Editor’s Note: Fork & Dagger is 828newsNOW’s anonymous restaurant review series, written by our independent Grub Scout—no freebies, no press perks, no agenda. Grub Scout pays full price, visits unannounced, and takes notes on food, service, atmosphere, and value. Each review reflects a recent, honest experience rated on our 1‑to‑5 fork scale. We aim to help you discover standout dining spots—from casual diners to white‑tablecloth affairs—one bite at a time.
ASHEVILLE, N.C. (828newsNOW) — I’m just gonna say it upfront: Suwana’s Thai Orchid is my favorite Thai restaurant in Asheville. Period. I’ve been eating there since it opened in 2009. It’s always been delicious, it’s never made me sick and the service has always been good. The only difference is that I can no longer stomach the “Special Thai Hot “ sauce, and that’s my own gut failing. It’s so hot it’s not even on the menu. Probably a young person’s game to eat that.
Catfish is my favorite protein at Suwana’s, so the question is always what to pair it with. This time, I went with Pad Prik Khing — green beans, bell pepper, carrot and kaffir lime leaf tossed in a specialty Prik Khing sauce. It’s a dry Thai curry stir-fry, made without coconut milk, with a concentrated, oily sauce that clings beautifully to everything in its path. This is absolutely one of my favorite sauces in all of food, and the catfish was a perfect match. Utterly delectable.
The appetizers were out of this world, too. I went pretty traditional with egg rolls and fried chicken wings. The sauces on these were outstanding. You must try them.
Last but far from least was the Tom Kha soup. One of the most important dishes in history … at least in my circles. It’s a creamy, hot and sour soup made with coconut milk, galangal and lemongrass. The name translates to “boiled galangal soup,” and it is traditionally prepared with chicken, which is exclusively what I ask for as the protein. No one in town does this better, and you should never skip it.
Overall, this place will always get five forks in my book. I think it’s solid for any occasion. Get there ASAP.
