Going out for dinner can be a special treat for busy families. But when you go out to eat, you might fall into the routine of eating the same food at the same restaurants instead of exploring different places. To make it easy for you to find some new restaurants to enjoy, Crème de la Crème of Mount Laurel researched the best local ethnic cuisine locations. Here are seven suggestions for nearby ethnic food restaurants.

Bhan Thai

A plate of Thai food at an ethnic restaurant in Mount Laurel, NJ

Pad Thai” licensed under CC BY 2.0 via Flickr by pointnshoot

Bhan Thai is a restaurant specializing in authentic Thai cuisine made with fresh ingredients. The friendly owner, Tina, and a cozy atmosphere make you feel welcome and comfortable at Bhan Thai. You can even bring your own beer or wine to enjoy with your meal. Some of their customer favorites include the delicious sticky rice wrapped in banana leaves, green curry with salmon, papaya salad, drunken noodles, or pad see ew.

Bhan Thai is open for lunch Monday through Thursday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and dinner from 5 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. On Fridays and Saturdays, lunch hours are from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. and dinner is from 5 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. Bhan Thai isn’t open on Sundays. Takeout and delivery are available.

Monsoon Indian Cuisine

Monsoon Indian Cuisine features Pan-Indian cuisine in an upscale-casual atmosphere. The well-prepared Indian specialties, such as lamb or chicken, are tasty and authentic. The portions are generous, and while the restaurant doesn’t sell liquor, you can bring wine with you to pair with your meal.

Monsoon is open daily from noon to 8 p.m. and they offer lunch specials Tuesday through Friday from noon to 4 p.m. The daily specials come with basmati rice and naan bread, and some of their more popular lunches are the paneer specials and the lamb dishes. They offer carry-out and third-party delivery.

Pho Xinh (Pho 9)

Pho 9 is a Vietnamese restaurant with some of the best pho rice noodle soup in the area. Customers receive large servings of pho soup that contains generous amounts of meat, vegetables, and noodles. The lemongrass soup is another customer favorite, along with many types of spring rolls. They also have a popular vegan version of pho noodle soup, along with several other vegan and vegetarian meals to choose from. 

Pho 9 has a friendly atmosphere with Asian decor and a welcoming, attentive staff. The prices are reasonable and the authentic Vietnamese food is some of the best in the Mount Laurel area. Pho 9 opens at 11 a.m. daily for lunch and has takeout or delivery options, so you can pick your food up or conveniently have it delivered right to your door.

Tres Yan & Wu

Tres Yan & Wu is an upscale restaurant and sushi bar specializing in Chinese and Japanese cuisine. Chef Paul Yan opened Tres Yan & Wu in 2010, and he’s notable for being the youngest student to graduate with honors from the Hong Kong Federation of Food Service at age 15. Chef Yan has several signature dishes including shrimp wonton soup and Chilean sea bass. 

The food has an outstanding local reputation, with delicious flavors and ingredients that meld well together. The shrimp dumpling soup and the specialty wonton soup are both highly recommended by customers.

Tres Yan & Wu opens daily for lunch and dinner at 11:30 a.m. They are currently only open for takeout and don’t offer dine-in at this time, but you can call the restaurant to check on their most recent updates.

Ristorante Al Fresco

Ristorante Al Fresco is a casual family restaurant that features Italian cuisine. The owners, George and John Kostis, grew up cooking in Greece and opened their first diner in the U.S. in the 1970s. Their authentic Italian-style cooking is highly praised, and the original tomato sauce is one of their specialties. 

Arancini di Roso is a tasty appetizer you won’t want to miss, consisting of rice croquettes stuffed with prosciutto and fresh mozzarella in a tomato cream sauce. Another favorite is the eggplant, chicken, or veal parmigiana. Be sure to end your Italian dining experience with tiramisu and espresso for dessert.

They’re currently open for indoor and outdoor dining for dinner Monday through Saturday, from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. Carryout is available. The restaurant doesn’t sell liquor but they allow BYOB, so you are welcome to bring in wine or adult beverages to enjoy with your meal. They also offer catering for special events like parties or weddings.

Coriander

Coriander is an Indian bistro in Voorhees specializing in contemporary Indian cuisine. Some great recommendations include the paneer makhani, chicken tikka makhani, and several tasty versions of naan. The restaurant has vegetarian and vegan-friendly choices available, like the popular Vegetarian Thali. The portion sizes are quite large with reasonable prices.

Coriander opens at 11:30 a.m. six days a week. They’re closed on Tuesdays. The restaurant is BYOB, so you can bring your own adult beverage to enjoy with your meal. Carryout and delivery are available.

Cucina Carini Restaurant

Cucina Carini is an Italian restaurant established in 1992 that prepares delicious, authentic meals from scratch every day. The reasonable prices and family-friendly atmosphere make this an ideal place to spend a family dinner night together for pizza or Italian specialties. Start your meal with one of their delicious appetizers like bruschetta or mussels with a creamy white or red sauce and enjoy their homemade fresh rolls. Their generous portions and high-quality fresh ingredients make for a delicious and hearty meal. If you’re looking for recommendations, customer favorites include lasagna and eggplant parmigiana.

Cucina Carini opens on Sundays at noon and Monday through Saturday at 11 a.m. The restaurant closes daily at 9 p.m. Pickup and delivery are available. You can BYOB and enjoy wine or alcohol with your meal.When you feel an urge to head out and get some local ethnic cuisine, use this list from Crème de la Crème of Mount Laurel to help decide where to go. If you visit one of the suggested venues or if you have another favorite specialty restaurant, please let us know so we can share it with other readers.