So I came here today for lunch with a friend at her suggestion and since it's really close to my office and this friend is pregnant, I had no arguments. In fact, I was curious to try Archi's. There are several Archi's around town and I've heard that they have pretty good food.
Walk in...and this place is packed! I'm talking about a wait during lunch to get a table. Wow! I've never seen this during a weekday lunch at any establishment around where my office is. Must be good....then I look around and see that no one dining in the restaurant was Asian. Warning signals are ringing....but I keep an open mind.
Their lunch specials did not seem appetizing (there were about 8 specials) and so we ordered off the regular menu.
Our order (shared):
Papaya Salad - They were kind enough to omit the shrimp and fish sauce. We asked for medium but this thing was SPICY...I was sweating and sniffling the whole time. I wouldn't say it tasted bad but I couldn't really taste much of since my taste-buds were paralyzed for the most part
Pad Kee Mao with Tofu - Ok....this dish had about a gazillion baby corn slices, bamboo shoots and canned mushrooms. Really? Those are the 3 things I hate the most and the dish was about 60% that! Again, we ordered medium but I couldn't eat it as it was way too spicy. I have never seen Pad Kee Mao prepared this way and thankfully I haven't, because I absolutely disliked it
Panang with Tofu - The only passable dish of the lunch. The gravy was passable. There was a very distinct taste of the "Thai Kitchen" red curry paste you find at the grocery stores in the Panang. Also, there was very little gravy which made it sort of hard to eat with the rice.
Our waitress was very friendly, accommodating and didn't mess up our order at all so I really liked that. The restaurant had cute hardwood/laminate flooring and a very "Asian-style" atmosphere which made lunch a fun experience.
The food here was a joke and it's really not catered to anyone who's enjoyed eating good Thai Food. They aren't really cheap either (the bill for all 3 dishes was $29 not including tip). Don't think I'll be clamoring to come here again unless I'm taken hostage by my adorable pregnant friend...then I might just make an exception.