Rich H.'s Profile
DateListed in: No Kidding Thai, Nam Kao Tod
1 Previous Review:
-
3/17/2011
Review based on 1 dinner:
--authentic and good food. I had Tom Yum noodles, which wasn't dumbed down for spice, but wasn't as complex in flavor as I expected.. Be careful what you ask for in spice level since they don't mess around. I missed the flavor of lime and stupidly didn't ask for any on the side so I could add my own.
--extensive menu of the usual Thai classic food.
--patrons were generally Asian, both young and old with a few families. Not the best choice for a "date" restaurant with a certain diner feel. TV, but I sure don'gt remember what was on, though I was facing it. *Not* Thai soap operas, which I generally like.
--good service. Prompt seating in a mostly empty restaurant.
--cheap. Out the door for $9, with only water to drink.
--easy parking in large adjacent lot
Keywords: authentic, cheap.
Not the kind with lettuce to make wraps, but rather with a wedge of cabbage on the side. Note: probably best to ask the kitchen to chop up the cabbage since it's a pain to deal with as a wedge. Sour pork was good, too. Think this was the best so far, with Vientian [sic] Cafe about equal (with lettuce for wraps).
Listed in: Nam Kao Tod
1 Previous Review:
-
6/8/2010
Summary based on several lunches:
--for calibration, I eat & cook a lot of Thai food, both in Thailand and in the US.
--good, authentic Thai food based on a single sample, though
--friendly, attentive service
--easy parking
--no wifi
--uncrowded at lunch
--uses kana/chinese broccoli instead of American broccoli
--has several fairly unique dishes, including pan fired jackfruit with crispy pork
--rated A by health department. Seemed clean.
First ended up coming here after being closed out of nearby Renu Nakorn and have returned several times since.
New Orleans, LA 70118
(504) 861-0886
Jacques-Imo's Cafe
Categories:
Cajun/Creole,
Vegetarian
--decent food
--good service
--locally popular
--ok prices, maybe a little high, but they charge what they can get
--ok parking
--ok wait
Came here with some locals and got a bunch of the recommended food, some of which wasn't deep fried. I'd come again. Be prepared to wait.
Oakland, CA 94619
(510) 535-2218
Vientian Café
Categories:
Vietnamese,
Thai
Neighborhood: East Oakland
Nam Kao is "traditional," with lettuce to make wraps. Very good. Lao sausage is also very good. Need to find out if it's homemade at the restaurant. Appears so. Pad Lao also good.
Cold inside the restaurant.
Listed in: Lao Food, Nam Kao Tod
1 Previous Review:
-
4/28/2011
Summary based on 1 late lunch:
--very good food
--friendly, helpful service
--locally popular
--ok street parking
--no alcohol
--no wifi
Lots of people coming in for take out and some for sit down at around 4 when I came by after a weekday biz meeting.
It's a mistake to get anything that's not a Lao regional dish, sometimes shown as a special, at a place like this that's not a standard Thai restaurant. Yes, you can get Pad Thai, etc., etc., but why?
I got the chicken larb, which was very good and better than Champa Garden. They garnished with Thai chilis instead of the white Lao chilis and included a lot of tasty greens. Apparently they'll also make the off-menu Pad Lao on request.
Basically get anything that's a Northern Thai/Lao specialty.
San Francisco, CA 94102
(415) 346-3121
Chabaa Thai Cuisine
Category:
Thai
Neighborhoods: Union Square, Civic Center/Tenderloin
--decent food (based on Tom Yum Noodle soup)
--friendly, helpful service (that didn't sneer at my pathetic Thai, extra star)
--inexpensive
--didn't sniff wi-fi
--parking: nope
Finished a biz meeting and went looking for lunch. This place got decent reviews. Dining solo they gave me a four top anyway, though it was mid-week lunch. Didn't get crowded on a chilly day. Comfortable inside.
Listed in: Lao Food
1 Previous Review:
-
2/2/2011
Summary based on one dinner:
--Lao place serving generally authentic, classic Thai with some northern Thai food
--very good food. I got Tom Yum noodle soup, which is my latest attempt to get a single, representative dish. Deep fried the fish cakes, yum!
--helpful service
--very easy parking
--cheap
--American coffee shop decor. Background TV could be irritating I suppose. Not a romantic date place.
Doesn't make their own sausage, but that's not surprising. Will make Lao style on request.
Thai restaurant review #60
I see Jumpa Thai on Brookhurst has this too, though $2 more. Renu Nakorn also has Nam Kao Tod, though it's presented differently, tastes great, but costs $3 more. No lettuce for wraps at Renu Nakorn.
Service was just ok. I liked the old, smaller place, but based on the number of people eating here mid-week, I can see why they expanded.
They now carry BeerLao in both light and dark varieties. Yea!
Easy parking.
Listed in: No Kidding Thai, Lao Food, Nam Kao Tod
1 Previous Review:
-
7/23/2008 First to Review
Summary based on several dinner:
--good example of Lao home cooking, seemingly rare in this area
--friendly service
--decent amount of Lao specialties considering that most people will probably order the more familiar Thai style food
--easy parking in adjoining lot
--hole in the wall ambiance (not meant as a slam)
--no credit cards
You might as well get sticky rice if you come here, a Lao cuisine signature dish. Lao sausage & beef jerky were good. Crunchy frog was good. I could have used more vegetables, but I was stuffed with what I ordered and barely touched the rice.
Apparently the nearby liquor store used to carry Beerlao, but not anymore. Too bad. T&K on Bolsa in Westminster has it.
Maybe I'm going overboard on the rating, but fairly unique places deserve a break.
Berkeley, CA 94704
(510) 540-7700
PIQ Berkeley
Categories:
Italian,
Bakeries,
Pizza
Neighborhood: Downtown Berkeley
--decent pizza, not Cheeseboard but good for the immediate area
--ok prices
--friendly service
--kinda cold when it's cold outside
--usual crap Berkeley parking
Walked in with 8 people and was able to sit down with no hassle.
Oakland, CA 94608
(510) 444-6614
Rubenstein Supply Company
Categories:
Building Supplies,
Heating & Air Conditioning/HVAC
Neighborhood: West Oakland
- while oriented to the professional trade, patient and helpful with others (my experience is difference than some, it appears)
- better advice on replacement part strategy than some in the area, especially Berkeley
- ok prices
- takes credit cards
- good parking in the rear
Worth a drive.
--food pretty good, but see later note
--ok service. The place was fairly empty, but it was a struggle getting attention. Friendly, though.
--food came out of kitchen kinda slow
--inexpensive, but not absolutely cheap
--easy parking
Ok, I got the recommended chicken larb and it was good, but missing the lime juice that's standard. I asked about this and it turns out that they got complaints from local customers that it was too sour, so they use less lime juice than standard.
There was some odd smell in the restaurant. Not particularly repellent, but not like flowers, either.
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Second Mesa, AZ
Yelping SinceMarch 2007
Things I Love Find Me Intransit
My HometownMirissa
Version here is very good. There's a single leaf of lettuce on the bottom of the rice salad pile, but you can't really use it easily for making a wrap. No whole chillis, which I don't eat anyway. Could use some more pak chi/coriander.
Guess they used ground pork and lime juice for the sour part, which worked out ok. Interesting to see how different restaurants prepare this great dish. Definite win here.