I have been to various Thai restaurants in the Capital District (Sri Siam in Rensselaer, Sushi Aroydee in Queensbury, former Blue Spice in Delmar, former Bangkok Bistro in Colonie, etc...) and this one is probably the second best (after Sushi Aroydee) by a small margin, so far. Disclaimer: I've only been here once, so I'm hesitant to give it top billing until I've gone at least a few times. Also, I ordered takeout, so this review only addresses that aspect.
The Good:
The yellow curry. OMG the yellow curry! This was definitely one of the best curries I've ever had. It was thick, extremely flavorful, and I felt it was an ample serving for the price. I ordered mine with chicken, and there was a good amount of chicken actually in it, where it was quite balanced with the vegetable portion. I've definitely had meals from other Thai establishments where they went a little bit too heavy on the veggies, and were stingy with the meats.
Also, the chicken was good quality. Nothing yucky happening, just nice bites of breast meat (which is my preferred cut.)
I also felt that the amount of rice I received was adequate, sticky, and tasty, whereas that has also been an issue at other Thai spots. Sometimes, way too much rice and not enough of the actual entree, other times, hardly any rice (or none included!) So that was fantastic.
While this was a plus for me, it may be a minus for others and is worth noting: They are NOT messing around with the spice at Celadon Thai, if you ask for it. They have a spiciness scale of 1-4 (or 0-4 maybe?) and I asked for a 3. It was plenty hot, and I love spicy foods. For comparison, my husband asked for a 4, and it was actually challenging to eat. Some restaurants will not make your food spicy even if you beg them (I'm looking at you, Bangkok Bistro!) However, Celadon is not one of them. Just be conscious of this and then enjoy!
Lastly in terms of good, I was pleased with the price (I believe it was $14 for my curry, about average) for the value. Because the quality and quantity were both above satisfactory, I thought this to be one of the best values for Thai food in the Albany Area. Also, the owner repeated our order back to us after she took it, and she had us check the food upon our arrival to ensure the order was complete and accurate. That's rare, and helpful.
The Bad:
My husband ordered the Stir-Fry King Curry, I believe it was, and he was less satisfied with his meal. It was definitely more stir fry and less curry, as it was a mostly dry dish (which, to be fair, is described as such on the menu.) They did not list the vegetables in this entree on the menu, which would have been helpful, as he can't eat broccoli and this ended up being chock full of it.
So overall, great curry, definitely spicy, fantastic value, and ask questions if you can't handle certain veggies or ingredients. I will absolutely give this place another go!
Oh, and PS -- echoing some other reviews, the owner (or manager?) is definitely a stern woman. My husband described her demeanor as a "drill sergeant." So be aware that she definitely has a brusque manner. Maybe this would best be suited as a take out option for those who prefer more personable customer service. ;) read more