That elephant mural to the right is like twenty feet tall and was painted by local muralist Rocky Martinez. It is one of many elements in this amazing courtyard at V Fine Thai Dining on the corner of Congress Street and Stone Avenue. You can check out a bunch of pictures of the place here.
Owner Vila Jarrell really pulled out all the stops for her newest restaurant, which pays equal homage to the local art scene and the culture of Thailand. She used to own and operate Vila Thai near the UA, which closed when her new restaurant opened earlier this year.
The courtyard area is as much a sculpture garden as it is a lounge area, with giant metal insects and flowers intermingling with couches Jarrell says are upholstered in the same colors as the robes worn by Buddhist monks. Lighting is soft, but ample. Everything is stone, wood, bamboo and metal. A nearby high-rise provides a blue-tile wall that resembles waterfall, if you squint just a bit. At night, a giant “V” is projected upon it.
The inside is done in equally soft tones, with pictures of Thai culture and a lot more art. Bamboo, rugs, modern metal and wood furniture and a small bar fill the rest of the space.
Now we must talk about the food, if only for a second.
The curries — I’ve tried the green and red — are fragrant and spicy and creamy all at once. Fine steak cuts and seafood are in abundance. Mint, cilantro, ginger and other spices are used to good effect. Many dishes can be made vegetarian-style, or even vegan. The drink menu is fun. There’s plenty of wine, and a private wine room to sip it in.
Chef Redman Jarrell — a down-to-earth guy with a passion for traditional Thai cuisine — says many of the entrées are refined takes on recipes taught to him by his mother-in law. It’s a little more upscale than what you find at the other half-dozen Thai restaurants in town, and that, it turns out, is a very good thing.
As mentioned in Noshing Around this week, the restaurant is adding lunch hours soon, too.
This article appears in Aug 11-17, 2011.
Happy to see this review… this place is awesome! Laid back and inviting, and the food is AMAZING!!
This restaurant is lovely. Owner, Vila, actually came and sat at our table, talked to us about the menu and took her time taking our order, answered questions and made great recommendations. She was incredibly nice and hospitable. The atmosphere is not overly trendy but on point and intimate and it leaves you feeling like you’ve dined in a big city but you get to walk out of that fantastic courtyard right back into the cozy arms of Tucson.
Check it out.
I always have magical experiences and great food when I go to V Modern Thai. Vila is gracious and passionate about good Thai food, as well as having great outreach into the community, helping in any number of ever-expanding ways. This is a cozy and intimate restaurant, enough to be private, but also encouraging of fascinating conversations with Vila.
Plus, she hosts a very popular nightclub outdoors,beginning late enough at night for the diners to be done. An interesting mix.