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| - There are times i wish we had a Thaitown or there was a cluster of really good Thai restaurants within a 5 mile drive of me but sadly most Thai places in metro Phoenix are just not that good with exception of a few gems. One gem is Thai Elephant. This review is based solely on the service I received ordering take out and the food itself.
I'm usually against ordering take out at a new establishment simply because it doesn't allow you to properly judge the place. Some places food just don't do well with takeout... like dim sum. So it's best to try out a place to get the full taste before coming back to take out home. Thai Elephant proved that its food was take out capable. It's been cold lately so I had a hankering for some curry to warm me up. I was ordering enough food for three people. I ordered some Tom Kha (coconut based soup), a seafood yellow curry, a chicken panang curry (red curry) and some Tofu Pad Pik King (stir fry green bean, bell pepper and spicy chili paste). The three entrees were all ordered HOT, and the Tom Kha was Thai HOT.
Take out service was usual, was given a menu to peruse, the hostess was patient and answered my questions and gave recommendations. The overall appearance of the restaurant was that it was somewhat largish, and tastefully decorated. This is not dirty kitchen Thai in anyway unlike the really good ones in Thaitown but the menu was quite extensive and prices were moderate too.
Food-wise this is one of the better Thai restaurants around. The yellow curry was delicious, I couldn't get enough of it, I kept on slurping the sauce. The Tom Kha was excellent that they did not kid with the spicy factor, loved it! It wasn't salty, no msg used, and the ingredients were fresh! My parents are hard to please when it comes to Thai especially since many of their close friends are Thai so they know what Thai food should taste like, so to hear them tell me that they want to buy from Thai Elephant in the future is proof of how they liked it.
Overall, Thai Elephant is a winner and a place that I'd like to come back to and have dinner at with friends. I loved what I ordered and I'm sure whoever I'm with, will too! If you're ever in Tempe, I recommend you stop by Thai Elephant if you're ever craving Thai cuisine!
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