Taste of Thai

March 2010

Location

301 G Street (on the corner of 3rd St.)

Hours

Daily 11:30am-10pm

Phone

(530) 297-5588

Website

http://www.tasteofthaisac.net/

Owners

Vitavat Lumpongpoung and Duangthida Sahatranseekul

Established

2010-04-29

Payment Methods

Cash, Check, Credit Cards, Other?

Menus

Lunch Menu

Dinner Menu

Taste of Thai is a Thai restaurant that took over Noodle Express' old location. According to a sign on the window, it is authentic, fresh, healthy, and without MSG. The owners, Vitavat Lumpongpoung and Duangthida Sahatranseekul, have other restaurants by the same name in Sacramento, Natomas, and Roseville.

The building originally served as Davis' first bank, the Bank of Yolo. It was built in 1910.

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• Comments from before they opened

2010-05-04 18:10:12   They're finally open!! I stopped by there tonight to get some take-out for dinner. They said they opened on Thursday, April 29. They have the same exact menu offerings as their other locations, but I don't know if the prices are the same. The take-out order of Thai fried rice that I got seems like a smaller portion compared to their Natomas location, but it's still good! —pvo

2010-05-04 19:18:29   Tried it out Saturday night. Did a great job on the remodel of the interior and has a nice atmosphere. However, sadly the food was average. I was hoping for a new favorite Thai place in Davis but it seemed like just a run of the mill Thai place. It was slow when we sat down and so all the food came out at once. We didn't have time to take 1 bite of our appetizer before the main dish arrived and then it got cold waiting on us. Will likely go give it a 2nd try though. —HeatherMartin

2010-05-18 14:53:20   First time at Taste of Thai today. As I always do when trying a new Thai restaurant, I order the Pad Thai. I've had this dish (pretty much a National dish in Thailand) in every Thai place in Davis now. And I have to say that this has been my favorite so far (though my memory is fading a bit w.r.t. other Thai places). Pad Thai should ideally have a good mix of chicken (or pork), tofu, and shrimp and this is exactly what it had. The sauce was just right. Will be going back for sure. Also the decor is simply amazing. If you ever went there while it was Noodle Express, you won't recognize the place. —KeithBradnam

2010-05-20 00:57:55   I rather like MSG.... its in all my favorite foods. What's all this crap about removing the seasoning from my dishes.... MSG is no worse than salt, unless you claim you're allergic to it. —carpenoctum

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monosodium_glutamate#Health_concerns People follow stupid health trends all the time. Remember when trans fats were better for you than butter and now people are banning it? People also love demonizing macronutrients such as fats and carbs because all they hear is that these two things will make you fat. —hankim
  

• Many people have strong reactions to MSG, such as severe headaches. —IDoNotExist
  

• Not that scientific studies have ever been able to reproduce... which is what the link Han was giving you states. And it has been studied pretty well. -jw
  

2010-05-21 12:20:52   Tried this for the first time last week. It's my new favorite Thai place in Davis. I eat at Thai places a lot and rotate between Thai Nakorn, Thai Bistro, Thai Dynomite adn sometimes Kee.... Taste of Thai is my new go to for Thai. We tried 3 dishes (our "staples") - a curry, beef salad, and pad thai, and all were really good. I also like how we can choose I level of spiciness. The last thing Davis needed was another Thai place, but I'm glad this place opened up. —ces139

2010-05-23 14:11:36   Tried this place last week and it's great! The interior is great, the service was excellent, and I really enjoyed the food (had the seafood curry). Definitely will be coming back and well worth anyone in town giving it a shot! —cfb

2010-05-26 08:12:23   Went here twice since they opened and I have to admit that its pretty good. The Tad Mun sp? appetizer was excellent and might even be better that Thai Nakorn's version. Was very disappointed with the duck curry though. Curry was alright , but the duck had NO flavor. Also the Pad Thai was good except for the fact the tofu was not marinated and retained its "tofuy" flavor... some might find this a good thing, but I don't. Second time around my wife tried another curry dish that I really liked, it had bamboo roots (Which I love) in a light chicken curry. My biggest complaint is not with the food, but with the decor, or lack of. They need to figure a way to dampen the noise and sound vibration along with increasing ventilation until all the wood stain and varnish oder goes away. I'll try it again. —Your2Cents

2010-05-28 14:54:11   Went with a couple of people for lunch today and tried three lunch specials, the pad kee mao (drunken noodles), penang curry, and pra ram (peanut sauce on vegetables). I'm usually disappointed in Davis Thai restaurant renditions of drunken noodles, as they are usually one-dimensional, either hot or salty, but not with the nice combination that works well together. Taste of Thai's version is in my opinion the best so far, with "hot" being a reasonable hotness and it had a nice sweetness as well. The penang curry was good as well, with a nice addition of kaffir lime leaves. Pra Ram was also good as well, with a nice rich peanut sauce. As for meat, the chicken was much better than the beef, as the beef in the Pra Ram was quite tough while the chicken in the drunken noodles were nicely tender. —spencerchang

2010-05-28 19:16:57   I tried this place a try. It may have been the particular dish that I ordered, or maybe they had a bad night, but unfortunately it wasn't very good. The dish that I ordered is supposed to be spicy and served hot. It was undercooked, lukewarm, and not the least bit spicy. In fact, it was largely devoid of the taste that makes that particular dish so good when it is cooked right. Portion size was kind of on the small side too. I'd be willing to go here again and try something different. The place is new and they could have had an off night. But right now, I'd definitely choose most of the other Thai places in town over this one. Hope they improve... —IDoNotExist

2010-05-31 22:27:00   I have been here twice now and absolutely love it! They are reasonably priced (their lunch specials are cheaper than Ketmoree) and the food is fantastic! Their service can be slow at times, but you just need to get their attention; they usually won't come over to your table to see how you are doing. The food itself was served very fast which is great when you are very hungry. The inside of the restaurant is so beautiful! They definitely decorated authentically and there are always new things to see as you look around. This is definitely one of my favorite places in town! —LolaTorney

2010-06-06 13:06:48   Went here with a large group. The decor was quite nice, not at all what you'd expect from the outside and the menu selection was decent. The service was great despite having a large group of loud girls however I do have one complaint. The server was insistent I get my meal "medium" rather than spicy which annoyed me. I know I may look like a gringo white girl, but I live for spicy ethnic food and know what I like. Eventually I convinced the server I really did want it spicy (which took far too long to do in my opinion) and then it still came out...less than what I expected. I had to ask for some extra sauces, which he provided, but I'm not entirely convinced that he made my meal the way I requested. That annoys me. The food itself was flavorful and the servings are generous from what I saw of my friends' dishes. Overall I'd give this place a B-/B. —OliviaY

2010-06-06 13:43:35   We went on Friday night with another couple and really enjoyed it. The decor is absolutely gorgeous, and even the menus are beautiful. Service was, as many have said, both good and extremely friendly. We got the red curry, pad thai, one of the fried fish dishes (don't remember which), and an artichoke stir-fry. It was all very tasty. The fish was a little over-cooked and got a little tough, but not so much that it was a big problem—and the flavors in the dish were excellent. The pad thai had more fish sauce than most places, but I really liked it that way. Aside from the fish being over-cooked, my only complaint was that the serrano chiles in the curry were cut small enough to not be obvious, but still in quite large chunks, so if you bit into one... well, let's just say that we each had one bite of the curry that required a full glass of water post haste.

All in all, the service was great, the decor was fantastic, and the food was good. We'll certainly go back again. —TomGarberson

2010-06-06 23:49:57   Went here today. Service was really awesome. Atmosphere was great. Food was okay. I had the red curry with chicken but it was very bland compared to the curry I have had at other places and the rice felt a little mushy. Despite the blandness and the rice (maybe an off day?) I enjoyed my meal. The tap water here seems to be filtered or something as well. Tastes different in a good way than the water I have had elsewhere. Probably will come back and give another dish a try. —hankim

• I ordered takeout for lunch the other day and this time they asked how spicy I wanted the curry. It was much better this time. —hankim
  

2010-06-07 14:56:24   Came here yesterday for an early dinner. Ambiance is beautiful, though the floor could use some carpeting or paneling, or something. Service was nice, host was not at the front however so we had to peek in and catch their attention before we got seated, it was a little awkward. We ordered the two dishes I always sample at each Thai restaurant: Pad Kra Pow, and the basic Pad Thai both made as Thai hot. In terms of spiciness, this place actually makes food as spicy as you ask. I have a supreme spicy tolerance, and our orders had me almost sweating and dizzy. I loved it. The food itself was decent. A little bland. Nothing special. Not awesome, not horrible. Average in my opinion. Nice place overall, but my heart still belongs to Thai Bistro when it comes to Thai food in Davis mainly because their food is flavorful and they give you large portions. —ThUn

2010-06-18 23:07:51   I was pleasantly surprised how nice the inside was, quite the upgrade from noodle express. Did they raise the ceiling? The chicken satay (I know very simple) started off the meal right, not overcooked/dry like some other thai places in town. I had the special basil lamb which was great, the basil leaves were actually kind of crispy which was interesting. Can't wait to try the other dishes. —BillBroadley

2010-06-24 14:47:58   I came here for lunch with my friends and the BBQ chicken was so good! The meat was juicy and the skin was crispy...definitely recommended~ —Magster

2010-06-24 20:22:36   This is a classy place. They were eager to please: they chased me down outside after watching me peer into the window, wondering whether to give it a try. Later, I watched one worker sprint across the floor to answer the ringing telephone. I was impressed that they really cared about every single guest. The food was unexpectedly delicious; very fresh. The only messup was that they dropped one of our items from our order -I guess they didn't register that item. Then, we weren't billed for it either, so we just let it go. The interior is clean and nicely decorated in brown carved hardwood. I would definitely go back. —SteveDavison

2010-06-25 02:12:31   The Sac location —there on Broadway is awesome! —AshleyHamidi

2010-06-29 21:50:57   Have eaten there three times now and enjoyed it every time. Food tasted fresh and clean. Of all the Thai restaurant in Davis, I have preferred the Pad Thai here to any other place. I will definitely go back there. —KeithBradnam

2010-07-07 11:27:49   Yum! I was pleasantly surprised by this place. It's been better than any other place in town the couple of times I went — their curries and pad kee mow are excellent, for example. It seems like they had a bit of trouble getting things going in the service department at first, but the service has been very good recently. The only other complaint I might have is that the spice levels aren't always consisent, as in I've had to order "Thai hot" to get things to be up to my desired spiciness level, and then the next time I've ordered the same dish at the same spiciness it was way too hot. Altogether, though, the food, atmosphere, and service have been excellent. This is my Thai restaurant of choice in town, and I hope it sticks around. —jmofro

2010-07-18 13:15:00   The food was great, but the service was egregious... Went in about twenty minutes before closing to a completely empty restaurant except for a table of people related to the business. Saw an old friend working as a waiter but we had some chick who was openly rude multiple times. Did a poor job explaining that the kitchen was closing so we should "hurry up" when we asked for little more time (this was our first time here, we were giving the menu the once over) she rolled her eyes and said under her breath but still loud enough for everyone to hear "really?!" then she came back and was unfamiliar with the menu (my buddy ordered an appetizer by name, she said "whaaat" so he said a-2 or whatever number/letter combo it's identified as, she further says whaaat? even though my friend spoke loudly and clearly) moreover they never refilled the waters. If it's close to closing don't effing seat us you high horsed accentless college aged server shooting us looks of contempt as we patronize your spot cause were stoked about it. I heard that the owners do a good job in sac, but clearly kinks need to be worked out on the service. The food was great, but the service put us all of. It's just multiple instances of clear cut slapdickery that sour the whole experience. Oh almost forget to mention: the place looks nice, the dark wood everywhere changes the vibe completely from the start white walls that noodle express had. —StevenDaubert

2010-07-18 23:01:17   We tried Taste of Thai out for the first time tonight & it was amazing! The service was excellent, our server was friendly & efficient. The ambiance was great too, the decor was gorgeous. Last but definitely not least, the food was awesome. Very fresh, well-cooked & delicious!!! I'll definitely be going back frequently!!! —Davisgirl8

2010-07-26 18:58:59   As far as Davis Thai restaurants go, Taste of Thai ranks high. The food is pretty solid; although a few dishes are bathed in one too many drops of oil. However, "Taste" is among a select few Davis Thai eateries that succeed at harmoniously melding spiciness and flavor. I am regularly disappointed with what numerous Davis Thai establishments consider as "spicy" so it was pleasant to discover (and enjoy) "Taste's" successful blend.

The major high point is the stimulating decor and ambiance. I've got to applaud the owners of "Taste." These guys really transformed that space. Noodle Express's stark, white walls and grim atmosphere always reminded me of an inner-city bail-bonds. The earthy feel of the wood interior and general "openness" is a serious overhaul of drab and depressing Noodle Express.

Overall, "Taste" is a solid entry into the Davis Thai scene. The food does not sway far from its competitors and prices are similar as well. Sadly, it is this lack of difference that makes it difficult to recommend "Taste" over another Davis Thai eatery. Ultimately the decision to spend your college dollars here will fall upon your own personal tastes and opinions about Davis' various Thai joints. —blastoff

2010-08-01 17:24:20   Has anyone mentioned the free Thai iced tea refills? Does anyplace else in Davis have this?? That alone makes it a standout!! —StephHolm

2010-08-02 16:48:38   Way better than KetMoRee. I love Taste of Thai. I think it's the best Thai place in Davis. Can you say "Fresh Spring Rolls"? YUM. —jenb

2010-08-02 16:56:17   I wouldn't know authentic Thai cuisine if it hit me in the head, but I sure liked their Chicken Pad Thai. Free refills, professional staff, we'll go back. —JimStewart

2010-08-03 11:46:22   Went here for the first time on Saturday. Really enjoyed the food. I really like Pad Khee Mao and haven't found one that I liked in Davis since 2K closed. But, I have found it now. Really good with lots of flavors and a hint of heat. Others in my group had the curry and were also impressed with the unique flavors. I will be back. —LokiAbbi

2010-08-05 13:31:32   Yum Yum and YUMMMM! I frequent the Taste of Thai off of Broadway in Sacramento, so I was really excited to have them open up in Davis. Most of the other Thai places in Davis have no concept of what Thai hot is, but Taste of Thai takes heat (and flavor) to a new level! Everything I've eaten here is delicious, but I would especially recommend the Pad Ma Khue (a red curry stir fry with veggies that doesn't have any coconut milk in it). It is so savory it makes your mouth water. Also, their Thai iced tea is really delicious - not overpoweringly sweet or syrupy.

As far as the service: I was with a party of 6, we were seated instantly, our orders taken 5 minutes later, 1 minute to get our soup/salad, and probably 7 minutes to get our entrees. They were FAST! And not to mention, really friendly and personable.

I can't say enough good things about this place. We all left full and happy. What a great restaurant experience! I hope they continue to do well b/c this is the only Thai restaurant I will eat at in Davis from now on. —j0liefllle

2010-08-05 16:49:56   I can't wait to try it. The one in Sac is wonderful. —AshleyHamidi

2010-08-11 22:49:10   I came here with a few of my roommates for dinner. The interior decor is pretty awesome. The prices were pretty high. I have very very very little experience or knowledge about Thai food so I just looked for the dish with the most interesting name. Evil Jungle Prince. How boss is that? Anyways, I ordered it and it was pretty tasty. The basil fried rice and the Rad nah was delicious as well. I also ordered the Thai coffee and tried the Thai tea. The Thai tea definitely tasted unlike any Thai tea that I've had before and I didn't like it too much. The coffee tasted like Kahlua or something. I will definitely return, but probably for lunch to avoid the hike in prices. —BenLee

2010-08-19 12:30:57   Stumbled upon this Thai restaurant, which is near Ket Mor Ree, bought take out for lunch. Best, authentic Thai food I have had in a while. This restaurant could truly be my favorite Thai restaurant in Davis. Ordered the Pad See Ew and Thai Tea. Both were delicious. Pad See Ew actually tasted as it should unlike a few Thai restaurants in Davis, though the portion was small. The Thai Tea was also VERY authentic. Will likely visit for lunch again soon! —mjwong89

2010-09-03 07:14:03   The interior looks fantastic compared to what it was before - I'm quite impressed! I'm even more impressed with the food. I got the pad khee mao and asked for eggplants to be added to the dish. The waiter said no problem without a beat, how nice! And, it was delicious. Amazingly delicious. This is my new favorite Thai place (it used to be Thai Nakorn, but Taste of Thai's pad khee mao is WAY good. Holy shit, was it good). —ChristyMarsden