Thai food isn't something that Philadelphia's restaurant scene does particularly well. Italian, French, pub fare, Indian, Mexican, Chinese... these are the more successfully represented cuisines in town. But a great Thai place opened just down the street from me: Plan-Eat-Thai.
The menu is made up of mostly Thai dishes, with some Chinese and a few random American items. My favorite is the Drunken Noodle: full of Thai basil flavor, topped with peppery slices of lean pork (not the pink, fatty pork that is often served in Asian restaurants). The Dry Chili Cashew Chicken is not dry at all, but served in a reddish brown sauce that is both sweet and spicy. I most recently had the Broccoli Stir Fry with Chicken and even that simple brown sauce was super tasty. Vegetables are always crisp and fresh. And while not an authentic Thai dish, their crab rangoon actually taste like crab, with a hint of curry giving both flavor and a yellow hue to the cream cheese inside. The Thai spring rolls are plump with layers of meat and vegetables.
The Pad Thai is solid, not the best I've ever had but better than most Pad Thai in town. And it does come with slices of fresh mango as a garnish- a nice touch. I think the serving sauces (such as those that came with the spring rolls and crab rangoon) could be more flavorful. They all seem to be a thinner version of duck sauce.
Like Hardena, the ambiance gives no hint to the amazing food inside. It is take-out only, with the bullet-proof glass so common in Asian restaurants and bodegas around here. Instead of a sign, the name of the restaurant is written in paint on the building's exterior. Twice. Just in case you don't see it at first.
Oh and everything is ridiculously cheap. Like dinner for two with an appetizer will run you between $18 and $20. Ridiculous.
Plan-Eat-Thai
1516 Tasker St. (at Hicks and Tasker)
267-687-1778
Monday, January 5, 2009
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7 comments:
yesss!!! i love this spot.
i totally agree with you.
never judge a book by its cover?
never judge a ghetto ass thai place's food by the writing on the wall.
so good!!!
The only time this place has disappointed me so far was the night they were out of ALL varieties of spring rolls.
Otherwise, this is by far the best food find I've made since I moved into the neighborhood almost 2 years ago. Way to get the name out there! Maybe they'll be able to afford a real sign soon!
sweet! I can't wait to try this!
I just discovered your blog tonight and I'm glad I did. I had no idea this Thai restaurant existed... just a block away! Gonna try it ASAP!
Thanks Phillygrub! It's pretty great how many random good food exists in N'bold.
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