thai food – ChefsGirl

Banana Blossom Thai Cafe (Gretna, New Orleans, LA)

chefsgirlnola@gmail.com — Sun, 02 Oct 2016 14:00:53 +0000

I re-discovered this restaurant recently with a group of friends and the hubby and I couldn’t help but return. When the old Cafe Zen relocated to the corner center of this strip, we accidentally went inside this restaurant but never gave it a chance. Now, they’ve “blossomed” into something great. They’ve never updated their signage so it could easily be missed. The sign says “THAI” in red letters and that’s it…

Roasted Brussel Sprouts.

Roti.

Fried Rice with Fried Chicken.

Pad Thai.

YUM! Solid dishes all around and our waitress was so spunky and sweet! She had the best recommendations. We ordered the brussel sprouts as her suggestion and it was beautifully plated but equally as delicious. We also ordered our usual Roti and Pad Thai. Be sure to request for spice if you like a little kick. I forgot and was so sad! We opted for Fried Rice with Fried Chicken and it was actually amazing! If you’re in the Gretna area and are looking for a good Thai spot, try Banana Blossom!

LOVE: Solid Thai food. My fav was the Fried Chicken Fried Rice. Great fresh strawberry mojitos!

What NOT to LOVE: Pad Thai is a bit dry but still good. Signage is poor so it can be easily missed. Look for Yoga Krewe and Cafe Zen nearby.

Rating: 4/5 spoons

Royal Thai (Harahan, New Orleans, LA)

chefsgirlnola@gmail.com — Sun, 02 Oct 2016 02:03:43 +0000

Another Thai gem! I use to think there was limited good Thai food in the city, but I’ve realized there’s plenty hidden throughout the city. The latest and greatest find is Royal Thai located in Harahan.

Chicken Thai Basil.

Green Curry.

Pad See Ew.

Royal Dip.

Thai Chicken Wings.

Curry Puff.

Nothing failed to please! My friends and I LOVED the Royal Thai dip and ordered a second..maybe even a third??? (Along with maybe 5 rounds of sake…) Everything was great. We ordered the Pad Thai, Pad See Ew, Chicken Wings, Curry Puff, and Green Curry. I loved every single dish. The restaurant is not too far from the Elmwood Shopping Center, but it is hidden in a more warehouse-y commercial area. It’s so worth it!

LOVE: Royal Thai Dip. Solid and delicious classic Thai dishes. Affordable drinks.

What NOT to LOVE: nothing?

Rating: 5/5 spoons

Thai Spice Express (Sharpstown, Houston, TX)

chefsgirlnola@gmail.com — Sun, 26 Jun 2016 00:49:36 +0000

Every time I go to Houston, it’s mandatory that I go to Thai Spice Express. There’s multiple locations throughout Houston but this one is my favorite! It’s got the best and homiest Thai food around! I’ve also tried quite a few other restaurants in the city and they may be nice BUT not as flavorful. There’s counter service, they bring the food to you, and you pay afterwards.

Pad Ka Praw. Ground Meat. Green Beans. Chili Basil Sauce.

Spicy Combination Pad Thai (with chicken, shrimp, tofu, and egg).

Yellow Chicken Curry.

My favorite items to order are Pad Ka Praw, Spicy Pad Thai, Yellow Curry, and Green Curry. The portions here are usually rather large so it’s best shared family style. You can add spice to anything to kick it up a notch. Other items that I enjoy: Fried Whole Fish, Thai Tea.

Any particular specials to pay attention too? YES! If you’re looking for single portions, there’s a great lunch special for $6.99. If you happen to work in the area and looking for a homey, delicious lunch, this is THE spot. I miss it and wish we had one in New Orleans!

Rating: 5/5 spoons!

Lotus Xpress (Harvey, LA)

chefsgirlnola@gmail.com — Wed, 19 Aug 2015 22:40:52 +0000

This restaurant recently switched ownership from My Thai and is now either Lotus Xpress or Lotus Cafe (Yelp and their signs differ). I went to My Thai a few months ago in search of really great Thai food. I actually didn’t go inside, because it looked so dead inside! My mistake, because even though Lotus Cafe has switched ownership, the cashier told me that all of the recipes are still the same. My friends mentioned that the restaurant looks different in that it’s more of a fast food/take out AND restaurant setup. The previous restaurant was strictly restaurant only.

Thai tea and Roti. Chili sauce.

Yellow Chicken Curry.

Green Chicken Curry.

Chicken Pad Thai.

Now onto the good stuff…I ordered the Thai tea, Roti, Green Chicken Curry, Yellow Chicken Curry, and Spicy (Level 2) Pad Thai. The Thai tea was delicious. The Roti was THE BOMB…so buttery, flaky and delicious. The sauce that comes with it was good, but I wish it was thicker so it’s easier to dip into. The food comes in to go boxes, which make it easy to eat and bring the rest “to-go”! The curries came with a side salad (or wonton chips) and rice. The curries are delicious and have to be the best I’ve found in the area so far! The Pad Thai was the perfect amount of spice, but I found it a little sour (maybe too much tamarind?). Everything definitely exceeded my expectations and this restaurant will have to be one of my top Thai restaurant right now!

Rating: 4/5 spoons

Bangkok Thai (Carrollton, New Orleans, LA)

chefsgirlnola@gmail.com — Thu, 25 Jun 2015 19:53:52 +0000

There’s definitely a lack of good Thai food in this city and I feel like I’ve come pretty close to finding something good. We went on a late weekday afternoon and it was surprisingly empty. Initially, not a good sign, but we figured it was later in the afternoon and lots of people had already had their lunch. Our waitress was sweet and helpful, but there was a slight language barrier.

Thai Tea.

Level 3 Pad Thai with Chicken and Shrimp.

Green Curry. Coconut Milk. Bell Peppers. Thai Basil. Eggplant. Onions.

Param Vegetables. Stir fried vegetables topped with Peanut Sauce.

We ordered a Pad Thai with spice level 3. We tend to eat a little spicier and that was the perfect amount. We also ordered the green curry with spice level 3 also and it was even spicier since green curries tend to already be spicy. I’ve noticed that Thai restaurants in this area lack a selection of fresh, stir fry vegetables like Ong Choy or Bok Choy. Sometimes, I just want a big plate of veggies to go with my curry and pad thai, but there must be a lack of asian produce so I rarely see anything like that. Instead, we ordered the Param vegetables, which were just a mix of broccoli, carrots, baby corn, and mushrooms topped with a peanut sauce. That was surprisingly pretty good.

Overall, I’ve definitely had more wholesome and authentic Thai food in other states, but this seems to be the best in the city that I’ve tried so far. If you’re craving Thai food, Bangkok Thai will not disappoint. I got my Thai fix and was definitely satisfied!

Rating: 3/5