I'll admit it, I'm a Thai food snob. I partially credit it to the time I spent working at an authentic Vietnamese & Thai restaurant. That experience definitely kicked off my Thai food obsession and now I'm on a venture to find the best Thai in every city I visit.
I am celebrating a decade in Pittsburgh this year. I can say without a doubt that Nicky's Thai is THE best Thai food in da 'Burgh. Both locations (downtown and north shore) offer high quality, flavorful food and beautiful decor. Neither location is terribly spacious but they do their best to accomodate large groups. My friends and I have squeezed in a table for 12 at the downtown location!
The service has greatly improved since opening Downtown. It was a little rough in the beginning but I let that slide. I've never had an issue with the North Shore location. I also order Nicky's to go fairly often and they've never missed a beat with the flavor, portion size or estimated time of pick up.
Let me break down my go to dishes at Nicky's (and almost any Thai restaurant) Appetizer: Thai summer rolls. These are cold, rice paper wrapped spring rolls and the filling varies slightly depending on the restaurant. Nicky's are served with a peanut dipping sauce and they are fantastic. Fresh and bursting with mint! A+
Entree: Thai curry. I usually go for green but sometimes branch out and try mussuman. I've had both at Nicky's and I was not disappointed. They know how to make a mean curry. Served with either white or brown rice and plenty to take home as leftovers!
Fair warning to all Thai food enthusiasts: Nicky's doesn't mess around with their spice level. If you order an 8/10, it is not weak. I LOVE spicy food and I've never ordered a 10. 8 has always satisfied my palate.
I rarely get dessert because I don't have much of a sweet tooth (plus, it's tough to save room for it with the delicious app & entree!) But, if I go for it, I get black sticky rice with mango. It's a filling dish but well worth it. The sticky rice is made with sweet coconut milk and the mango is fresh cut!
Go to Nicky's Thai. Your tastebuds will thank you.