Thai food

Cuisine Greater Taipei Restaurants
1

I’m a fan of Thai food, hot and spicy enough to make my tongue curl up, nose bleed and eyes pop out (it’ll cure any cold you may have, and a couple of other diseases, too). Any good tips for places in Taipei?

We go to Thai4zi3ye1 (how do I do Chinese?) off Fuxing and behind SOGO a lot. They cook it as authentic as we’ve have had it here in Taipei. It’s really good, normally already spicy off the menu, and if I ask for Thai spicy, they make the whole plate sizzle.

We’ve also been to Patara behind the main Eslite a few times, and while the cooking is good, it is lame when it comes to heat.

Where else can we get GOOD Thai food here in Taipei? Thanks to our personal favorite, we’ve never had the urge to be adventurous and try any pther places out.

1 Like
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You might try some of the places (usually out of the center of town) that cater to Thai construction workers. They make food so hot that normal people cannot swallow it.
I sometimes go to one in Xindian on a Sunday night, but it can get pretty… um… raucous at times. Be prepared for some strange looks.
I’ve seen them dotted around in various suburbs. I’ll try to remember some addresses next time I pass by them, and I’ll post them here.

3

You might try the South East Asian food market area. It’s a street in Shin-dian b[/b]dedicated to Thai, Cambodian and Indonesian food. It’s near the final stop on the Shin-dian b[/b] line. It’s a very authentic Sukumvit Road setting circa 1983. In fact, it’s a little too authentic and I only recommend searching it out if you are ever down that way. But sure they’ve got some dishes that are pet muk muk muk muk muk ma.

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I live about 5 mins walk from the final stop on the Xindian line (Bitan/Green Lake) and I can state categorically that there is no such street in that vicinity. Sure wish there was though.

Grasshopper, are you getting your MRT lines confused?

5

If that’s the one that was featured in the Taipei Times a while back it was near Nanshijiao station at the end of the Yonghe line.

6

Two places I’d recommend for really great Thai food…

One is the newest Thai restaurant at the Mandarina Hotel (where KISS is located, just north of Asia World Dpt. Store on Dunhua N. Road). I think the restaurant is called “Thai Thai” but basically it’s to your immediate left once you step into the lobby of the Mandarina.

It’s rather pricy, but the food there is really great, atmosphere is terrific, and I’ve never had a bad experience there.

The second place is a chain restaurant called Mae Nam Thai Food, which is – if you can believe this – ALL-YOU-CAN-EAT THAI FOOD for something like NT$439!

Even more astounding is that the food is really really good! I’ve been taken there (and have taken others there) many times, I and everyone else I went with very much loved the food.

And, even more surprising than THAT is that I actually have their business card here at the office. Addresses (but call first):

#45, Nanjing E. Road, Section 4
2712-5643

#91, Linsen N. Road
2543-1718

#51, Lane #308, Guangfu S. Road
(or #163 Yanji Street, basically going north on Yanji from Renai, it’s the second alley to your right)
2731-2170

3/F, #6, Lane 81
Zhongxiao E. Road, Sec. 6
2783-7582

If you do check out these places, do post your opinion about them here, would be interested to know what you think!

7

Thanks for recommendation, Christina.

Which one do you suggest as having the nicest atmosphere for a large party of about 10?
Will I need to make a reservation?

8

Hi Alien,

The nicest in terms of atmosphere (though you’ll be paying for it!) is Thai Thai, and you do have to make reservations there.

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Christine,

We may have to try your Thai Thai out, even though it sounds really expensive the way you desciribe it. What’s good about the place in my first post here is that the atmosphere is good, the food is mosty excellent and I and the wife rarely exceed NT$1,000 - 1,100 for 3 or 4 dishes and a couple of bottles of Thai beer. Make that 7 or 800 if you leave the beer out. But then again, what would Thai food be without Thai beer?

P

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Hi P. Well good luck, hope you enjoy it and do post your thoughts here. It’s not really THAT expensive, more that the plates are smaller than what you pay for. It’s fancy in that the interiors are quite ritzy, but for local standards I’d say that it’s done quite tastefully. A “see” and “be seen” kind of place.

Either way, I think pretty much all of the Thai places I’ve been to in Taiwan beats all those I’ve been to in the U.S. It just seems more ‘authentic’ here for some reason, but then again I was never really into Thai food until I came to Taiwan so perhaps I didn’t know what I was looking for back then (lol).

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Thanks Christine,

I just made a reservation at Thai & Thai, for next Sunday.

If anyone wants the number to book a table, call the Mandarina Crown Hotel at: 2712-1201
Just ask to be connected to Thai & Thai.

Will let you know what we thought.

12

I am a bit spoiled. My girlfriend is Thai. She cooks for me, and she makes it extra spicy!

But when out on the road we’ve enjoyed the following place in Taipei:

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So here’s one verdict of the Thai & Thai place. I never went there myself, but my wife was invited there today, and this is what she thought:

The food was good, well prepared, but not very spicy. More like the Patara place behind the main Eslite. She agreed with Christine’s description of the interior and the overall atmosphere, as well as with the servings being a bit smaller than normal, but not to the extent where it was disturbing. She was quite happy with the experience.

It was on the expensive side, though, so Christine was right on prices as well. NT$3,500 for five dishes, three glasses of juice and two desserts. At our favorite spot (opening post) we’ll get that for NT$2,000 less, around 1,500 bucks, and the heat comes for free.

We’re generally willing to pay a mark-up for atmosphere, and have more than once paid more than their Thai & Thai bill for a good meal for two in a good atmosphere. Considering what we get at our favorite place, though, my wife (D) doesn’t think that the Thai & Thai experience justifies that mark-up in comparison. Since I am a gentle man and always take her word for things, I therefore think I’ll give it a miss.

14

FWIW: The director of the Thai Trade Center in Taipei said in today’s Taiwan News that he recommends Patara and Thai & Thai, both of which have already been mentioned in this thread. He’s probably not the kind of guy to know the best spots in night markets, though.

“Thai & Thai, located on the ground floor of the Mandarina Crown Hotel on Dunhua North Road, and Patara, a cozy restaurant off Anhe Road,” he said. “Other Thai restaurants are just as good, but these two restaurants offer ‘typical’ Thai cuisine.”

15

Christine and everyone,

Tonight, a big group of us took our professor to Thai and Thai for dinner. It was EXCELLENT!
Everyone enjoyed it. The atmosphere was lovely. It’s a huge place, and if you’re with a big party, they’ve these great round tables with gorgeous glass lazy susans. The restaurant is done up with elegant wood carvings and these fabulous glass bead partitions. There’s a funky sort of strobe projection on the wall, and I can’t rave enough about the interior design.
For the food, we ordered about 15 dishes, ranging from lemon chili fish, to green chicken curry, papaya salad, tom yum soup (pretty darn spicy), seafood salad, plump shrimp cakes, and coconut icecream with fresh fruit…all very well prepared, delicious, and displayed elegantly. We also had a couple bottles of Shiraz, a few beers and bevvies. How much do you think it all cost?
a little over $7000!!!
I’d rate it as the best Thai restaurant I’ve been to in Taipei, and I’ve been to loads since it’s my fave cuisine.
I can’t rave enough. Especially since I got the credit for having made the reservations, and all…thanks Christine!
Try it, you won’t be disappointed.
Btw, it’s on Tun Hua, just past the Fridays at the corner of Chang Chun.

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My apologies for being a cheap bastard but does anyone know a place that you do not have to had over a weeks pay to eat at. What was the verdict on this supposed “food market” near shin dian or was it yung hu? anyone?

17

Do you know where Kiss Pizza is on Yunhe Street, off Shida Road? Well, just next door (right side), there’s a cheap and pretty damn good Thai place. There’s like only 6 tables in there and no atmosphere, but the food is great and I get take out for less than $100 about once a week or more.

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I thought they only had about one vegetarian dish though - the Pad Thai(sp?) or am I wrong?
Bri

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Can you tell me more about this Thai/Cambodian/Indonesian street? I live by the Nanshijiao MRT stop and have never come across this… PLEASE tell me where to find it! Thanks!

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Perhaps this is the Taipei Times article you mean. I ate once at a low-rent but very good Burmese restaurant near Nanshijiao. If your back is to the street that runs perpendicular to the end of the line (and so you’re facing the station), the restaurant is ahead and on the right.