Short review: Recommend the Miang Kha Na the most and the duck with anything. Others loved the oyster pancake.
I was at this restaurant with a large group of people having heard rave reviews and nothing disappointed outside of one dish. My only other complaint is that the seating was a bit too cramped as one side was against the wall so people have to go in from the other side. I got a roselle (or hibiscus) juice which was fine and it helped with any spice. They also have a rather unique cocktail menu for a Thai spot. Unsure of the prices as this was a group order but we shared the following dishes (with it ordered by category:)
Bib Gourmand:
Miang Kha-Na- Dried pork with lime, chili, peanut, onions, ginger and Chinese broccoli leaf
I had something similar to this in Thailand and this was my favorite thing here. Wonderful mix of spice, sourness, heat, and sweetness perfectly representing what good Thai food is. Order this.
Yum Pla Duk Fu Salad- Crispy fired shredded catfish served with a spicy and tangy mango salad
This was the other dish on said Gourmand though I don't really understand this choice. The catfish was chopped up into tiny pieces and they were fries so much that they couldn't be tasted. The mango salad was of course delicious but I wouldn't recommend it especially if you want the flavor and texture from the catfish.
Crispy dishes:
Crispy Garlic Shrimp- Deep fried with fried garlic and pepper served with Thai omelette
This was the most successful of the fried dishes. The shrimp had a good crunch but retained some sweetness and texture. The Thai omelette on the side was fine though I personally prefer mine topped with a spicy sauce also.
Hoy Todd-Crispy mussel pancake served with fried bean sprout and sweet spicy sauce
This was also good with a crunch compared to the similar seafood omelettes found in Taiwan for instance. I avoided having much because of related allergies but I liked the texture and it was loved by many.
Noodles:
Khao Soi Noodle- Egg noodles with chicken legs in creamy coconut yellow curry soup, scallion, red onion, pickled mustard greens and cilantro
This was an good rendition but I've had better. The spices were more pronounced in some other spots even outside of Elmhurst. Good chicken though and a good portion of properly cooked noodles. Would somewhat recommend.
Pork Drunken Noodle/Pad Kee Mao/-Flat rice noodles sautéed with egg, chili paste, onion, tomato, bell pepper and fresh basil.
Tasty variant with a nice amount of heat. I generally like this dish and this version had a nice balance of holy basil and spice. Definitely on the hotter end and that's my preference.
Curries:
Duck Panang- Crispy 1/2 duck with basil in coconut milk and Panang curry paste
The duck here was outstanding and I would recommend it with almost anything. Perfectly cooked and the Panang/Phanaeng curry wasn't overly sweet. Would recommend
Chicken Green Curry- Green curry paste, Thai eggplant, bamboo shoot, fresh basil, bell pepper and coconut milk.
Also good. Lighter than the panang but with a good mix of vegetables. Chicken again was cooked nicely. I preferred the former but still very tasty.
Dessert:
For dessert we got the mango sticky rice and the durian sticky rice. The mango sticky rice was a good version with very fresh mango and not overly sweet sticky rice. While the durian one was a smaller, I preferred it. It was served in a unique way with the durian being in a coconut milk broth and it was delicious. Nice funk with some sweetness from the sticky rice.
Overall the food was very good. I have had better Thai but the flavors were outstanding outside of perhaps the catfish and the Khao Soi. I can see why others love this spot. Big portions (outside of the shrimp) of very good food. Mid 4. read more