10/06/09

best thai food in Portland

by jim1

The Baan Thai is simply the best Thai food I have ever experienced. The service is rather slow but it is so worth the end result. They do not have a huge kitchen for cranking out large quantities of food. This is not a typical American rush in rush out experience...they do not operate that way and that's why I love this place and the people who work there! Your meals are prepared one at a time and very fresh. The trick is to call your order in ahead of time and when you walk in, your meal is steaming and waiting for you at your table. If you like it hot I would order mild or mild plus. Once in a while we get couragious and order medium but have to apply Carmex to the lips for protection prior to eating. This is the best Thai food you will find at a very reasonable price- be patient they do it right at this place!

• Pros: fresh

08/29/09

Worst service in town

by goolia

I've been going to Baan Thai for years now. And the service has gotten worse and worse. I will say they have some of the best thai food I've found. But they have some of the slowest and downright rude waiters I've ever experienced. I recently decided to only do take out, but even then, the 5 minutes I spend picking up the food only reinforces that I simply can't support a restaurant who treats their customers like this. My last experience I walked in and said hello to the server. He didnt even look up but stuck out his hand out for my card. After handing that over to him, he then walked off with the card and spent 10 minutes serving other tables and talking to his co worker. I waited patiently until he came back and handed me my bill to sign. Thereafter he disappeared again. After another 5 minutes, I decided to locate my order behind the counter and left. Baan Thai, i think you could be extremely successful. Please wake up and get some better wait staff.

• Pros: Great curries and fried rice
• Cons: Horrible service, long wait for food

08/05/09

Baan Thai is going downhill...

by ilovePDX

I have been going to Baan Thai for about 4 years now. Up until recently it has been my favorite Thai restaurant in Portland but some constant negatives inch me closer to abandoning it altogether.

For one thing I always have to wait at least 20-25 minutes longer than when I have been told that my food would be ready. On occasion I pick up food and that has meant that I have had to feed the meter. Unfortunately, because of their bad service or because the kitchen doesn't have the food ready, i have received 2 parking tickets. I feel like taking them to management and having the restaurant pay for them.

Secondly, the service is getting worse. There are a few servers who have been there a long time and they are great but some of the new people don't help their busy coworkers, never refill waters, always have excuses as to why the food is not out and/or don't check on the quality of the food.

Lastly, speaking of the quality of the food... WHAT HAS HAPPENED?! It's not very flavorful anymore. The curries are bland and the stir fry dishes are either too greasy or soaking in too much unnecessary liquid. They don't even try to mask it. Sad.

The last time I ordered from there I was sick the next day and that was even after I threw out my food after eating only a few bites. I ordered seafood and I could smell that some of it had started to turn.

I will give them one more shot (no seafood!!!) but something tells me that they have become complacent with the steady flow of customers they get from PSU and the overall quality of the restaurant had gone completely downhill.

It's too bad.

Can anyone name some good alternatives or their favorites?