The quaint district of fashion boutiques, unique bars and restaurants along Ballard Avenue has a new neighbor. Root Table, a small Asian fusion restaurant, opened about five months ago and is fitting right into the cozy community of Ballard.

I felt like I left the urban city when I entered Root Table. The tables and chairs are made from the teak tree that is imported from Thailand. The furniture at Root Table comes from its next-door neighbor, Enlighten, a teak furniture store with Eastern-inspired home décor. Root Table offers an authentic Thai appearance alongside its delicious dishes.

For a restaurant with such cheap prices (appetizers are about $5 and entrees are $10), I thought the food would come out with a generic display, but Root Table placed emphasis on the distinctive presentation of its dishes, as well as their herbal flavors.

I began dinner by ordering a Lychee Kamikazi, and I also tried their jasmine green tea martini. The drinks were chilled just right; the martini had a sweet aroma and taste of tea. However, the kamikazi lacked a strong lychee flavor.

There are a variety of mouthwatering tapas to start off the meal, ranging from Lemongrass Chicken Lollipops to stuffed squid. I ordered the roasted duck spring rolls and root fries. Each appetizer at Root Table is priced moderately, which is great for those who love to taste test multiple items on the menu.

The spring rolls were fresh and crisp but did not have much duck meat. The root fries consisted of a medley of potato, sweet potato and taro, and it was fun sampling the different textures. I also tried the calamari, which was well-seasoned and came in large pieces. All the tapas were fun and flavorful, and I would order them again.

During happy hour from 4 to 6 p.m. and 9 to l1 p.m, all tapas are reduced to $4, and drinks include $3 Manny’s and other premium wells and $4 Cosmos, Lemon Drops, Mai Tais and margaritas. Root Table is also open for lunch, serving sandwiches that come with a choice of soup, salad or root fries for $8 or less.

For the entrée, I ordered the pearl ocean wild salmon. The salmon was slightly crispy on the outside and melted in my mouth. It was on a bed of tapioca red curry with jasmine rice and mango on the side. The curry was savory, and the tapioca added a unique texture to the dish.

I also sampled the double-fisted duck, which is marinated in dark beer and Chinese wine with deep-fried cabbage and jasmine rice. The duck pieces were juicy, and the sauce was very flavorful. I would definitely order both dishes again.

I concluded the meal with a green tea and red bean tiramisu drizzled in chocolate sauce. It was very moist and subtly sweet, though I was disappointed that Root Table does not make most of the desserts and instead acquires them from a local bakery.

Root Table is a perfect blend of Thai tradition with an urban twist. Its culturally authentic Thai décor and food presentation are not only eye candy, but the food is flavorful as well. These consistent traits, along with the reasonable prices, confirm that I will be frequenting Ballard much more often.

Reach reporter Carolyn Yuen at arts@dailyuw.com.