JEFF KORBELIK / Lincoln Journal Star | Posted: Thursday, January 5, 2006 6:00 pm
The Blue Orchid has been open just three weeks, and already several of my co-workers have eaten there multiple times. That should tell you something.
Opened in the historic federal building by Witawas Srisa-an, a University of Nebraska-Lincoln computer science and engineering professor, and his wife Malinee Kiatathikom, the new Thai restaurant is one of the best to hit Lincoln.
Diners can find a variety of favorites from the couple’s native country, including several vegetarian-friendly dishes.
Early favorites include:
n Wok-seared garlic ($7.95): Your choice of chicken, beef, pork or tofu prepared with snow peas, mushrooms, baby corns and garlic in Thai seasoning.
n Orchid chicken ($10.95): Sliced chicken breast sauteed in a homemade chili paste with cashews, garlic, mushrooms, julienne green onions and pineapple chunks and served in a pineapple shell when available.
n Panang curry ($8.95): Your choice of chicken, beef, pork or tofu simmered in coconut milk, Panang red curry and kaffir lime leaves.
n Pad Thai ($6.95): Your choice of chicken, beef, pork or mixed veggies stir-fried with Thai rice stick noodles, tofu, egg, julienne green onions, radishes, bean sprouts and ground peanuts.
Srisa-an has been at UNL for four years. He and his wife felt the time was right for her to start her own business.
“We looked at our portfolio and realized the best thing is what we already knew,” he said.
The couple ran a Thai restaurant for seven years in Chicago before Srisa-an returned to school in 1996 to earn his master’s and doctorate degrees.
“We thought (a Thai restaurant) would do well in Lincoln, one with nice ambiance and traditional type food,” Srisa-an said.
Few restaurants can rival the Blue Orchid for ambiance.
The restaurant was designed by Bahr Vermeer Haecker, the same architects who renovated the old federal building. It’s unlike anything in Lincoln. In fact, it reminds me of restaurants in New York City.
“We wanted a big-city (feel),” Srisa-an said. “There are a lot of restaurants like this in Chicago as well.”
The spacious room seats 74 and features a five-tone green color scheme. Half the dining area is carpeted to absorb sound; the other half has the original wood flooring.
Much of the decor, including the the handmade textiles and hefty 100-year-old bells, were imported from Thailand.
The restaurant doesn’t skimp on anything, using white tablecloths and cloth napkins. The tableware is punctuated by cobalt blue glasses, which are tied to the word “blue” in the name. The nicest touch: fresh flowers dot the middle of each table.
“We wanted a mystic feel that is genuine, real and hard to find,” Srisa-an said.
The menu features family favorites — the curry is Kiatathikom’s mother’s recipe — as well as carryovers from the Chicago restaurant. It should be noted that both mothers are here in Lincoln and help with the cooking.
Lunch — served between 11 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. — is a set price of $7.95. It includes choice of appetizer (Thai or spring rolls), choice of soup (creamy Tom Khan or the spicy Tom Yum) and one of 11 entrees.
The dinner menu features several dishes in addition to bigger portions of the lunch entrees. Soup and appetizers are sold separately.
On our dinner visit, my companion and I started with with fried Thai rolls served with a homemade sweet and sour sauce and fried tofu triangles served with spicy plum sauce topped with crushed peanuts.
For entrees, I had the the wok-seared garlic with shrimp, which costs $2 more. My companion had the orchid chicken with the pineapple.
We finished our meal by sharing coconut pudding ($5.50) served in a coconut shell. It’s a firm pudding with an interesting texture.
The Blue Orchid also has Crane River’s dark chocolate stout ice cream made by Ivana Cone. It substitutes Guinness for the old restaurant’s stout beer. Ivana Cone also makes the restaurant’s roasted coconut ice cream.
The restaurant is still working out some kinks in its service. Food doesn’t always arrive at the same time. Sometimes it comes out of the kitchen a little slowly. Plus, the servers are still getting used to the menu.
So cut them a break on busy nights. It will be worth the wait.
Reach Jeff Korbelik at 473-7213 or jkorbelik@journalstar.com.
Dining out
Blue Orchid Thai Restaurant
129 N. 10th St., Suite 111
(Historic Federal Place)
Atmosphere: Casual to upscale
Specialty: Thai
Payment: Cash, checks, major credit cards
Hours: Lunch: 11 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Monday-Saturday; dinner: 5-9:30 p.m. Monday-Thursday, 5-10:30 p.m. Friday-Saturday; closed Sunday
Phone: (402) 742-7250
Notes: Limited parking on west and east (after 6 p.m.) sides of the building, alcohol, takeout, daily lunch and weekend specials, children’s menu