thai/revisited: i still strongly recommend PATIO THAI

ED NOTE: This location closed a/o 5/2011, but should reopen in 6/2011 as a different Thai restaurant. maybe under different management or owners?

PATIO THAI
No. 12, Alley 247, Dun Hua S. Rd., Sec.1
(02) 2731-5288

website: patiogroup.com (in English, but incomplete menu online)

lunch: 11:30 AM - 2:30 PM
dinner: 5:30 PM - 9:30 PM

$$

Visit reviewed: 2/17/2011
previously reviewed: 11/24/2008 & 3/9/2007





Pleasantly surprised once again by the food at Patio Thai, though I liked the appetizers and thai style fried rice noodles with prawns (NT$300) more than the curry. Having had some bad pad thai recently, Patio Thai's pad thai is clearly on the sweet side which is the way I like it. I know that's not how everyone likes it, but I'd go back for this dish alone. The chewiness of the rice noodles are enhanced by the tofu puffs and crunchy peanuts and we had to order another dish when this one was quickly finished. I might say this is my favorite pad thai in Taipei.



The sizeable menu is easy to browse, in English and Chinese.

Go with a lot of people so you can order a bunch of appetizers to share. The trio of golden fried chicken spring rolls, prawns pouch and vegetable cigar appetizer platter (NT$280) with fried tidbits reminded me of the combo platters we'd get in Chinese restaurants back home...


the duo of chicken, beef and prawns satay (NT$300) with all the peanut sauce poured on already...



the crispy soft shell crab...



prawn cakes (NT$290) with another sweet dipping sauce....

crispy golden fried chicken with chili, garlic and pepper (NT$320)...

Man, I just noticed most of our appetizers were fried. Okay, order some veggies to balance it out... morning glory with shrimp paste.

I end up ordering this grilled beef fillet in green curry with bamboo shoots, aubergines and sweet basil almost every time and not loving it every time. Oh well. It's quite spicy for those of you looking for some fire. Next time I'll have to remember to look for those little chili peppers marking the spicy items on the menu.

I enjoyed our Tom Kha seafood in coconut galangal soup even though it came towards the end of our meal (instead of the beginning). It's sour like Tom Yum soup, but also sweet because it has coconut milk in it. One of my friends was confused by the flavors and said it tasted like slightly sour milk to her. I don't think it tastes like that because I like it, but some may be put off by the combination of the milky, sour and sweet.



The best thing about Patio Thai is it's usually not crowded so I enjoy the tranquil and lovely setting and friendly service.

OTHER LOCATIONS

No.28 Ren-Ai Rd.,Sec 3, 7-3F,
(02) 2700-8618

at Sogo
No. 45, Chung-Hsiao East Rd., Sec. 4, 11F,
(02) 2721-5998