Restaurant review: On your gastronomic tour of Woodfin, make Thai Citrus your first stop

Jason Sandford

Jason Sandford is a reporter, writer, blogger and photographer interested in all things Asheville.

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Here’s this month’s Ashvegas restaurant review, as written by foodie Gourmet Girl. Enjoy!

Like Lewis and Clark before me, I feel as though I have unearthed a new land, vibrant with culture, beauty, and possibility.  Gastronomically speaking, of course. That new world is Woodfin.  It must be reasonable rent that keeps this mountain haven booming with culinary inspiration. Recently my partner-in-dine and I spent a Saturday touring Weaverville Highway, with all of its little epicurean treasures. Looking for an honest-to-goodness Philly Cheese Steak, complete with voluptuous hoagie and luminescent cheese sauce? Woodfin’s Philly Hoagies and Ice Cream Parlor is ground zero for Cheese steak fans.

If you’ve read SheWhoEats, you’ve already heard me rave endlessly about the bountiful, traditional menu items at the Bavarian Lodge.  Taqueria Fast offers authenticity in a tortilla to a diverse gaggle of customers daily.  Gourmet cheeses from Ference, fresh baked goods from the old-school Bake Shoppe, upscale yet affordable Austin-inspired dining at Curras, it’s all there for you, on one single stretch of rural highway.  

I’m not saying we’ve got our own Epcot Center, but now, an adventurous eater can leap from Germany to Thailand in a single bound. Thai Citrus opened a couple of months ago in Woodfin, next to the Do-It-Best hardware store and Mother and Son Bakery. Sure, it’s a poorly retrofitted Subway, with cheesy New York subway lined wallpaper barely painted over, and tired fake plants adorning the window sills. But who goes out to Thai Food for the décor?  I have found that most authentic ethnic restaurants are often in Strip Malls or dilapidated  shacks, in fact sometimes that’s my bellwether for high quality cooking. Thai Citrus, located at 274-298 U.S. 19 Business, is no exception.  

Asheville has its share of Thai restaurants, but I mostly have to drive to Greenville, SC or Greensboro, NC to find truly great Thai dishes. In many Thai restaurants I’ve frequented here, something is missing. Either a particular spice I can’t quite place, or a consistency is off, or the vegetables aren’t fresh. Thai Citrus does get one thing harmoniously, divinely perfect. Their Tom Ka Gai soup, a citrusy coconut soup spiked with lemongrass, kaffir lime leaf, onions, cilantro and chicken, is spot on. If you prefer Tom Yum, with its lemon-tinged clear broth, you won’t be disappointed either.  Both soups stand high above their liquid peers.  

On one visit I ordered the Basil Pork dish, and found the sauce to be a tad watery, but deliciously spiced. They offered a large variety of fresh vegetables, and threw in some Chinese green eggplant, buoyant and flavorful.  Their green curry was. . . unique.  Neither of us thought there was enough curry flavor, yet even with overpoweringly rich coconut milk, the result was not unpleasant. Their larb salad had too much ground meat piled on top of some meager lettuce leaves, but the accompanying homemade dressing infused the salad with a luscious balance of tangy, spicy and sweet flavors. Thai Citrus’ wide rice noodle dishes are a little on the greasy side, but I imagine they could adjust the amount of oil if asked.  Overall, Thai Citrus is worth checking out, and it looks like many people have already made it out there for a taste. Their Thai chef Sum makes all the food to order, so get to Woodfin’s World Tour soon, and make Thai Citrus your first stop.