Iama Critic Rating - Thai Restaurant - 3 Stars
3012 Augusta Street, Greenville, SC
Our Experience:
With eighteen Yelp reviews averaging over four stars it is obvious that people love Thai Restaurant. And we too have been to Thai Restaurant on occasions when we would have given four stars to our experience, but on the night of our review, it simply wasn't the four star experience we had hope to document and photograph.
This strip mall restaurant is definitely trying to be an upper scale restaurant and the decor and prices reflect this effort. The prices are slightly above the average by a dollar or two, but the quality and flavor are also better than average. So depending on what you order you could have a three or four star experience.
Thai Restaurant is sort of like its rather in-distinctive name, it is not the best Thai restaurant, but it is far from the worse either. I guess I would say it is the best within its area, so when I don't feeling like driving across town, Thai Restaurant is my go to place for west-side Thai.
The Service - 3 Stars (15% tip)
The service we received was about average. Our waitress was attentive, but she was not social, interactive or helpful. She did her job but, but little more. For her effort we left a 15% $6.25 tip.
We typically provide 20% or more for 5 star service on the pre-tax portion of the bill, 18% for 4, 15% for 3, 12% for 2 and 0% for 1 star service.
The Food:
$5.75 A-2 Poa Pia Sod - 4 Stars
This item is described as a fresh spring roll of which you get two. It consisted of various long vegetables rolled up in a rice paper, cut and served with a delightful sauce. It was certainly better than most spring rolls, but a bit on the expensive side.
$13.75 C-3 Yam Quid - 4 Stars
This was a mighty expensive salad but it was also mighty tasty. The squid was perfectly prepared, but being the only protein in the dish it had to be. However the dish really seems to missing a few ingredients, like mussels or shrimp, maybe some cashews.
$9.75 R-4 House Special Fried Rice - 3 Stars
Usually house special fried rice is a restaurant's top of the line rice, but at Thai Restaurant their house special is third down from the top. This house special only comes with chicken and shrimp as protein with rice, egg, scallions and tomatoes making up the rest of the entree. At $9.75 the standard house special fried rice seems a bit lacking on the protein compared to most house specials.
To get the "full on" house fried rice with shrimp, chicken, beef, pork and vegetables you have to order their $9.50 R-5 Combination Fred Rice and add three or the five ingredients for an additional $0.75 each for a total price of $11.75. That is some expensive house special fried rice.
$9.75 N-1 Pad Thai Chicken - 3 Stars
The entree is made of rice noodles, tofu, eggs, bean sprouts and peanuts. You have the standard protein choices of tofu, beef, pork, chicken and shrimp; however shrimp will cost you an extra dollar. This entree, like the rice, was very tasty, but for the price it just seemed a bit meager or a dollar too much.
Total Bill:
$52.69 for two adults, including tax a tip and two soda fountain drinks.
Final Thoughts:
Thai Restaurant is teetering on the line between three and four stars. Sometimes we go and it is a solid and fantastic four, and at other times it is just an average three. It depends on what you order as to whether or not your entree will have a higher or lower price/quality/flavor quotient. However, the real test is whether or not you would go back and order the same stuff, and we most certainly will give Thai Restaurant another try. read more