For me, Thai Emerald gets an A for effort, but a C for execution. Upon walking in for lunch during the weekday I was promptly greeted by a very sweet woman who immediately led me to a booth. The lunch menu was pretty standard and straightforward...no big surprises here. The interior of the restaurant was less than impressive...a bit clinical, but let's be honest, I was there to try out the food.
I ordered the Pad Thai and I was pleasantly surprised that my meal came with a free soup and spring roll. While I appreciate the generosity, I wasn't a fan of either. The spring roll was fried and a bit chewy and the soup was nondescript. As for my meal, it came out in less than five minutes - no joke - extremely quick service. As for the Pad Thai itself - it was just ok. There was very little flavoring and the noodles were a bit gummy.
I really wished the meal was great, because the service was extremely friendly and quick and the portions were enough to feed me for days. While I may try Thai Emerald again, I would really only be returning because of the fantastic, fast service. If you head out to Thai Emerald and order the Pad Thai, make sure you order it extra spicy - you'll want some extra flavor.