The Pad Thai was deliciously saucy with a hefty serving of peanuts which made for a satisfying crunch
Outside of the center of Faribault is the 1st of Thai restaurant, nestled unassumingly in a modest strip mall. The restaurant is well-lit, almost too bright, and smells of spice and coconut waft through the space. A friendly waitress greets guests at the door. A sticky, half-functioning lazy Susan adorns the table, much-too-large.
The menu is expansive, offering a wide array of dishes that are mostly Thai, but some with vaguely Chinese influences. In comparison to Thai restaurants on the coasts, this menu seemed less authentic; notably, Drunken Noodles were missing from the menu.
The fried tofu was pleasingly chewy but disappointingly flavorless. Cream-cheese filled fried wontons were a table-pleaser, although their roots are more in the Midwest than Southeast Asia.
Fragrant curry soups served in large bowls were the table favorites. The red, flavorful broth was saturated with thin rice noodles, perfectly cooked and, again, uninteresting tofu. First of Thai definitely caters to the Midwest dislike of spicy food, and the curries were bland, but significantly improved with the additions of Siracha and chili oil.
Raadna noodles, a concoction of wide rice noodles in a heavy soy-based sauce with egg, fried-tofu and broccoli were tasty, but felt more Chinese than Thai. They begged the addition of traditional Thai flavors such as Thai basil and lime. The sauce-to-noodle ratio was undesirable, and it felt like the noodles were drowning.
1st of Thai is certainly a hidden gem in rural Southeastern Minnesota, and will do in a pinch when one desires something other than cheese curds and tater-tot hot dish.
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