • Post #177 - February 15th, 2015, 6:55 pm
    Post #177 - February 15th, 2015, 6:55 pm Post #177 - February 15th, 2015, 6:55 pm
    I stopped by here on a Monday a few weeks ago. I didn't realize they were closed and I walked up and ordered. The owner told me they were closed but pleasantly said he'd still serve me. I tried to decline as I didn't want to be a burden and I honestly missed the sign but he insisted repeatedly. Now I won't make that mistake again but they really went out of their way to serve the customer. I've had similar things happen at other places and been curtly told to take a hike.

    That nam khao tod, man that's gotta be one of the best plates of food in Chicago!
  • Post #178 - February 16th, 2015, 10:41 am
    Post #178 - February 16th, 2015, 10:41 am Post #178 - February 16th, 2015, 10:41 am
    Thanks to David Hammond for a little preview into what's been happening at Rainbow--soon, the space will hopefully be as comfortable and welcoming as the food is delicious! Stay tuned!

    http://resto.newcity.com/2015/02/16/turning-the-tables-when-patrons-serve-the-restaurant/
    "Knowledge is knowing a tomato is a fruit; wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad." Miles Kington
  • Post #179 - February 16th, 2015, 1:20 pm
    Post #179 - February 16th, 2015, 1:20 pm Post #179 - February 16th, 2015, 1:20 pm
    boudreaulicious wrote:Thanks to David Hammond for a little preview into what's been happening at Rainbow--soon, the space will hopefully be as comfortable and welcoming as the food is delicious! Stay tuned!

    http://resto.newcity.com/2015/02/16/turning-the-tables-when-patrons-serve-the-restaurant/


    Amazing. I'd seen the cutout of the wall next door, but had no idea LTHers had been working so closely. This speaks so well of everyone involved.
  • Post #180 - February 16th, 2015, 2:09 pm
    Post #180 - February 16th, 2015, 2:09 pm Post #180 - February 16th, 2015, 2:09 pm
    Very cool. If more help is needed please let me know. I'd love to be a part of this!

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