From time to time, the Guesthouse owners' son, Keaton, will review local restaurants. Here, he shares his review of Gao Lhao.
I have always considered myself a bit of a foodie. My mom tells me that I was very picky when I was younger, especially after my cancer treatment, but this has changed, and I think I’m the most adventurous eater in my family now.
As I got older, I have gone to a variety of restaurants. My favorite restaurant growing up was Bluestar in Seattle. Bluestar was my favorite because I have always enjoyed the food there, and it was fun to go with my family. I was very sad to hear that it was closing down after being open for over 20 years. Since moving to Greenlake and opening the guesthouse with my family, I have really been enjoying the neighborhood. One reason is that I am within walking distance of many restaurants, one of which is Gao Lhao, which is a Thai/Chinese restaurant that brings you to the streets of Bangkok. It looks unassuming from the outside, but is actually quite large.
When I went to Gao Lhao with my Mom and Dad the first time, I had the Garlicky Wild Cod with an apple salad on the side. The Garlicky Wild Cod was everything that I had expected. I also had the Chaw Pao Godfather cocktail, which was sweet and had a little kick from the cinnamon compared to the apple salad, which was sour. The sweet and sour combination reminded me of Fruit Leather or something similar.
The Chaw Pao Godfother Cocktail
My Mom got the Vegan Pad See Ew and the Madam Tong cocktail. She said her meal was perfectly spiced. My Dad had the Gravy Noodles and a the Dragon cocktail. The portion sizes as well as the drinks were good. The food came out promptly and was hot and delectable. The service was also good and so were the portion sizes. We definitely didn’t leave hungry.
My dad behind his brightly colored Dragon cocktail
Since our initial visit, we have been back and our experience was every bit as good. When guests come and are looking for a recommendation, I would recommend this restaurant without hesitation!
Gao Lhao is located at 7102 Woodlawn Avenue NE. As you descend the stairs at the guesthouse, you turn left, and it's one block off of Greenlake Drive about a 10 minute walk away.