Cherylynn N.
Yelp
3.5 STARS
I never heard of Thaipoon so I was surprised to find it packed on the summer nights I've passed by, and then I saw a banner hanging outside "Voted Best Thai Restaurant" by Palo Alto Weekly's Best of...for several years in a row now.
Immediately, I yelped Thaiphoon.
*GASPS*
Three stars?!
Ok, this can mean several things:
(1) Good food and terrible service (like many Asian restaurants).
(2) Palo Altons have bad taste.
(3) Haters.
There's only one way to find out: Go for myself.
After several visits, I can see why Thaiphoon has 3 stars.
*On an authenticity standpoint, it's VERY Americanized - "spicy" = "mild", "Thai spicy" doesn't exist here. And, they serve sambal for hot sauce which isn't very hot.
*The menu is really a hit or miss, and it may take several visits to find out what they do well.
*Service is sloooooooooooow for Asian restaurant standards.
BUT....
*The staff is super nice and cordial. They're not attentive but once you flag them down, my interactions with them have been always been positive.
*FULL BAR!!!! Their top shelf cocktails are HELLA cheap! I'm talking Grey Goose Lychee Martinis for $7, y'all: http://bit.ly/2Ey7xyB! At Nobu down the block, martinis run about $20. The cocktails aren't made very well at Thaiphoon but for $7, I can overlook it.
*I noticed many people saying that Thaiphoon is expensive but I find that their prices very fair for Downtown PA standards. Our bill has always been less than $50 pp (after 20% tip) and that's with booze and plenty of leftovers.
*NO MSG. It's stated on their door, and they mean it.
*They have a very cute front patio that's semi-covered with heat lamps and dog-friendly: http://bit.ly/2AQabxm.
Ok, let's talk food. So far, I've tried the following (fav to least fav):
*House Fried Rice w/ roasted duck ($12.50): http://bit.ly/2qUEZ0v
*Roasted Duck Curry ($12.95): http://bit.ly/2D5ap9Z
*Green Curry w/ roasted duck ($12.95): http://bit.ly/2D4z2TG
*Prawns w/ basil ($14.50): http://bit.ly/2DkHJGN
*Pad Thai w/ shrimp ($12.95): http://bit.ly/2D3xwlc
*Fried Banana w/ coconut ice cream ($6.50): http://bit.ly/2qXhaFa
*BBQ Baby Back Ribs, hoisin-honey ($12.50): http://bit.ly/2CThLZZ
*"Shaken'" Beef, seared NY steak ($14.50): http://bit.ly/2mrYJ73
*Leg of Lamb w/ Thai basil ($14.50): http://bit.ly/2qX3eLm
Stick with their house fried rice (nice caramelization from the heat of the wok), curries (yummy savory sweetness) and pad thai (good chew, not overly oily). For protein choices, stick with the roasted duck (crisp skin, rich, and delicious) and shrimp (fresh, firm bite).
Avoid their pork, lamb, and beef. For some reason, they just can't properly cook these proteins and they end up super chewy.
For dessert, the fried banana spring rolls (crisp and not greasy) and coconut ice cream are decent.
Thaiphoon is in no way a destination restaurant but if you work in the area or are staying at the nearby The Epiphany/Nobu Hotel and looking for a decent, Americanized Thai meal with cheap booze, Thaiphoon is a fine option. Or, if you're like me...go to certain restaurants because of their dog-friendly outdoor seating and full bar, then Thaiphoon may exceed your expectations (given their low rating).
Hey, you just may even see Mark Zuckerberg here: http://bit.ly/2D2N5sJ (it's Jess C.'s older review but you never know).