This is my mom's favorite Thai place - and each time I have visited her, we always make sure to eat here at least once! Though it is situated in a horrible strip mall - such eyesores are hard to avoid in Northeastern Ohio, the Cleveland area is lousy with them - inside is a clean, well decorated restaurant - someone really put some thought into coordinating the furnishings without going over the top with Thai trinkets and memorabilia - don't you hate going into a Thai restaurant that features exquisite headdresses and dance costumes but covered in dust? This is not that place.
The food here is delicious and consistent - the service is always excellent. The staff is very helpful in checking with the kitchen on the use of Nam Pla (fish sauce) and they are happy to make any of their dishes vegan-friendly (or hella spicy!).
It amazes me that this type of cuisine seems so novel and "different" to folks in these parts and you really do see a wide range in the other clientele.
On this particular luncheon date with my mother, we noticed two young men with dark skin who looked Indian - wearing the distinctive uniform of foreign programmers: tidy golf shirts and khaki slacks.
Their discussion of the menu indicated that this was their first time eating Thai food - and they must not have known what to expect. Before the food came, one of them stood up and took a couple of cloth napkins from the center row of tables that was set up for dinner - handed one to his friend - and both of them opened the napkin up, spread it across his own chest and then pinned it down with his arms - with the paper napkin across his lap. Fully bibbed - these men were prepared for a pie eating contest!
My mom and I tried to be polite (as in - not falling down laughing) - but I couldn't resist saying something to them - it was "You know, if you eat more slowly, you won't get food all over the place!"