Eat This Now: Roasted Duck Panang Curry at Pad Thai Restaurant

Roasted Duck Panang Curry // Photo by Mar’Che Boggess

Pad Thai Restaurant is tucked away in a strip mall right off Metcalf Ave. in Overland Park. It’s a quaint and cozy space with just eight tables indoors, aside from their outdoor patio space. The bamboo light fixtures and chairs make it all the more inviting.

The menu offers a wide variety of traditional Thai dishes, from street food staples like fried pork to hearty options like drunken noodles.

For starters, try the shrimp wraps. The shrimp is steamed and butterflied, then stuffed with pork, chicken, jalapeño, and cilantro before being wrapped in a thin wonton and fried. They are accompanied by a sweet chili sauce for an extra kick.

If you’re looking for something to warm you up during these winter months, order the Roasted Duck Panang Curry. Served atop a bed of mixed vegetables, the duck is slow roasted, with crispy skin on the outside, while still offering a nice balance of tenderness on the inside. It quite literally melts in your mouth. The red curry is smooth and creamy, made with peanuts, coconut milk, Thai basil, and garlic. It’s paired with steamed jasmine rice. For $27, this entree is definitely large enough for two people, but if you decide to keep it all to yourself, we don’t blame you.

If you’ve got room for dessert, try the honey toast from their dessert shop, I Am Frozen Dessert Cafe, a few doors down. The toast is thick and buttery, topped with powdered sugar, fruit, honey, and condensed milk. It also comes with three heaping scoops of ice cream. It’s a sweet tooth’s dream.

Pad Thai Restaurant is located at 14139 Metcalf Ave in Overland Park, KS. Their hours are 11 a.m. – 9 p.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays; 11 a.m. – 9:30 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays; and 12-9 p.m. on Sundays.