Cara Lin’s is the owner/operator of Bamboo House and her association with Frenchtown goes back many years, to when her father owned Bo Bo Kitchen, the Chinese takeout restaurant north of town.
She lived in Manhattan then, and her father eventually sold the restaurant. When Cara and her husband eventually chose to make the river town their home, they were happy with the move, but Lin says she missed the Thai and sushi restaurants of Manhattan. “I would go to New York for Thai,” she says.
Cara remedied that problem by opening Bamboo House, 12 blocks north of downtown Frenchtown. As proof of the expanding American palate, the restaurant became immediately popular with locals as well as tourists.
“It’s a small place,” she says of the cottage located on the outskirts of Frenchtown. “We have a lot of repeat customers. People will travel for this kind of food.”
They come for the expertly crafted sushi and Thai dishes made by chefs she lured south from Manhattan. They use the freshest ingredients she can find, and it shows. But part of the attraction is the sunny disposition of our staff. We want to keep a family atmosphere. Our staff members go out of their way to make sure they know what you want, taking time to ask if you like your dishes spicy or mild, and changing ingredients to suit the diner. They are always pleasant and charming, happy you are there.
In addition to serving its sit-down customers, Bamboo House does a steady takeout business as customers head home after work.
With its good, fresh food made expertly by the two Manhattan-trained chefs, it’s no surprise. But most memorable is the cheerfulness of the staff and coziness of the small restaurant.
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