The ‘Early Bird’ gets an exclusive, delicious menu

A duck taco is featured in Chef Chai’s Early Bird Special Menu.

Now that Chef Chai is once again offering dine-in service, owner Chai Chaowasaree thought it was time to bring back a local favorite: Early Bird’s Special Menu.

“When we first opened back up, everybody asked me to do it again,” he says. “A lot of older people like to come in early when the restaurant isn’t as busy, and a lot of people are looking for something with good value — and that’s what this is.”

Seating for the exclusive offering is between 4 and 5 p.m. only, and the cost is $47 per person.

To begin, guests can dive into Chicken Sate with Thai Peanut Sauce, Cucumber Salad and Asian Flat Bread. Next up is a luxe family-style appetizer sampler, which features an array of differing flavors, including Smoked Duck Taco with Fresh Tomato Mango Salsa to Salmon Gravlax Roulade with Cream Cheese and Crab Meat on Cucumber Chips.

For the main dish, diners have four options to choose from, which allows a selection that fits just about everybody’s preference. Those in the mood for fish can try Grilled Kabayaki New Zealand King Salmon, while chicken fans can go for the Pan Roasted All Natural Chicken with Hennessy Cognac Peppercorn Sauce. Vegetarians will love the Vegetable Terrine with Green Curry Sauce, while meat lovers will be happy with Grilled Deconstructed Beef Tenderloin Wellington, which costs $10 more.

A common theme for Chef Chai’s offerings is that no meal is ever complete without something sweet. That’s why a Heart Shaped White Chocolate Amore Truffle with Raspberry Guava Puree is on the menu.

As people flock to dine-in at Chef Chai’s — and with limited seating to promote social distancing — Chaowasaree suggests making a reservation in advance.

Those who prefer to eat at home needn’t worry, though, as Chef Chai’s famed Wiki Wiki Boxes are still available on Wednesdays. Check out the weekly menu on chefchai.com.