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Mai Thai
3 reviews for Mai Thai
My quality of life in the Midlands just got a whole lot better after eating at Mai Thai in West Columbia tonight.
For years I've been bummed about the absence of a Thai restaurant in the area that meets all of my criteria -- fresh ingredients, reasonable prices, pleasant atmosphere, generous portions, and attentive service.
Mai Thai has all of those elements.
The drunken noodles (Pad Kee Mao) I had tonight could compete with the drunken noodles at my favorite Thai haunts in the DC area. The stir fried veggies were especially crisp, and there was a nice variety of them -- fresh mushrooms, red peppers, zucchini, snow peas etc.
The servers were friendly and attentive, and the meal was well-timed. I was in a hurry and took most of my food to-go, but for the diners who were lingering and enjoying a leisurely meal, the servers even offered some complimentary Thai desserts.
Mai Thai is situated in a desolate, sketchy shopping center out Sunset Blvd in West Columbia -- just beyond the Riverbanks Zoo entrance and across from Food Lion. (I'm convinced that the best Thai restaurants on the planet are located in sketchy strip malls or holes in the wall.) Upon opening the door, though, you've already forgotten where you just parked the car because you're entering a small, cheerful, calmly lit, tastefully decorated restaurant.
I love Asian food more than any cuisine on earth and am picky about it. For years I've given Thai Lotus and Thailand Restaurant on St. Andrews Road second, third, and fourth chances, but they're both hit-or-miss, and the haul out to St. Andrews from downtown is a huge pain. Also, the service at Thai Lotus stresses me out. I always feel like I'm inconveniencing them and that they're ready to close the restaurant. Baan Sawaan in 5 Points is great, and I love the guys who work there, but it's prohibitively expensive. Mai Thai's food was every bit as good, the portions were twice as big, and the prices were half as much as Baan Sawaan's.
I enthusiastically recommend Mai Thai. I'll be visiting again soon and trying another dish.
The Free-Times' review of Mai Thai is here: http://www.free-times....
I'm no Thai expert, but this place has some great food. First of all, DONT judge it when you drive up. It is in a strip mall and looks super sketchy from the outside. The inside is very tastefully done though. It is small and intimate -- would make a great date spot. I recommend the salad with the peanut sauce and the cashew chicken. The service was great and the prices reasonable. Definitely a must do for Thai fans in Cola.
Crispy Duck with Curry & Pineapple! I love this place. Staff very friendly. I will be back, again and again! Only one complaint. The fried Tofu was dry and tough. But everything else exceeded my expectations.