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    Dalaya

    4.6 (115 reviews)
    Closed 5:00 pm - 9:30 PM
    Updated 3 months ago

    Dalaya Photos

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    DALAYA ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Trendy
    Intimate
    Romantic

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    Recommended Reviews - Dalaya

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    Dining room
    Mary C.

    I was on a business trip and tried these place because of the yelp reviews. Immediately when I drove up on a Tuesday night the parking lot and dinning room was completely filled. Great sign! It's a really small dinning room but very comfortable and well lit. It was chilly outside and it was also really cold inside. The service was good. My drink and food arrived relatively quickly. I loved the coconut broth and noodles. The flavor was delicious and so authentic. I didn't realize the chicken was in drum stick. I'd prefer just cut up chicken but it was good. I was completely surprised by this place given its rural location and yet the Thai flavors were incredible and similar to what you would find in a big city.

    Waiter said they were spicy....they are very hot!
    Michael R.

    What a great little find you don't expect this level of Thai in the backwoods of NC. Very non traditional but was excellent. Best curry dish I have eaten, wait staff very friendly didn't get a 5 star cause our waiter said the wings were spicy...so hot and I like hot that we couldn't eat them....really should say spicy hot level 10...the place has indoor and outdoor seating so cute. Well decorated. Love to go back and try other dishes so unique...don't go looking for pad Thai

    Thai tea

    This is great spot for a date night. The food is awesome and service was fast. I love that all their meats are locally sourced.

    Ami A.

    Delicious home style Thai food from the Chiang Mai region (my favorite part of northern Thailand!) The dishes are filled with flavor. We had wings as a starter which were unique and tasty! We had chicken curry with potatoes and cashews and a pork loin with pickled veggies and soft boiled eggs. Everything was delicious! The location along the river is beautiful too!

    Streetview
    John H.

    Outstanding flavors! We came on Fri night around 5:30 and didn't have any issues getting seated and opted to sit outside along the creek. They had a good selection of beers and great options for appetizers. We started with the Thai Pineapple Salad ($15) and it was excellent with a little kick to it. My bride went with the Gaeng Masaman w/chicken ($19) and enjoyed it. I ordered the Khanom Jiin Naam Yaa Plaa ($20) and it was awesome! Service from Austin was spot on explaining the menu and providing prompt attention.

    Gaeng Masaman
    Mike S.

    We had been coming to Sylva for a number of years but have never been to Dalaya but this go around we finally made it. I thought we were going to eat in but I was told by the ladies that we were just doing pick up, damn. I looked over the menu and had to go with the Khao Soi. Chiang Mai Coconut Curry Soup, Dark Meat Chicken on the bone, and Egg Noodles... Sign me up. We also had to try an appetizer and we went with the Tum Kanoon. I wasn't big on the Jack Fruit but it did come in Spicy Curry Paste it had Pork Belly and I love my Pork Belly. Our food would be ready in 25 minutes so we went and picked up everything. Once home I got into it. My Khao Soi looked great and had so much curry soup which everyone knows you can never have too much of. The meat on the chicken legs just fell off the bone and the curry brought so much flavor it also had a nice kick. I did come with Chili Oil too which I of course added for more spice and flavor. The only thing this dish was missing were my Egg Noodles. This is why you don't do take out for your first time somewhere. The Tum Kanoon was just alright for me. The Jack Fruit was much better then I thought it was be and had a lot of flavor. The issue I had was the Pork Belly was pretty much just Fried Pork Rinds and since they were boxed up were a little soggy. Again, gotta eat in at your first time at a new restaurant. I would for sure come back thought since again my biggest issues would have never been an issue if we ate there and that Khao Soi was so good plus there is more to try.

    Ashley T.

    My husband and I visit Sylva a lot and since we don't live here we like to eat and shop local so we can give back to the community while we are here. Having said that the fact that we have not come to Dalaya is mental! I have never been to Thailand but Dalaya felt very authentic but maybe with a bit of a twist on some dishes. I ordered the masaman which was delicious (my mom called it spicy but I think she is nuts it was not spicy) it was full of flavor. I also got the mango sticky rice which I loved!!! The portions were a bit smaller than I was expecting. We ordered take out, when I go back I will be dinning in. There is limited parking but it seems like there are a decent amount of tables or at least more than I had initially thought there were. There is also an ice cream truck that a very nice person at the restaurant told me all about and the flavors sound AMAZING so if you see it definitely go, I know I will be stomping on the breaks if I see it! Ps the staff seem like incredible people that are very happy to be there!

    fritters
    Sophia N.

    What a cute restaurant! The food is delicious and the restaurant is right beside a little creek. The interior is cozy and has a family feel to it. Because my dish was a pork curry, I expected it to be on the heavier side. I was surprised to find that it wasn't heavy at all and I could keep eating without getting tired of the flavor. The server was also very attentive, quick, and answered our questions well. If you find yourself in Sylva, then this restaurant is a must visit!

    John B.

    I thought the food would be great, but I underestimated the rustic charm of this restaurant, a small residential-looking building which overlooks the town's waterway. Indoor and outdoor seating was offered, but both are small and this place fills. You have to cross the railroad tracks to get there, so it is easy to miss and a bit of a bump. The menu is not standard Thai and offers a vegetarian section. Apparently a few of the other entrees can also be made vegetarian/vegan with substitutions, which the server seemed very knowledgeable about when talking to other parties but neglected to mention to me for some reason. No matter, I was quite happy with my selection, with savory noodles sauteed with dark soy sauce presented separately from some extra-crispy tofu and some pickled mustard greens. It was a delightful dish. I agreed with my server that the ginger lemongrass iced tea, while tasty, could do with less sugar. Conversely, the dessert I tried was apparently sweetened with stevia, and this mangosteen sorbet delivered noticeable flecks of the intoxicating fruit (one that is impossible to find fresh due to import restrictions, but which they somehow got some of in some form in Western North Carolina). The portion size for price is not huge, and yet they were doing significant takeout business, and I had no compunctions about checking the highest suggested tip on my check. Sadly they're only open for dinner and I don't know when I'll be in the area again.

    Curry, glass noodles and pickled veggies!
    Catherine W.

    We love Thai food and had tried to eat here the past couple of visits without success, but a few days ago was different. We are vegan and we ordered 3 of the 4 dishes they had. We split them on a plate at home among 3 people within very developed vegan and Thai pallets and boom! Wow, a flavor explosion! We really loved the tofu curry, the glass noodle dish with pickled greens and the portobello mushroom dish. We all wanted to eat there a second night, haha! We sat by the creek as we waited for our takeout and met one of the owners who was very nice and said his partner is the cook, she is in my opinion a true chef! We enjoyed the first Thai beer called Singh which was also a smooth treat. It doesn't look like much and parking lot is sure to be full but you walk up to the window. Order and enjoy a tranquil creek moment in anticipation of the wow moment you discover an array of mighty tasty dishes. Don't rely on my review, try it for yourself!

    The hibiscus tea was not too sweet and you could really taste the  hibiscus flower in it!

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    29 days ago

    This place is amazing. Everything she makes tastes so fresh and nails it every time. Probably the best Thai food we've ever had.

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    1 year ago

    A must try restaurant. One of the best restaurants I've ever been to. The flavors are phenomenal.

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    Watami Sushi And Noodles - Thai Basil Chicken with no peppers and brown rice

    Watami Sushi And Noodles

    (175 reviews)

    $$

    We came on a whim and discovered this gem 15 minutes away from Maggie Valley…read more Store is beautiful and clean. We came on a Thursday late afternoon/Early evening and got sat quickly. Waiter was spot on - tended to us quickly to get our drinks. He came and took our order and food came out fairly quickly. The vegetable tempura was great - not greasy and this one had broccoli and eggplant (I dont like eggplants but I am sure someone will.appreciate this). Fried rice - even though it was kids, it was fantastic. It was not oil soaked and the flavor was so clean. Even my picky husband said it taste so good! Rice was not mushy.. it was, excellent! The Chow Hor Fun? I wont lie... I disnt have high hopes as a restaurant in the Carolinas. Boy was I wrong! The noodles were al dente, beautiful mix of all the veggies and protein. Sauce was a little sweet for my taste, so I was able to request for some chilli sauce and was all good. Also, not greasy. I was happy. My husband got the tuna sushi nigiri, tuna roll, salmon nigiri and white tuna. It was really good! Everything was bright and did not smell fishy. Last note - portions are freakin HUGE! Like i ate a third and took the rest' and the container was full. My daighters "kids" fried rice was packed to the brim. Expect left overs, u less your a competitive eater. The price, value and quality, this was def a 5 star - our first and only in our vacation here. Highly recommend - speaking as a Chinese vacationing in the carolinas that was getting desperate for any semblance of chinese food

    Second try. Unfortunately still mid. The appetizers were decent- crab ragoon, bang bang shrimp and…read morefresh rolls (but with no peanut sauce?!?) Dinner was chow fun. Good size portion but just no flavor. Nice waiter but any request seemed too extra to handle. Not many people in the place but they had us all crammed into one corner- hard to back up your chair. Would do in a pinch but I'll keep looking for superb Thai.

    The Baht - SHRIMP AND CALAMARI HERB SALAD
 Shrimp& Calamari, red onions, chili, cilantro, scallion with spicy lime dressing

    The Baht

    (117 reviews)

    Lovely service, authentic Thai food and staff. The larb was my favorite. I even ordered one to go.read more

    The location of the restaurant is beautiful! The whole restaurant is made of glass and it overlooks…read morea creek with flowing water. There's also outdoor seating but we didn't opt for that due to ducks roaming around outside. We went for lunch one day and came back for dinner another day making it two different experiences. The first day we they mentioned they're out of papaya salad so we opt for beef jerky, pad Thai chicken, tom yum beef fried rice, and a pork & crab dry noodles. It's def on the pricey side and there is 18% gratuity already added! Good experience for lunch. We came back for dinner another night Ordered thai ice tea which was good! Ordered a shrimp pad Thai which is good as well however their pad Thai aren't consistently flavored. I guess it all depends on which protein one orders but based on all my Thai places experiences, it should be consistent no matter the protein. Anyways. I ordered glass noodles with beef and it was a bit bland I added some papaya salad sauce and it spiced it up more and better flavored. This time they did have papaya salad and it was good! My husband ordered the beef green curry. It took a while to come out probably because it was slightly hectic. It wasn't cooked as thoroughly as it should but overall the taste was ok. Rice was slightly undercooked but we didn't fuss. Overall, a good Thai experience in a place where Asian food isn't prevalent! Definitely a must try!

    Dalaya - thai - Updated May 2026

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