ThaiPhoon Bistro

LittleWhiteStar

Reviews
Written: 1

5.0

Don't let the day-glo orange decor fool you. This place has serious Thai food.

I'm a Thai aficionado, and after moving here from Ames, Iowa, where I was such a good customer that the local Thai Kitchen gave me a Christmas present, I was a little lost here in Raleigh. Shabashabu was solid, but expensive, and a little out of the way. None of the other Thai places were anything but dull. I was even a little annoyed when Cody's, the chinese restaurant that ThaiPhoon replaced, went out of business, because they were open really late, and served GREAT chicken lo-mein. Still, I decided to give ThaiPhoon a try, because, let's face it, there was no way I wasn't going to try a new Thai place, especially one smack dab in the middle of Glenwood South.

I don't want to overstate this, but their food is really amazing. There's not a single item on the menu I don't like so far, and I try something new everytime I go. They made me completely reconsider tofu--I like it now. Plus, they're pretty affordable, but the dishes come out looking like some NYC chef slaved over them. So pretty, and well arranged! I asked about this once, and our waiter told me there was one person in the kitchen whose whole job was to make the food look good. Not sure if that's true, but that would make sense. They really make their dishes spicy, so be careful what you ask for. Their "medium" is equivalent to other places' HOT. Mild, on the other hand should be fine for anybody. (But mild is for whimps.)

Pluses: Great tasting food. Great looking food. Just great food. Best Thai in town.

Drawbacks--it really is hot orange in there. When it comes to interior design, they tried for "cool modern" and got "wierd and orange" instead. Their menus are printed in DVD cases for some reason--again, odd, and not that functional. Also, I wish there were a few more dishes available. The menu is only two DVDs long. It looks like a lot to choose from, but a couple of times I've been out with a group that didn't like seafood, and then the menu gets narrow.

Favorite dish: Tofu Khi Mao