Comments on: The Latest in Asheville Thai Food: Tamarind

By: shewhoeats

shewhoeats — Thu, 01 May 2008 16:09:17 +0000

And honestly, I do really love all of the basil dishes at Thai Basil. I probably eat there more than any other Thai establishment in town.

By: shewhoeats

shewhoeats — Thu, 01 May 2008 16:06:41 +0000

I completely agree with you, Phrik Khi Nu, that the problem is not with the chefs, but with the clientele not knowing how to eat it. Well said.
Case in point: CF Chan’s served a fabulous dim sum menu for about four months before they changed their menu to standard chinese fare, because Ashevillians could not handle the different flavors and preparations of dim sum. But then they were just another chinese restaurant with no unique offerings, and they didn’t last long after the switch. it tragic that by and large, folks around here can’t handle truly authentic tastes when it comes to Asian food.

By: Phrik Khi Nu

Phrik Khi Nu — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 15:53:12 +0000

Honestly, Thai Basil is the best IMO from a culinary preparation standpoint, though maybe not the most authentic, in town, you just have to know what to ask for… The Thai chef makes an amazing nam prik pao (you have to ask for it), and their plaa gaeng panang and pad kee mao are excellent and pretty damn authentic… I think the lack of som tam around these parts is really due to the lack of green papaya, not skill level or “authenticity”.

Unfortunately, none of the restaurants in Asheville have the “real” thing, but as anyone who’s been to Thailand knows, you can easily have a hard time finding the “real thing” in Bangkok (15 baht pad thai on khao san, anyone?).

In summary, most Thais around here can cook very well, and quite authentically, it’s just that they’re used to serving a bunch of farangs with no palate for spicy, fishy, REAL Thai flavors, and Asheville is chock full of said farangs… I can cook better Thai food than is generally served in these restaurants, but I don’t think it’s because they don’t know what they’re doing, it’s because people who live here don’t know how to eat it (for the most part). I guarantee that pad thai makes up 95%+ of the gross orders in Thai restaurants in this town (and probably America in general)

I think a comment I heard in a Chinese restaurant next to Earthfare sums up the popular attitude around here - “Who ever heard of a dang Chinese restaurant without a buffet?!?!” - pretty much everyone in China, buddy…

By: harry hood

harry hood — Mon, 14 Jan 2008 01:30:57 +0000

Thats the usual Fonz - Lenny I think.

I avoid eye contact as much as possible. Usually works.

By: Kristen

Kristen — Sat, 12 Jan 2008 21:47:25 +0000

I’m going to Tamarind tonight, and hope for good results…

However I have to mention Noi’s Thai Kitchen– my boyfriend was leaving town for the week so we went to have a nice dinner date. It looks pretty cheesy inside, which is disappointing because I value atmosphere. In any case, I enjoyed the food but our date was nonexistent thanks to the owner (who I think is Noi’s husband, maybe the ‘Fonz’ referred to above). We were trying to spend some quality time, and instead this guy insisted on hanging at our table and discussing scissor sharpening. It was unreal how bad a conversationalist he was–he seemed to be boring himself as well. Anyway, he didn’t notice our hints and it was an uncomfortable and frustrating dinner, not at all worth the price.

By: Jessica

Jessica — Fri, 21 Dec 2007 19:15:40 +0000

Thanks for the tip! I’ll try to make it out there. Any idea how vegan-friendly they are? (fish oil, chicken fat, etc.)

If you ever make it to Cincinnati, OH you must take a side trip to Lemongrass. There isn’t a place in Asheville that can beat them (and they’re Thai as well).

By: harry hood

harry hood — Tue, 30 Oct 2007 02:50:11 +0000

Ate at Noi’s tonight. It was ok, but just ok. Very fresh vegetables and a good basil sauce, but something in middle of the flavor wave™ just went flat. I ended up dumping all the chili sauce I could on it to fill in whatever was missing and it just did not make it. Afterwards, two other people dining with me basically said the same thing. We were the only customers the whole time we were there, so maybe they weren’t in their groove.

By: AD

AD — Sat, 25 Aug 2007 02:01:42 +0000

I went to Tamarind for the first time tonight and had a horrible experience. First, let me mention that my husband and I are Thai food fanatics, and know good Thai when we taste it. I agree with these other reviews that while Asheville has a plethora of Thai restaurants for its size, it is quite lacking in quality.
Ultimately, the entrees we ordered were superb, and if we hadn’t waited for over an hour for them, this would become a weekly visit for us. However, no meal is worth that. To be more clear in just how badly managed this establishment appears to be, note this: First, when we got there, we (being the first one’s in line to be seated), were completely ignored for about 10 minutes. Then, the table we reserved ahead of time was almost given away right in front of us. After intercepting that problem, we sat down and ordered drinks and an appetizer, along with our meal. It took 45 minutes to get the appetizer, and while waiting for it, we only received one visit from the waiter in that time period, which meant no refills on drinks or explanation as to what was taking so long. After finally receiving and hungrily scarfing down our shrimp cakes (greasy, bland and spongy), it took another 15 minutes to receive our entrees.
For me, one of the most spectacular pleasures in eating good Thai cuisine is the act of slowly eating and savoring every bite of all the wonderful bursts of flavors. However, by the time our entrees showed up (which were very delicious), it was impossible to relish the experience. Because my dinner was basically ruined, I kindly asked to speak to the manager. I thought it was perfectly reasonable to ask for a minimum of half off our meal as a good gesture to get me to return in hopes of a better experience and a chance for them to redeem themselves. Not only did the ”
manager” refuse to come out, she relayed to the waiter that we were not to receive a discount. We then spoke to the host (who offered to take care of us next time we came in and seemed to be trying his hardest to keep things afloat all the way around), who told us that he has been begging her to hire more staff, and she has refused.
I worked in restaurants for many years (and am very sensitive to and tolerant of reasonable situations that can occur in the course of an evening), and I know that this type (or lack of) management is inexcusable. I certainly hope that this manager changes her tune and treats both her employees and customers much better, or a good thing for our area will be lost.
Maybe a poor reputation is the reason they left Greenville.

By: jenn

jenn — Tue, 21 Aug 2007 23:00:00 +0000

I just found out about this place and was looking for reviews.
We LOVE Jae (now Red Orchid). I thought Noi’s was not very good, and Thai Basil was just a step above Noi’s. I went to Thaicoon once (before it became Thaicoon Ricefire or whatever. The owner yelled at the cooks and cashier guy the whole time. It really turned me off. The food was ok. The sauce was very thin there.
We may check out Tamarind tonight. I am a fiend for Massaman Curry.

By: harry hood

harry hood — Thu, 16 Aug 2007 05:30:16 +0000

Went to Noi’s today. Ordered the special of the day - Priew Wan. Cucumber, Onion, Bell Pepper, Pineapple in Noi’s sweet and sour sauce. I got it with chicken and though it was a very good disk. Not too sweet or sour and a nice mixture of the tart and sweet vegetables. I also got the Tom Kha Gai. Their version of this soup it good, but I really prefer more onions and galangal. It would be nice if they offered their soups in sizes to serve more diners. Could offer a chance to make a good presentation as well.
And, a bonus! I my order was to go during an obvious rush and took a bit longer. But, it was time well spent due to my complimentary glass of red wine. Gotta love it.

By: harry hood

harry hood — Wed, 15 Aug 2007 05:35:13 +0000

Isnt it Noi’s on Merrimon? Almost all Thai people plus The Fonz. Nice place and I think the food is almost always quite good.

By: Gourmet Grrl

Gourmet Grrl — Mon, 23 Jul 2007 18:32:28 +0000

That’s right, I forgot about the place on Merrimon. I have to say I did not enjoy it at all when I ate there, but it’s been a long while. I will return and see if it has improved, and if I can explain my issues with the place. But good to know there are actual Thai people making Thai food somewhere in Asheville!