Naughty Thai
Thai Garden
6090 Campbell Rd Ste 124 (at Preston, SE corner)
Dallas, TX 75248
Phone: 972-248-8861
Thai Garden has become enormously popular since I first discovered it 10 years ago. Not surprising, since the food here is excellent and the lunch specials are very reasonably priced for what you get ($5-8 for Tom Ka soup, salad, egg roll and entree).
Mistress Lauren (pictured here with doctor-to-be, Eddie) decided that she would grace the good people of Thai Garden for her birthday. Wise choice.
Atmosphere: Atmosphere? Let me put it this way. Thai Garden is located in one of the last 1970's strip malls in the area. This is far north Dallas, a sneeze away from Richardson, the land of everything that was built after 1985. It should be preserved as a cheesy historical monument to the era. They are wedged between a martial arts studio and something that changes weekly. If I had to pick a word to describe atmosphere it would be cartoonish.
The Plate: I could go on and on but everything at Thai Garden is incredible. Some of my favorites here are the Green Curry, Panang Curry, Thai Garlic and Spicy Thai Basil(choose meat of your liking or tofu).
Spicy Thai Basil is the dish I order most often. Its the herby basil imparting its sweet and citrus nose to the otherwise deliciously salty fish sauce based gravy that makes this dish excellent. Thai Garden, as opposed to some other Thai, keeps a good balance between veggies and meat. The rice is always perfectly prepared and an isolated conical mountain, way on the other side of the plate.
Service: This is a small family run operation so service can be excellent to 'hey, where the hell is my food?'. Whichever is the case on your visit, you will find that they go out of their way to be friendly and to take care of you, they just might be slow at delivering.
Price:Very, very decent. $5-8 for lunch specials. For dinner, unless you are ordering the scary whole-fish in clay pot, which they talked me out of one night, claiming it would not be something a white boy like would enjoy, most everything is $9 and under.
Overall: If you find yourself in these netherregions of the Metroplex, Thai Garden is the choice for a satisfying, budget-conscious lunch, as long as you are not on a 30 minute schedule.
We noticed on this trip that there is a naughtiness when creating a phonetic translation of the Thai language. You probably can't read the sign Mistress Lauren is holding but it advertises Thai Garden's Quam Suk Happy Hour. Arent you just the least bit curious about the Quam Suk Happy Hour?
Lets not get started on the many interpretations of the Prik King Tofu, we could be here forever trying to decipher that one :)
Thai Garden
Dallas
Thai
posted by Jim at 12:20 AM
5 Comments:
I always feel absolutlely ridiculous when I order food at Thai restaurants. I wonder if the restauranteurs shudder when we attempt to sound out their language. My favorite is Praw Mee Kraow. Although I may not now how to say the names of their dishes I have no problem eating them. I love Thai food.
If there is all you can eat Prik King Tofu at the Quam Suk Happy Hour, I'm there!
7:43 AM
Adam, I'm sure they get a kick out of our pedestrian interpretations. I dont give them the satisfaction anymore, I just tell them I want #3, jack up the heat.
Hmmm, I will check to see if there is a bottomless Prik King Tofu option on the Quam Suk Happy Hour. LOL
1:56 PM
Why thanks Brian. Oh, and thats Prik King to you Mr. :-D LOL
1:58 PM
Sounds Good! I grew up in a "rodeo town" in central CA. There was a restaurant there called "Clovis Country" that hit the chopping block. It's replacement = "Thai Country" with all the rodeo decor (pasture murals on the walls, horseshoes, wagon wheels, you get the picture) still intact (and only 1/2 a neon sign to replace). Their food was wonderful, but I practically would bust up when the small Asian man would walk out and say, "Horwdy Pawrdner". Too funny.
5:05 PM
Scott, Thai Country, that is a hoot! Hard to believe that would switch to a Thai restaurant in a rodeo town. It makes me want to go there if only for the photo op :)
7:44 PM
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