Patou Thai Belmont

It was a dark and stormy morning when I headed out to Patou Thai in Belmont for some lunch. I figured out how to get to the big communal parking lot behind the building. Two hours free parking for patrons of the businesses.

Very inviting and nice tables in front of the glass facade and you can watch the exciting Belmont center.

They have a lunch deal, for $13 you get two appetizers from a good selection and you also have a choice of soup or salads and a mains. I picked Papaya Salad "Julienne green papaya and carrot tossed with spicy chili-lime dressing and peanuts, topped with grilled shrimp." The salad rested on some lettuce and completely lacked heat but was nice and fresh regardless. The Shumai "Blend of pork and shrimp dumplings with cilantro root, garlic, and Shiitake mushroom. Perfectly steamed and served with soy-roasted garlic sauce" couldn't be faulted and had a really tasty sauce. The Chonburi Wings "Crispy chicken wings glazed with own sweet and spicy sauce" had an excellent sauce but the drumette was overcooked and dry and so was the flat but slightly less. The nice and crispy skin and the sauce saved the dish.

The Duck Choo Chee ($1.45 upcharge) was a very nice curry with plenty of sauce and nicely cooked veggies but where is the duck? I got one small slice of breast and 5 pieces of fatty and rubbery skin. For nearly $11 I expected to get some protein so even if this was very tasty, it's a fail for me. It was marked as two peppers on the menu but I would say it was barely one pepper when it arrived.

The rest of the front dining room. There is an open kitchen to the right after the hostess station.

The back dining room, this was a surprisingly big place and they did a brisk business at lunch. I must have ordered the wrong dish.

Address 69 Leonard St, Belmont, MA 02478 
Phone number (617) 489-6999