Comments on: Pad Thai Restaurant Review

By: Jed

Jed — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 14:49:58 +0000

We had Pad Thai this weekend and I’m pleased to say that the atmosphere is not as bad as I remember it being. The kitchen light should be walled off somehow but, otherwise, good plants and candles on a couple of the tables. On the other hand, the food was NOT as good as I remembered it being. At least when it came to the dishes we ordered, the flavor was by no means bad, just shallow, with none of the complexity of the same dishes at Lime Leaf. More importantly, the chicken was a touch skeezy. Again, not terrible, but just gamey enough to give you pause. A disappointment after this review and our own memories of last time. Hopefully just an off-night!

By: John M

John M — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 15:26:10 +0000

Trust me, it was my pleasure.

By: Trash

Trash — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 14:13:43 +0000

Totally disagree. Cozy? Maybe Pad Thai has changed their atmosphere in the last few months but when I was there last it was brighter and less comfortable than Ariana by a mile. Fluorescent bright, too, which is the worst. Nothing like fluorescent bright to make you feel like you’re eating in a stairwell or hospital (hey, hospital, I guess I get the sterile thing) or something. As the reviewer said, if you linger it’s because of the food not the (lack of) atmosphere.

By: Smiley

Smiley — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 14:02:17 +0000

Pad Thai + Drunken Noodles = Excellent

Thanks, John.

By: John M

John M — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 13:31:47 +0000

That is crazy! I had no idea.

By: lostinacrowd

lostinacrowd — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 13:28:12 +0000

This place is really good. And I think I’d call the atmosphere “cozy” rather than sterile. I wanted to stay and linger over my meal at Pad Thai. I would say somewhere like Ariana Kabob has a sterile environment–lighting too bright, no comfortable seating, etc–their food is great but better enjoyed at home, whereas Pad Thai actually encourages you to stay.

By: J

Tue, 03 Nov 2009 01:18:36 +0000

Did you know the owner is an artist an makes those sculptures out of left over styrofoam? Crazy!

By: John M

John M — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 23:40:21 +0000

Preach it, Al!

By: Al

Al — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 23:13:00 +0000

Also, if had a first date with a person who liked Thai food but had not yet been to Pad Thai, I would absolutely take him/her to Pad Thai! Absolutely, no question. The friendliness of the owner and the high quality of the food outshine the minimalism of the ambiance.

I prefer a minimal decor over restaurants that are desperately trying to look cool. Let’s just all start going to Pad Thai every week, and maybe they’ll have enough funds to invest in expanding and hiring a professional designer.

By: Al

Al — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 22:59:41 +0000

In my opinion, Pad Thai serves the best and most authentic Thai food in Charlottesville. I especially recommend the drunken noodle and the Thai spicy beef noodle bowl. These dishes highlight the chef’s mastery of texture, an often overlooked element of Thai cooking. Most professional Thai chefs can get the blend of Sweet, Spicy, Sour, Salty good enough, but delicate noodles that melt in your mouth are a differentiator, for me. The curries are good but not standout. The pad basil is also very good.

Funnily enough, I think Lime Leaf, my second favorite Cville Thai restaurant, actually has better pad thai.