Review: Sawasdee Thai
Author: WIBIA | Filed under: Food Reviews, Location: Indianapolis, IN
Sawasdee Thai
1222 West 86th Street
Indianapolis, Indiana 46260
http://www.sawasdeeindy.com/
86th and Ditch is a great intersection for food lured me to try a highly recommended Thai place. I think that Thai food in Indy is far below average for what we should have in this large of a city. I have had a few good dishes here and there, but I can’t say there is one Thai place that I enjoy. And yes, I like Thai food and have had plenty of it.
I had my fingers crossed that multiple comments and e-mails would prove me wrong. Spoiler: they didn’t.
What I Ate: Thom Yum, Pork Pad See Ewe $6.95. Wide noodles, eggs, sweet soy, veggies.
Brief lunch menu, but I am sure that 90% of the orders are Pad Thai anyway. Thom yum soup/spring roll was average, there was nothing special here.
The entree arrived quickly and my first glance didn’t look that appetizing. As I dug in, many of the noodles were stuck together. I would guess this might be a bi-product of the sweet soy? Either way, noodles that are stuck together is never a good thing. I found the vegetables (esp. broccoli) to be a few days past their prime and the egg was a non-factor.
Would I Buy It Again? Eh…no. When I think about what they are there for, I would assume they are a lunch Pad Thai pusher that strives to give Indy another option for Thai. However, not really a better option. I would be tempted to return, but there were some technique and preparation issues here that should’ve never left the kitchen.
-wibia
Tags: Food, noodles, pork ad see ewe, sawasdee, Thai, thom yum
Have you made it to Siam Square downtown yet? They to me are the best in town – by far. Of course, I almost always get a curry dish, as I tend to not be as focused on the noodle dishes much.
I agree with Indy Grub Review about Siam Square. It is by far the best Thai I’ve had in Indy. I always have to order the Som Tum which is a traditional Thai Papaya salad.
I prefer Jasmine on 96th St. I find the menu to be much more diverse than Sawasdee and the food much better prepared. We stopped going to Sawasdee 2+ years ago once we found Jasmine.
As far as most Thai restaurants in the US are concerned, I consider the food one gets at dinner and the food one gets as a weekday lunch special to be part of two completely different categories with two completely different sets of expectations. In general, the latter is prepared far too quickly to keep up with the demands of the weekday lunch crowd to be a consistently good product.
Obviously in an ideal world it shouldn’t be this way, but I think these restaurants make a lot of money from the type of volume that having a busy lunch crowd entails. Too bad the food often suffers.
I have never been to Sawasdee, so I don’t know if it is good or not, but my point is that perhaps the recommendations that you received were related to the quality of the food that is served during the evening and not related to the quality of the lunch specials.
So, while they are likely a “lunch Pad Thai pusher” during the day (as most Thai restaurants in this country are), there might be a world of difference on the menu at night.
Never been there for lunch. Sawasdee is my favorite Thai in Indy, Siam Square second. Sorry to hear that was not your experience.
agree with above commenters regarding Siam Square. And agree with you re: Sawasdee (based on my one experience). Seriously, check out Siam Square, see what you think…
@Indy Grub @Matt: No, but thanks for the reminder. I have heard a lot of good things.
@JR: A lot of people would agree with you there, but I have found Jasmine to be very forgettable as well. I just didn’t find a dish that I really enjoyed. However, nothing offended me either…so sometimes that is where the bar is set.
@Condimentality: I agree with part of what you said. I have a few Chinese places that I like and the lunch menu is lame-o considered to the diner menu. However, if a place sends out crap food, expired produce… I question their standards regardless of what side of the menu it is on. You are right though…”in an ideal world..” but it takes so little effort to close that gap. Well thought out comment though…
@Erin: No need to apologize. I like plenty of places that other people do not… Seguing to
@Erin Indy Resto Scene: Now that you mentioned Siam, I have a good feeling that I will not like it. Ha ha!
Go back for the green curry chicken, don’t think its on the menu but has always been the special of the day when I’ve been there. Its terrific and you will want to go back for it.
I had the pad thai at Sawasdee, and thought it was a lot better and better portion size for the money than Siam Square. Siam has some tasty dishes, but it’s a bit expensive.
I live for the Red Curry at the Thai place on the east side of Castleton (blanking on the name, but near the Speedway and Charleston’s).
Their Tom Gha is fantastic, too!
@DMC: I believe you are thinking of Thai Orchid.
@DMC…Thai Taste? Right by 8 China Buffet? I actually liked that place, but it has been 3-4 years since my last visit.
Thai Orchid it is…thanks!
Also speaking of Asian food…Taiwan Teahouse in Clearwater is wonderful.