Thai Gourmet - Libertyville, IL

My first contribution to this great site!

A couple months ago a new Thai restaurant opened in Libertyville, near the intersection of Peterson and Milwaukee Ave. My wife had takeout from there a couple of times but this was the first time we all ate in. The restaurant is in a strip mall, sharing storefront with a Grand Appliances and Dunkin Donuts. Upon entering, you are greeted with some newspaper reviews of the restaurant from Oklahoma, which is where the folks that own Thai Gourmet originally setup shop. The atmosphere is reasonable, a notch nicer than you will see in most sit-down Thai restaurants.

Service was outstanding from the minute we entered. Although we had a good idea what we were going to order, we received some useful tips from the restaurant manager, who doubled as our server. She informed us that the chef provides an authentic Thai meal, with homemade noodles, curry paste, and coconut milk. Scanning the menu, I would have to agree as they offered an "Audacity" section, which included entrees that required advance notice and cannot be prepared less than medium. Some examples include Kanom Jeen Num Ya (Thai-style rice pasta with homemade fish curry sauce) and Khan Mussamun (chicken leg slow cooked in homemade mussamun curry).

It was lunch so our ordering was limited. We had a Tom Yum soup (Hot), Khang Ped (red) curry with chicken (Thai Hot), and a chicken fried rice (Mild) for my kid. All three dishes were excellent, and I cannot emphasize the excellent part enough. The Tom Yum had a great balance of spice, salt, tartness, and subtle sweetness. It was obvious the herb broth was made fresh. The red curry dish was also incredible. I am not a fan of very thick creamy curries and was relieved to hear that the homemade coconut milk was very light. Well, it was. The curry was very flavorful. I think that they could have gone one step spicier for me but oh well. Surprisingly, the chicken fried rice was also delicious. Very fresh and vibrant flavors.

All in all, a very satisfying meal. We will definitely return and try more items over the coming weeks. I urge anyone in the area to also try this restaurant as I am pretty confident you will also enjoy it. The only real con for this place is that it is cash only right now. Also important to note is that entrees tend to be about $2 higher in price that what you might find in other Thai restaurants, but it is money well spent.

Thai Gourmet
226 Peterson Rd (just northwest of Peterson-Milwaukee intersection)
Libertyville, IL 60048
(847) 816-3999

Hi,

Thank you! I pass that area quite frequently, I will be sure to give it a try sometime soon.

Have you checked in at Sultan's Market? I think it is in the strip mall before the one you identified.

Sultans Marketplace
122 Peterson Road
Libertyville, IL 60048
847-816-0388

Regards,