Thai Dee Restaurant

Reviews 4

A

A Private User

First of all, dont let the seedy location deter you. Thai Dee wasnt blessed with the best location, and over half the people in the immediate vicinity are probably just dropping by the Corner Food Mart next door for a forty-ounce Olde English 800 and a pack of Black-n-Milds. Dont feel guilty about the relief you feel after surviving the walk through the filthy parking lot and enter an quaint space full of families, businessmen, and attractive twenty-somethings that likely herald from another part of town. Everybody feels it. But that diamond-in-the-rough feel is precisely why Thai Dee deserves four stars. Years of excellent service, inviting atmosphere, low prices, and of course great Thai food have earned the steady devotion of well-to-do clientele who are still down to earth enough to bring their own bottle. The decor is a bit haphazard and incomplete, and slightly tacky goes without saying, but the lightly-stained wood paneling and plastic palm fronds accomplish the low-pressure South-Pacific feel. New furniture has been added in recent years, so loners, couples, small and large parties are freely accommodated. Gaze in wonder at the hundreds of bits of paper announcements taped to the wall behind the register, which look like they could have been fired onto the wall all at once after being loaded into the barrel of a shotgun. The service is excellent. We were seated almost immediately and furnished with cold glasses and an opener for our BYOB six pack. After ordering, our first item, sweet and sour vegetable soup, came in under 10 minutes. Well-proportioned and perfect for two, it was prepared with a restraint that is often wanting in Asian cuisine. Fresh vegetables bathed in a broth not too spicy, not too sour, not too salty, not too sweet. According to one of my party who is familiar with the dish, the chicken satay was on the right road but not quite there. Still enjoyable, she said, but not as interesting as a spicy peanut sauce should be. Our main course consisted of two of Thailands national dishes, Pad Thai and Red Curry with shrimp. The Pad Thai also avoided several pit-falls, including excessive grease and a disproportionate measure of rice noodles. I loved the Red Curry, having had it several times, but again, one of my party found fault. "Not sweet enough," she said, wrinkling the bridge of her nose. But the highlight of the Thai Dee experience is the humility and gratitude displayed by the staff when I approached the register to pay. I believe I was thanked by five different people, multiple times, and the two behind the register bowed several times. You know what? Just for that Im going to give Thai Dee FIVE STARS. One of my party would probably find fault with that too.

CH

Chol Roman

I really like Thai Dees. The staff is courteous, swift, efficient, and willing to help with any food questions a person may have. The food is good (except for a few things I have tried). I think the portions could be a little smaller and the small soups they bring out while waiting for the main meal are delicious. Wait time can be a bit of an issue around the weekday lunch hours (12:30pm-1:30pm) because it is a small area and parking can be a major pain in the but, sometime parking on the street is the only option. I have tried...Panang Curry, extreme spice but delicious. It did seem a little too heavy on the spice/heat level but I was able to handle it with the rice as a side. Pad Woon Sen and Pad Thai, both are good and safe for those who do not want any spice. Cashew Chicken, This is by far my favorite dish. It have just the right amount of flavor and the touch of pineapple is not overpowering. I was hesitant at first to try this but I am so glad I did. It makes it hard to try anything else there since. Green Curry Noodles, I did not really care for this Chef Special. This was spicier than the Panang Curry and a HUGE portion. No rice came with this dish and just to finish the chicken I had to order a side of rice to help. Be sides the spice, its flavor was severely diminished with the spice. What flavor I could taste it didnt help that the noodles were slimy and left me feeling like it was a cereal bowl left in milk to long and lost its crunch. It is supposed to be on crunchy noodles so I was not expecting to get a bowl of soup… I had pictured the sauce in a bowl and the noodle on the side so as to keep the crunch. Whats the point in saying in the description it has "Crunchy Noodles" if by the time you get it there is no more crunch. So far this is the only thing I have ever been very disappointed in. Ginger Chicken, I think this dish would be 5 stars if a little less ginger was put in. When I usually cook with ginger I like the hints of the flavor rather than full on and burning the mouth. But I still enjoyed this dish but not on my top 5.

JE

Jeff Turpin

Thai Dee was the first Thai restaurant that I felt was excellent in San Antonio. Bangkok 54 is the second. Both have unique dishes, but both have a few in common. The neighborhood around Thai Dee (liquor store next door and sometimes homeless people panhandling beside the door) is a little sketchy, but the layout and interior are quite nice, as is the website. The wife tried the Thai De Luxe which is lo-mein noodles, veggies, and shrimp in a spicy sauce influenced by basil. It was quite delicious, and while at the beginning I thought the sauce would be overbearing in taste, we quickly became accustomed to it. My only compliant is that the basil should not be whole leaves, but rather, chopped/diced into much smaller pieces. Eating an entire basil leaf, even sauteed, is a little much. I ordered the Pad Thai. Now, as far as this dish goes compared to other Thai restaurants, its much better tasting: cleaner, fresher, better sauce, and cooked properly. This was Pad Thai as good as you can get... until... Bangkok 54. I think the latter is a level beyond the Pad Thai at Thai Dee as it has an even more incredible burst of flavor in every bite. Regardless, its just one dish, and the only one I can compare. Here at Thai Dee, Ive had the Khee Mao (Spicy Noodles) and Angry Ocean dishes here and they are amazing. The chicken satay is also on point be much more flavorful and moist than most other places. In short, Thai Dee serves excellent Thai cuisine with only one rival of equal stature in the city: Bangkok 54. Siam Cuisine is pretty close. Choose either one, and enjoy.

DE

Devin Arnold

Recently returned to thai dee from having issues with overcooked calamari and pieces of uncooked shrimp from my moms plate. I thought give them another shot because nobody is perfect. I regret the attempt. As soon as me and my mom have a seat even before asked what we want to drink the owner walks up and said that that he had remembered us from months ago prior and before we can get served he asked if my mom and I could "handle" his food. My mom looked at me with the same confusion I had. The owner said he would not give us service if we complained about his food. He told us we make him lose money. In my opinion I also lose money for poor food. Last time I paid half didnt even except the offer for a total free meal as offered. The whole time he is yapping at us in public. People stareing at us. I didnt want to walk out. Almost did but we were hungry from a long day. Our food was served. App was good. My curry wad good. Our sweet teas were good, but my moms pad thai noodles had a hair she said but refused to complain till we had left in the car due to fear of getting embarrasingly kicked out. We wont be returning here ever again. I felt attacked, embarresed. I ended up paying in full even tipping them but if I would of known there would be no tip or even payment especially after my moms poor dining expierence. For people that dont want to read all that ill sum it up for you. Dont come here unless your ok with poor service. Also dont come if you feel you have the right to complain because you will lose due to the owners ego of so called perfection.