Siam Thai Cuisine

Siam Thai Cuisine brings new flair to an older shopping complex. It took over the spot once occupied by Peking on Hillcrest Road in Mobile.  Peking was more known by many of the locals for their Thai cuisine versus Chinese so I had high hopes.

The first thing I ordered was Thai tea. If you haven't had it before, it's a black tea with spices, sweetened with condensed milk and sometimes topped with cream. I think most restaurants use sugar and milk instead of the condensed milk. I would imagine it would be more cost effective. In any case, I liked this version a lot more than I thought I would. It is not as sweet as some restaurants. You can taste the tea flavor.

I've always wondered about the orange color. Apparently, it was added to appeal to Western tastes, much like food coloring was added to boxed Mac and Cheese.

If you've been a reader of mine for any length of time (if you're new, WELCOME), you probably know I can not resist ordering an appetizer or in this case, an entree that I treated like an appetizer.  Nam Sod is a salad make with minced chicken or pork.  This dish has a unique freshness. There's limes, cilantro, ginger, fresh chilies, garlic and onions.  Roasted peanuts add a nice crunchy texture to break up what could otherwise be a mushy dish.

My friend and I went for lunch. With our lunch specials, there was a choice for Tom ka and Tom yum soup as well as wontons or spring rolls. Tom kha kai soup has chicken, mushrooms and coconut milk. I love this soup and can eat bowls and bowls. I thought it could use more coconut milk but otherwise it was really good. Tom yum is a more sour soup. I think it was well. Tom kha kai is just my favorite. The fried wontons and spring rolls are as you expect them to be.

I don't know why but I also get the pad thai when I go to a new Thai restaurant. I judge them by how well they make the so-called national dish of Thailand. Siam Thai did not disappoint. There was a good meat to noodle ratio. The sauce was not too sweet. There was a good amount of spice to the whole she-bang. I did ask for a lime to squeeze over the top. I like my pad thai with just a bit more sour than tamarind provides. I thought the noodle could have been a little less cooked but that's a personally preference.  

My friend got the crispy chicken. My friends know I write a food blog so they know I am going to ask for a tiny taste of their meal, especially if it's a new place. In this case, I was so focused on my pad thai I only had a bite of the crispy chicken. I liked it. There was good flavor. It wasn't dried out like some other places. There was plenty to fill you up too!

Overall, I was impressed by Siam Thai. The people are nice, the food is good and the prices are very reasonable. I have been back since my initial visit and I have not been disappointed. I do plan to try the sushi next although it's hard for me to cheat on Kai but sacrifices must be made.

Happy Dining, Friends!