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Thai |
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NT$300+
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No. 12, Lane 247, Sec. 1, Tun Hua S. Road, Taipei
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With outlets stretching from Bangkok to London, Patara Fine Thai Cuisine restaurants have carved a strong following among lovers of Thai food the world over. Started by Khun Patara as co-founder of Thailand's famous S&P chain of restaurants 23 years ago, the group's Taipei store lacks the traditional Chiang Mai handicrafts decorating the walls that are so popular at Thai eateries around town, yet maintains a distinct Far Eastern flavor. The light, airy decoration is so unlike many of Taipei's dimly lit restaurants serving Thai food.
Friendly waitstaff dressed in traditional Thai garb showed us to a table and handed us the menu, which lists an incredibly wide selection of dishes, many of which I had never seen offered before in Taiwan. Introducing dishes in Thai, with accompanying translations in English and Chinese, complete with a photograph of each dish, my companion and I had quite a problem on deciding just what to order.
For starters, we tried prawn cakes, which unlike the popular Thai prawn pancakes, Patara's version consisted of six chunky prawn cakes, coated in a light batter and deep-fried until golden brown. Served with a sweet chili sauce, the fresh, juicy prawns were a delight.
For our entrees, we decided to try the chicken, prawn and cashew dish. The bite-sized chunks of chicken were glazed in a sweet, slightly chili sauce which was complimented by the cashews and light taste of the prawns.
Realizing I should further my excursions into Thai cuisine by ordering dishes I have yet to experience, I tried my damndest not to order chili, coconut beef, but the photo of the dish kept jumping out at me every time I turned the pages of the menu. Hence, I had no choice but to order my favorite -- albeit simple -- Thai dish. The thin slices of tender beef cooked in a thick coconut cream and spices with just the slightest hint of coriander and kaffir lime leaf was superb.
To tone down the spices, we also ordered stir-fried mixed vegetables, which consisted of carrots, cauliflower; straw mushrooms and other assorted vegetables, stir-fried in with a dash of fish sauce -- simple, yet tasty.
One thing worth mentioning about Patara, all the dishes we tried were large. Served with plain rice, we couldn't finish everything that we ordered, despite having arrived at the restaurant famished.
When our bill came, it totalled NT$1,152, which included one bottle Taiwan Beer. Overall, considering the generous servings, refreshing decor and polite, friendly staff, I have to say that Patara ranks as one of the best Thai restaurants that I have tried in Taiwan.
The restaurant is also running special set menus averaging around the NT$300 mark.