I’ve done a pretty good job predicting the number of stars that Greg Cox hands out for the restaurants he’s reviewed since I started this silly little mindless game of prognostication (again, this is for entertainment purposes only — no wagering!). But this week’s review of Sawasdee Thai Restaurant is one where I really don’t know what he’ll do. I know Greg likes Asian restaurants. He also has a pretty good grasp of Thai cuisine.
The problem with Sawasdee (the review, not the restaurant) is that he last reviewed it 11 years ago (3-1/2 stars), and it’s changed a lot since that time. Moreover, they’ve opened a second larger location in the Pleasant Valley Promenade, so I don’t know if he went to that location, the original off Capital Blvd., or both. And I must say I haven’t been to Sawasdee (either location) in several years.
Doing a quick search on Chowhound, Sawasdee does not appear to generate the “foodie buzz” that a lot of other Asian restaurants get (see Gourmet Kingdom), so I’m guessing that the food hasn’t really changed. Frankly, Thai food in Raleigh is similar to Chinese from 10-20 years ago, as every place caters to American tastes, and no one (as far as I know) offers solid, authentic Thai fare. With that, I’m guessing Sawasdee stays at 3-1/2 stars. Here are this week’s odds:
5 stars — 5,000 to 1
4.5 stars — 75 to 1
4 stars — 4 to 1
3.5 stars — 3 to 2
3 stars — 2 to 1
2.5 stars — 5 to 1
2 stars — 10 to 1
1 to 1.5 stars — 75 to 1
This is really difficult, and my uncertainty is reflected in the odds above. Have you been to the new location of Sawasdee? How many stars will Greg Cox give it???
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Posted by Varmint 
