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Baan-Thai is located on the second floor of a victorian-ish house sandwiched between two buildings on Broadway. It might not be entirely obvious where it's located, but they have a menu near the sidewalk that should help in your quest.
I ordered take-out one time, and the waiter offered me a place to sit and water while they got my food, and every other time I've been, the service has been just as excellent.
There's not too much I can add that others haven't said, so I'll keep it short and to the important points:
- The food here is spicy! Listen to the other reviewers, folks. I'm a total wimp, so I just told them to make it as mild as possible for me.
- The portions are gigantic. Great for take-out, one order of Pad Thai lasted me two nights plus some snacking during the day.
- The Thai Iced Tea is amazing here. Definitely get yourself one. I didn't quite like the Thai Iced Coffee though.
My favorite Thai food in Portland so far. The pad thai noodles are so good, and beware their ability to make it so spicy you can't stand it (upon request, of course).
The pineapple fried rice is unbelievably good as well, and you definitely shouldn't leave without having a Thai Iced Tea.
Be prepared to wait as sometimes the service can be a bit on the slow side. However, I'm still going to give them 5 stars based on my experience with their food!
i'm really not sure how to rate baan thai.
i used to eat there about three times a week when i used to live on campus.
the food was perfect every time!
the servers were all very sweet except the asian man with glasses who handles all the credit card receipts. i think he might be the owner's son.
he's not very nice at all. cultural differences? maybe.
anyways, a while back they made all their portions smaller with no warning. i was sad. i always ordered the small tom yum with a side of rice and it was the perfect amount. but it was still delicious. i wish they'd just raise the prices instead! but maybe that's just me. it IS on a college campus, so i guess that makes more sense.. =\
i went back in august after being out of the country for a year.
i went with a friend and having not eaten thai food for such a long time i wanted everythinggggg.
we ended up ordering:
fried calamari
po tak (like tom yum + seafood)
pad kee mao w/ chicken
i was SO looking forward to the fried calamari, it was always perfectly crispy with a great dipping sauce. when it came out, i was disappointed
to see maybe 6-7 pieces of fried calamari on a plate the size of a tea cup plate. this thing used to be huge! maybe 4 times more calamari. :( BUT it was still REALLY good.
po tak was my favorite thai soup. especially at baan thai. it was like tom yum with a TON of fresh seafood; prawns, calamari, mussels, white fish, and scallops. it was the perfect combination of spicy and sour. it was so so so so so so so amazing. i've had it more than 20 times and it was perfect EVERY SINGLE TIME.... except this last time. the bowl of po tak arrived and my friend and i immediately looked at each other. the fishy smell was, well.. really fishy. we tried it anyway.. it was okay, but so far from the soup i loved so mch. the prawns were replaced with what i'm pretty sure was frozen shrimp, the white fish was not yummy like before, and im pretty sure the mussels were frozen too. plus, the soup was not very hot. =\
pad kee mao came out with tofu instead of chicken like we ordered. not a big deal, it happens. we told the closest waiter which happened to be the asian man with glasses.. he said, "..Oh" and took our plate. gosh, he is so unpleasant! i swear i didn't care that the order came out wrong.. but a sorry would have been nice. anyways, the food came out and the pad kee mao WAS how i remembered it. it was good and spicy. :)
i don't know if i'll be back. i had such high expectations coming back to baan thai. the food IS good (minus po tak) but the wait is long, and that man.. he makes me so mad, the food i think was reasonably priced but if you haven't been there in a while, know the portions on certain items are very obviously smaller.
dishes and drinks i would recommend:
pineapple fried rice
tom kha (small is very small, i wouldn't get this for a meal but as an appetizer)
tom yum (small is also same size as tom kha)
fried calamari (small appetizer, but so good)
pad kee mao
pad thai
thai iced tea
hot thai tea
coconut juice
red curry
This is a standard thai place. There are all the tried and true classics, and the portions I found reasonable to the prices. The one thing that sets Baan thai apart in my mind is the spicy levels. I normally enjoy spicy food and have only rarely been crushed by food that was too hot. My friend cautioned me that this place has a spicy scale that is way off the radar and that a typical level 4 spicy at any other thai place is about a 2 at Baan thai. So I ordered my Pad Kee Mao at level 2 spiciness and it was still really frickin hot. I must say that the waiter did a great job keeping my glass of water full, even as I was constantly pounding the liquid to keep the heat from really melting me.
Three stars for this place as if I am in the neighborhood and want thai food I will consider Baan thai, but I will also order my food at less than 2 spicy level and may enjoy my food even more.
Good Thai thats not afraid to add the heat. Pretty standard all around with solid service.
Okay, everyone's said it and I confirmed--this place likes to make things spicy! I don't know why they like to make their foods spicy. I'm not afraid of spicy foods (I'm Korean) but in my opinion, spiciness should never be overwhelming, to the point that all you're feeling is the fire. It's a shame to mask all the lovely flavors you usually find in Thai food by adding too much chili spice.
Knowing that things were spicy, we asked to get things mild, so it wasn't too bad. Portions here are MASSIVE. We got the pad thai and some flat noodle dish (not pad see you) that I don't remember.
Here's a little secret:
The best dish on the menu (ask anyone who works there) is not listed!
Well, OK, it is. But you have to modify it, so that it will realize its full potential.
The Crispy Basil Tofu.
It's listed as crispy basil chicken. Ask for tofu. I don't care if you associate tofu with blandness or have some prejudice against tofu. The tofu lends itself to the crispy, deep fry more than the chicken does. You won't regret getting tofu. Also, I recommend you get it with at least a mild sauce. Honestly there's little point in getting the dish if it doesn't have sauce.
As for everything else on the menu, it's all fantastic and very reasonably priced, though most of the time I get the CBT, because it's so addictive. I've been going there for a few years and haven't met a dish I didn't love.
The only complaint I have is that they aren't open on Sundays! Aw, man!
Wow. Just...Wow.
When people said hot, I thought "Okay, it sounds like its probably a little spicier." My girlfriend and I went to Baan-Thai with that in mind, assuming that the amount of hot everyone was talking about was the natural exaggeration of the internet. We were incorrect to think so.
We started with the Fresh Salad Rolls, as I had been craving them. The rolls were delicious, and the sweeter, spicier sauce was kept separate from the peanut sauce, which was not something I was used to, but good none-the-less.
When we ordered my girlfriend got the Pad Kee Mao. She asked for Medium. The waitress smiles a little and says "Have you had our medium before?" No. "You should start with very mild. Trust me on this." My girlfriend says okay, and she gets the very mild Pad Kee Mao. I order the Pad Thai and ask that they make it a little spicy, and we get some Thai Iced Teas, hoping that any extra spicy in the dishes will be offset by the little bit of dairy in them. Wrong again.
We got our food. We started on our food. Neither of us finished our food.
While this food was absolutely delicious, it was so spicy that we couldn't finish it. I got about half way through my food, and my girlfriend got four or five bites in. Even when we ate leftovers we couldn't do it in one sitting.
Learning our lesson, the next time we visited we ordered dishes that did not have stars next to them: Pad See Ew and the special that day, which I can't remember the name of. This dishes were delicious, very flavorful, and not spicy.
Both times we've gone so far we've received polite and quick service. I can't say the service was fast for the take-out order people who were waiting when we got there and were waiting when we left.
Given the location of the business in proximity to our apartment and the high quality of food, we'll definitely be returning, and I may even try working my way up their scale of spicy.
Baan Thai has a reputation for being hot. Sizzling hot. Something like myself.
They live up to their reputation. Understanding this, boyfriend and I looked for menu items without the *spicy notation. Unfortunately, all curries offered have one star next to them- and I was craving some Panang. I asked for as mild as possible, but the waiter said that the base is already pretty spicy. I'm daring, I took the risk.
Damn. That panang was dangerously hot, but well worth the sweat. Again, much like myself. My boyfriend thought his meal (something with wide noodles and beef?) would have been great if it hadn't burned a hole in his stomach.
Okay, I sound dramatic. But really, everything else about Baan Thai is well worth it. Accessible (for me at least), clean dining room (but don't think the bathroom will hold the same standards), large meals & leftovers, and nice wait staff. I did find it strange that at about 4pm on saturday, they had at least 30 glasses lined up and filled with water, ready to go. But you know, whatever works.
I would love to go back, but I probably will keep looking for a Thai restaurant where I can handle most/all the items on the menu. Who wants to be confined to a select group of entrees? Not me!
I happen to be a fairly boring, extremely picky eater. So when I find something I love, I usually become a diehard fan. Baan-Thai has IMO, hands down, the best pad thai in Portland. Trust me, I've tried the pad thai at at least 15-20 other Thai places. Baan-Thai always wins. Add on quirky decor and an inspired playlist (sometimes Billie Holiday, sometimes Neil Diamond, sometimes Stevie Wonder) and you've got my vote for best Thai place in town.
I really, really liked the tom kha soup. For anyone who cares, I've always been on the search for a good bowl of tom kha and unfortunately have had more misses than hits. The soups were either too watered down, too sweet, not tangy enough. This tom kha had a good balance of tangy and sweet and was just creamy enough to feel satisfying. I also liked the fact that it was chock full of vegetables (some restaurants only put in a few measly carrots and mushrooms!). Ordered the soup in mild because I really wanted to taste the lime/coconut flavor without competing with heat but I ordered the panang curry in medium even though our waitress asked us twice if we really wanted medium. I do agree with the reviews that medium isn't really your typical "medium", but it was tolerable and I think I can even go a little higher on the spice ladder...definitely a good place to go if you're freezing and need to warm up fast.
I do want to go back, especially with unbeatable lunch specials from $6.75. Hot and cheap, sounds good to me!
I hate to do this, but I have to take away a star. Really, it's half a star, but it needs to be done.
I've started a recurring lunch date with Chris M. and our usual haunt is, of course, Baan Thai. Chris and I pride ourselves on eating the hottest of hot food. We enjoy sweating and crying over our meals. Some might call it a sickness - we call it lunch.
Our last lunch date consisted of us both ordering the pumpkin curry (his with squid, mine with tofu) and ordering "extra hot." It took about five full minutes to convince our server that yes, we meant extra hot. Yes, we can handle it. Really, we like it. We snort wasabi in our spare time.
The food was hot, indeed, as it should have been. But the spice overwhelmed all flavor! Food *can* be prepared in such a way that allows it to both attain molten levels of spice AND retain its flavor! I felt like I was eating a plate full of chili, spooned over rice. The pumpkin flavor was completely lost on me.
To make matters worse, I took one bite and bit down on something chewy and fishy. Squid. In my vegan curry.
Having said that, I'm still a huge fan. And I'll still run back to your comforting embrace this afternoon for my surefire hangover cure.
Hands down the best Thai food I've had (so far) in Portland.
Finally someone understands that I…
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This place makes some of the best no-nonsense Thai food in Portland. The food does tend to the spicy side here (to say the least) so don't try to "man up" unless you want to look like someone who just got out of a sauna.
The pad thai is among the best I've ever had. It is spicy enough to balance the typical sweetness of this dish. I have also had the panang curry, green curry, and the pad kee mao (this one almost melted my face off). Overall, I have found the food excellent.
The place itself is an old Victorian style house near PSU. It's pleasant inside, if nothing fancy. The crowd is usually heavy on students which is fine by me, but makes me feel old!
Overall, the best Thai I've had in Portland and always fresh-tasting food...just remember, if you don't like it too hot you need to let them know!
Been to Baan-Thai many times...finally decided to chronicle my myriad thoughts and opinions on this rarest of Portland Thai joints...one that actually serves hot (as in spicy) food. Without hesitation and without apology.
The food is solid...not the best in town...nor does it suck. The panang curry is a favorite for me. What makes this place stand out are two things...one good...one bad.
First, the good. They bring the heat. Their medium is generally hotter than the average diner is willing to stand. Because I prefer hot food, this bothers me not at all. Beware, however, when ordering their hottest fare. To me, they sacrifice flavor for heat. Since I know that it is possible to bring both flavor AND heat, this is disappointing. That said, I find their Hot level to be adequate heat while retaining enough flavor to make it worthwhile.
The bad - Do NOT go here if you are in anything approaching a hurry. For whatever reason, they are incredibly slow. Is this because they are used to taking college students for granted? I'm not sure...but if you have an hour for lunch, you'll need to go elsewhere. And don't let the state of table occupation be your guide. It doesn't appear to make a difference. As a diner who appreciates good service, I don't go here too frequently. The wait staff isn't surly...just slow and, at worst, inattentive. This is the biggest reason for the downgrade in rating.
Were it just the food, I MIGHT go as high as 4.5 stars...4 at the worst. It's the speed at which they move that takes this down a full notch for me. Nevertheless, if it's close, you want something hotter than most places in town will even serve to you and you're NOT in a hurry, by all means, saddle up and enjoy!
Before I wrote this I was trying to find someone on Yelp who didn't like this place. I was really surprised not to see anything under 3 stars (I think there was one)?? Which, may be a record for places with more than 10 Yelp reviews. Usually there's AT LEAST one or two naysayers who have a problem with the service, or wait, or bathrooms, the toothpicks, or _____.
The main dish (and appetizers) I had were really, really good. I'm a self diagnosed complete Thai snob, and the only beef I had with this place is the random location (not an area I really go to) and cafeteria-like, somewhat spartan feel. No orchids, water fountains or fancy wood carvings of Shiva here.
If you can get over the simple atmosphere and are ok with a bit of a trek, then go for it! If you are not, go for it anyway!
The only thing to know (which the reviews and servers will tell you) is that medium = hot, hot = extra hot, and extra hot = spontaneous combustion... (I was looking for burn marks in the floor from the tragic souls who ordered extra hot).
I had Garlic and Pepper Beef Stir Fry, and Saytay with the *most* amazing peanut sauce. The Fried Tofu we got for a second appetizer was also good but I think they may have mixed up the order with Spring Rolls (which was fine because they were really good).
All-in-all: Get your Yelping' ass down there and enjoy. Nuff said.
UPDATE: NO reviews under 3-stars. This is definitely a record for a place with over 30 reviews. The secret is out of the bag, it seems.
This restaurant came HIGHLY RECOMMENDED, but when I walked in and sat in the little waiting chair I felt like I had on a cloak of invisibility or something. I wasn't acknowledged for about 15 minutes--in a restaurant where only four tables were occupied!
By the time the (very snooty) waiter finally directed me to one of the many empty seats, yeah, my give-the-place-a-chance spirit was rapidly dwindling. So when it took ANOTHER ten minutes for my server just to plunk water and a menu down in front of me, I decided that I didn't care if this was the best frigging Thai food this side of Bangkok! I picked up my bag and walked out.
I think this must be a case of a restaurant resting on their reputation. They obviously know how great everyone thinks they are (my waiter's attitude was evidence of that), so they don't feel the need to offer good service. Guess I'll never find out if the hype is real. Memo to Baan Thai: Get over yourself!
"Um, have you been here before?"
That was the question our waiter posed as he gazed (sincerely concerned, it appeared) over his notepad.
We all know those douche-y types who tell you how much better/hotter/ballsier the food was in whatever part of the country they used to live, and those people suck so I'm gonna refrain. I will mention however that there have been several times in Portland that the mister or I have asked for "hot," only to be warned away to "medium" and have been sorely disappointed.
We like hot food. Really effing hot food. Not so hot that you can't taste anything else, but yeah, the kind of hot you still feel for an hour or so after eating. The kind of hot that makes your face flush and your nose run, the kind that makes you second guess, just for a fleeting second your choice of extra hot. Until the endorphins kick in. Sweet jeebus, count me in.
So the mister balked. "We're fine. Hot." But I paused. And at least in this case, I'm glad I did. We went medium with the thai eggplant , balls-out hot on the curry. Holy crap.
This is some good thai food. Not typical thai, to be sure, but really good. The eggplant/shrimp dish was well balanced and a had nice combination of vegetable textures (stir fries with lots of veggies so often just taste like mush,) but I confess that I was hoping for those little round green eggplants, not the run-of-the-mill purple chops. Covered in red pepper flakes, which was a little one-note but didn't kill the whole dish. Shrimp cooked to perfection. The curry was a little unusual... served in a small tureen, it had a note of lemongrass, which is kind of bright-tasting for a curry. Oh, and yes it was really really really hot.
All in all though, a great meal. Mister says he's still feeling the curry. You've been warned, they're not joking here.
I was a little disappointed by the cashew beef meal. I don't know why I keep ordering this meal at thai restaurants because it usually is not anything like the dish I remember from my childhood memories. In any case the panang curry was really good, we tried the medium heat and it wasn't horribly spicy or anything. I would try it at a hotter level but my only fear is that the spice might cover up the complex and delicate flavors of the dish which make thai food so wonderful and have long ago secured a place close to my heart.....rofl..... anyway you should try medium because it does have some kick but not enough to knock you on the floor or anything.
I visited Baan-Thai for lunch today, hoping to rekindle some of the fantastic memories I have of eating lunch at this place while I was in college. Unfortunately, after $11 and a long wait, I'm still hungry.
If the only issue at play were the food, I'd be in this place every day of the week for lunch. The food is exactly what one hopes for in a Thai restaurant -- spicy and creamy but also bright with flavors of mint, lime and cilantro.
Unfortunately, either my memory of this place is wrong, or things have changed in the last few years. The service was spotty, the wait was long and the portions were much smaller than I remember.
Great food, but skip the wait and just get takeout. And bring your wallet -- it's not cheap to actually walk away satisfied.
Oh, snap! Still burning... even one day later.
WOW - that's good Thai food! Be sure to have a chat with the server about the spice level - I'm usually perfectly content with medium spice, even leaning toward hot. Absolutely not the case here - if you think you want medium, order mild. SERIOUSLY, I'm not a spice-wimp! I took some friends from out of town and they lived to regret not heeding the warning!
The panang curry is, by far, the best I've had in Portland. The pad thai was great. I've also had the grilled eggplant appetizer, which is so delicate and fresh and yummy.
There are a couple of reasons that I held back that last star. It can get VERY busy on weekend nights, and I've waited 20 minutes before anyone even took a drink order. Also, the decor is cutesy with brightly colored walls, etc, but they could stand to maybe create some atmosphere for the dinner hour - even just turning down the lights and throwing some candles on the tables would help. That said, I'll definitely go back over and over!
I do believe these guys have the best, most unauthentic thai dish ever, Phad Thai. I cannot think of another Phad Thai in Portland that could compete, so sweet. BTW, they do not have Phad Thai in Thailand. But if you are back in America and want some good Phad America, this is the place.
This place is right next to my old college and I ventured there twice a week for about three years. It is now two blocks from my work. I am familiar with this place, I like their food. The Tom Ka is amazing, really great this time of year. The coconut milk is not too thick, and not too rich. A cup of Tom Ka and a bowl of rice makes for a good cheap lunch.
Take note of their dishes which already come spicy, stock. (They are annotated by one or two stars next to the name) Make sure if you order any of those dishes, request that they do not add any additional spice. These ones (like the Phad Ke Meoooooow) are already perfectly spicy, and any more is firecrackerish. One of my college buddies was from Ethiopia and he can handle hot food. He ordered the #5 ( the hottest ranking of spice) on his Phad America and started sweating. His eyes got really red. I would not recommend it unless you are from a country with a naturally spicy cuisine.
The wait staff here could use a few pointers. The wait for your entree is always a surprise, they never all come at the same time ( I've actually successfully ate my entree before my study buddy even got theirs), drinks can potentially come after the entree, and some of the servers stare.
I do not go here for the service rather consistent food.
Best Thai food I have had in Portland! The food is spicy, but delicious! Ask for the plate of spices with your food too!
The service is a little slow, but well worth the wait!
Today was a great day. I got free lunch! My advisor has been on sabbatical since last summer, but she is back in town visiting us. To reward us for our research group's hard work this term, she took us out for lunch. Since our meeting ran late (1:00 PM), I suggested Baan Thai. I would have never suggested it if we ended at noon, because the place is just too busy and we would have been waiting a lot.
As it was, when we got there a little after 1:00, the place was still packed with the lunch crowd and the staff were scurrying to take care of people. After a few minutes, we were seated. A few minutes after that, they asked us to move to a different table! Well, no biggie since we hadn't gotten settled too much yet, but it was a little odd.
The service was a little slow, but understandably, since there seemed to be only a few servers, and as I said, the place was packed. We got salad rolls to start, which were lovely. Everyone's mains came after a small wait. So, what I have to say about this is that the spice levels here are not like the spice levels at other places. A medium here seems to be a super hot at other Thai places. However, the server was very clear about this when we were ordering. When my colleague ordered a medium, she was told that it was going to be hot. She ordered it anyway and then couldn't really eat it because it was so hot. Mine was not too spicy; it was not one of the items that had spice levels.
All in all it was a good lunch (plus, it was free!). The food was delicious (if it wasn't too spicy) and the service was decent considering how busy they were. The only reasons that I don't go here more often are 1) I am a student and eating lunch out is a luxury, and 2) it's really busy during the noon hour so you can end up wasting a lot of time. In fact, it's known around our department as "Slow Thai," but that doesn't stop people from going when they have the time.
DON'T GET THE HOT SPICY CURRY!! Unless you want to feel it for the next three days.
Yellow curry is delicious, has boodles of vegetables and comes with rice. The hot tea is orange and sweet.
Order it as I call it, "white person mild", as for spices on the side and adjust. I'm telling you, I'm a spicy food connoisseur, and I had to send it back three bites in when I ordered hot. It burned like... no description. It didn't feel so good the next day either.
Prices are a bit high for the portions, especially for a college joint- but who am I to complain? It's delicious!
Summer time is the best time to go, sit out on their high patio and people watch while sipping Thai iced coffee and munching on salad rolls.
So good.
So so so good.
The red curry and tom-kah (spelled right?) soup are to die for.
"The real deal" as every other five star review keeps saying.
I think I finally have a grasp on what good Thai food is supposed to taste like.
Real Thai food will melt your face. This place is real Thai and holy shit it's spicy. Don't try to be a showoff or hero in this place or you'll surely regret it. Order mild to medium only.
Great place. Very good food, location, and outdoor seating. Always pretty busy for weekends and sometimes lunch. Great dining around PSU campus.
As I'm writing this, I haven't chosen how many stars to give Baan-Thai. I have resisted visiting any Thai restaurants here because I'm used to my favorites in Honolulu, but sometimes you just get that craving. Anyway, this place was super convenient to get to from OHSU and parking was readily available. One star. Cozy atmosphere, homey. . . not snobby. One star.
I ordered the pad thai and a thai iced tea. You can never go wrong with pad thai. . . seriously, if a thai restaurant messes up pad thai, that's a big fail for them. Luckily, the pad thai was good. Not overly sauced, big portions, and generous with the bean sprouts. Thai iced tea was good, not watered down. Grilled eggplant appetizer was alright; just your good ol' eggplant topped with sweet chili sauce. So, 1.5 stars for good food and tea.
My biggest problem though was with the servers. When I worked at a thai restaurant, sure. . just like any server, it kinda gets tiring serving people all night, but Christ. . . . you gotta work for it if you want good tips, right? I was very, VERY tempted to write a little message to them on the back of my receipt, but I didn't. Sooooo in the off-chance that they happen to read this Yelp review, here is my note of love to them:
Dear Kids -- 2/3 of the waitstaff,
I know that it sucks sometimes to wait on people, but there are a lot of jobs out there. . .if it sucks THAT much, no one's asking you to serve me. Oh, and I really appreciated when you practically threw our menus at us. . and dropped our appetizer on the table. Just for future reference, you know your little hiding place behind the bar where you go to talk crap about all the customers in the restaurant, yeah. . .if it's not enclosed by windows or walls, you might wanna be careful because we heard everything you were saying. And I'm sure those people you were making fun of for not knowing how to use chopsticks at the table next to us could hear you too. Oh, and just because you work in a Thai restaurant doesn't make you a Thai food expert. Yes, some people may have some questions about the menu -- sometimes the answers may seem too obvious for you, but when a patron asks you what's the difference between potstickers and the Fried Wontons (on the menu), you replying. . ."Potstickers are Chinese. .these are not potstickers. These are wontons. This is a thai restaurant." . . .you kinda look like an idiot. If those patrons had a bar to hide behind, they'd be making fun of you for that. And I still tipped you well because I understand the heartaches of servers your age. You're welcome.
Sincerely,
Me.
So I guess that's it. 3.5 stars for Baan-Thai. I'll round up for you.
before today, i haven't eaten inside.. everything's been take out. on my first visit, i had to get the prerequisite chicken pad thai. i figure... if you can't make pad thai right, what can you make?? i know pad thai isn't really "thai" per se.. but still. anyhoo.. i digress. i asked for 2 stars (a notch above mild) and it was perfect. spicy, but not unbearable.
i've been back several times and i've gotten a few other noodle dishes, a few rice dishes, and curry dishes. everything's always consistent. the wait, even for take out, can be a little long.. but it just shows that this place has a loyal following.
i'm meeting a friend on wednesday here. can't wait!
First of all, I'm not Thai, nor do I claim to be any expert in the field of authentic Thai cuisine. I am, however, an expert in the field of Damn-Goodness, and this place is just Damn Good.
I likes what I likes, and I likes this place. The colors are bright and cheery, and the clientele were respectable and seemed satisfied. The food was delicious and affordable.
They even had REAL Thai people eating there. At least, I assume that they were real -- I poked one, and it didn't seem animatronic. That's the level of commitment that I look for in a Thai place: pad THAI, THAI iced tea, and THAI patrons.
Here's the scoop: Baan Thai has the best spicy Thai food in Portland.
Make note, though -- I don't just mean to say they have the spiciest food in Portland (although that's also true) -- what I'm saying is that they have the most flavorful spicy Thai food around. We're talking eye-watering spice that still has full flavor coming through, that still manages even to be nuanced despite searing the tongue. Somehow they manage to serve dishes that support the spice, that are hold their own with it. Just incredible if you're into spicy food.
That having been said, I find their non-spicy dishes to be fairly one-dimensional. I've ordered (and consumed!) dishes all the way from regular up to hot and have always been happier with the hotter dishes. When we eat Thai with friends who enjoy milder fare we go elsewhere -- Bai Yok on 82nd has better mild food, IMHO.
Best Thai I have had in Oregon, Illinois or Washington. First time I ever had thai food, I have been searching for something comparable since. This place is the holy grail! Great panang as well as black pepper & garlic tofu, and they don't mess around with the spices either; the waitress was very helpful in explaining that medium is actually quite hot - a far cry from always trying to order as hot as they go and finding it lacking. AMAZING!
Ok... so I wouldn't say its the BEST Thai restaurant in Portland. Its good... but as stated before, the food is HELLA SPICY! For your reference:
Mild: Hot
Medium: Plan on Drinking a Pitcher of water to get halfway through your meal
Hot: Not even palpable and will likely burn going in and coming out
The Tom Kah soup is Great as is the Pad Kee Mao (just order them mild!)
If you go to PSU (or frequently eat in downtown Portland), there's no excuse NOT to have eaten here. Baan-Thai has some of the most delicious pad thai I've ever tasted. Cute and colorful restaurant, consistently good service, moderately priced, amaaaaazing food...what's not to love?
I've only been here once so I may have to re-view my review once I've gone a few more times but I'm a fan. I got the Pad Thai and it was delicious. Just the right amount of food. The people sitting next to us got some kind of calamari which is probably going to be my next order there because it smelled delicious. I'd say it's a solid place if you like Thai food!
One of the best Thai place I've ever been to. Great service too. I like food super spicy and I can barely stand medium here, so beware when they warn you take their word for it.
solid thai restaurant.
pad thai is awesome.
special eggplant is sublime.
garlic and black pepper chicken is a winner.
con: can be excruciatingly slow service
I was in Portland for a business trip and ate here twice... in two days. That's how good it was. I had the Panang Curry, Pad Thai, Spring Rolls and Steamed Vegetables with Peanut sauce (over to days, not in one meal). All were excellent.
A note about the spiciness as it has been mentioned in a few of the other reviews. We ordered all dishes without changing the spiciness and they were fine. None were over the top and the spice was a nice complement to the overall flavor of the dish.
However, a coworker who visited Ban Thai and did change the spiciness and paid a dear price. Upping the spiciness just one notch made things almost too hot to handle.
Overall, eating at Baan Thai was a fantastic experience.
Best Thai food in Portland bar none.
Try the Pad Phet. You won't be disappointed. The burning hot mixture of eggplant and chillies will set your heart on fire.
A bit of a tip, call in your order. You will arrive finding a reserved table and a glorious plate of steaming food waiting for you...
Best. Thai. Ever.
We don't have great Thai food in Knoxville, TN where I live currently, but this blows away my previous Thai fav (Surin West in Birmingham, AL).
I had the Yellow Curry, and my fiance had the Pad Thai. Both were served in large portions.
I had my curry at the "mild plus" level of spiciness -- this was as high as I'd recommend for the casual Thai lover. I broke a sweat after the second bite!
The presentation on both dishes was very good considering the slightly disheveled nature of the restaurant itself. It's located in an old house near the university.
I highly recommend eating here if you're in the downtown area!
Neighborhood: Northeast Portland
Category: Thai
Neighborhood: Southwest Portland
Category: Thai
Neighborhood: Downtown
Category: Thai
Neighborhood: Southwest Portland
Category: Thai
Neighborhood: Southwest Portland
Category: Middle Eastern
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