Thai food is usually a safe option.
I don't think I have ever tried a Thai restaurant that wasn't good...until now.
Mai Thai II fit the bill when my coworker and I wanted a dinner that wouldn't be too filling. When we arrived to the restaurant, there weren't many people inside which somewhat concerned me, but when I saw the "People Love Us On Yelp" sticker on the glass door, I thought this place must be good.
Should have stuck to my first instinct...
The menu was nicely written with clear explanations of each dish. The two waitresses running the floor that night were very sweet and made us feel comfortable without a problem. Because I wasn't too hungry, I only ordered the pad kee mao with beef, advertised as spicy basil noodle on the menu.
I've eaten my fair share of pad kee mao and the one thing I love most about the dish is the aroma. The smell is absolutely mouthwatering thanks to the fresh basil and bell peppers, not to mention the spice level in the dish can clear your sinuses without a problem. So can you imagine my utter disappointment when I had a dish that was bland. How in the world is pad kee mao bland?
While there were plenty of bell peppers, I greatly disliked the addition of bamboo shoots that was soaked in a sauce that ruined the familiar smell of pad kee mao. It created a vinegar like smell that overpowered everything. The noodles were cut into strange bite size pieces, the texture wasn't soft, and the sauce was minimal. But what bothered me the most was the lack of spice! This was definitely not pad kee mao--not even close!
Perhaps I got there on a bad night. Perhaps it was just an off day, but I left having eaten only a quarter of my food.
I'm a huge fan of Thai food because I always know what to expect.
Ma Thai II was definitely unexpected and not in the good away.