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February 12, 2020 by Ron Wen

Thai at Main Street in Durham: A Fun Take on Flavorful Thai Cuisine

Thai @ Main Street in Durham - nctriangledining.com
Thai @ Main Street in Durham – nctriangledining.com

Over the past decade as the restaurant scene boomed in downtown Durham, it’s an area known for great farm to table Southern eats, beer and burgers. But what was conspicuously missing was really good ethnic food. Over the past two years or so, that gap has slowly been filled by restaurants such as Viceroy (Indian) and Goorsha (Ethiopian) on Main Street. And now you can add one more to the mix, Thai at Main Street! Located in the old Dames Chicken and Waffles space, Thai at Main Street opened in 2018 and I’ve been able to stop in for two dinner visits. So how are they doing so far? Not bad, with some room for improvement, read on for the details!

Dining room at Thai @ Main Street in Durham - nctriangledining.com
Dining room at Thai @ Main Street in Durham – nctriangledining.com
Dining room at Thai @ Main Street in Durham - nctriangledining.com
Dining room at Thai @ Main Street in Durham – nctriangledining.com

From out on Main Street, you’ll clearly see their sign hanging overhead, Inside the old Dame’s space has been opened up and there’s a slightly tropical feel to everything. Dark wood planked floors, thin wooden chairs along with some bright yellow and aquamarine on the walls as accents. If feels simple and humble which is reflected in Thai at Main Street’s menu and pricing.  Thai at Main Street’s menu covers the typical array of Thai cuisine such as larb, curries and noodles along with some house specialty dishes. Pretty much everything on the menu is under $20 and primarily in the under $15 range which is really reasonable for this convenient location in downtown Durham. And while I’m a pretty good home cook, Thai dishes always seem a bit complicated for me in terms of ingredients so I love going out and eating their flavor-packed offerings!

Pork larb at Thai @ Main Street in Durham - nctriangledining.com
Pork larb at Thai @ Main Street in Durham – nctriangledining.com

For starters, the larb is a great choice. Full of spicy and flavor, Thai at Main Street pairs minced pork with thin slices of red onion, peppers and I usually see this dish using chicken so this version is a bit different that what I’d usually get. But given pork is a white meat, it pairs pretty well with the flavors and spice of this dish. Like much of Thai cuisine, you get a mix of sweet, sour (squeeze of lime) and spicy along with a lot of color. Thumbs up here!

Pork larb at Thai @ Main Street in Durham - nctriangledining.com
Meatball appetizer at Thai @ Main Street in Durham – nctriangledining.com

Another fun starter at Thai at Main Street is their street meat balls! Served on skewers, I believe Thai at Main Street is serving up the standard beef meat balls that you find in Asian cuisine and soups. The meat is spiced up with some sweet sauce and cucumber onion garnish which makes for a tasty bite. A bit of a surprise for me, I haven’t seen this on many other Thai menus over the years.

Massaman curry at Thai @ Main Street in Durham - nctriangledining.com
Massaman curry at Thai @ Main Street in Durham – nctriangledining.com

For the mains, the Massaman curry is a tasty treat. This mild curry uses a coconut-based broth, Massaman is an easy way to try the unique flavor profile of Thai cuisine which usually mixes in savory, sweet and sour.  Love the cashews served up with the chicken slices, there’s a lot of flavor going on here. But do note, that Thai at Main Street does slightly smaller portions which is reflected in their lower prices for lunch. I would describe the portion sizes as Thai-style vs. American-style.

Chicken pad thai at Thai @ Main Street in Durham - nctriangledining.com
Chicken pad thai at Thai @ Main Street in Durham – nctriangledining.com

Their chicken pad thai which is really a foundation dish for me in Thai cuisine was solid. Served with thin rice noodles, seared white chicken slices and a bit of egg, scallion and peanut garnish, it’s a tasty dish but not a stand-out for me. It seemed to be missing some of the tang and complexity that you usually get with tamarind in this dish. I also tried out a fried catfish with chili sauce which was a generous portion of firm, white fish in a crispy coating and topped with a slightly tangy, red sauce. The broccoli on the side was nicely steamed and the Thai basil on top is a nice touch!

Fried catfish with chili sauce at Thai @ Main Street in Durham - nctriangledining.com
Fried catfish with chili sauce at Thai @ Main Street in Durham – nctriangledining.com

Service at Thai at Main Street is solid and friendly, they will get you in and out quickly. They also run some regular drink specials so along with their decent menu prices, it’s a good meal in downtown Durham for a decent price. But the flavors and execution could be better so I’d put Thai at Main Street right down the middle for me in terms of Thai cuisine. But to be honest with you, there seems to be a dearth of good Thai restaurants in the Triangle so Thai at Main Street does a good job but could use some tweaks and improvements to be great.

 

Thai at Main Street

317 W. Main Street

Durham, NC 27701

984.219.7444

Location on Google maps

Filed Under: Durham, Restaurant & Bar Reviews Tagged With: Thai Restaurants

October 15, 2017 by Ron Wen

First Take: Yin Dee in Morrisville for Spicy Asian Street Fare

Front of Yin Dee in Morrisville - nctriangledining.com
Front of Yin Dee in Morrisville – nctriangledining.com

As the Triangle food scene continues to diversify, it’s always cool to see little ethnic eateries pop up on the foodie landscape. One that had hit my foodie radar screen was Yin Dee out in Morrisville! Yin Dee touts itself as Thai and Lao street food which really caught my attention. While there are plenty of Thai eateries in the area, Lao is pretty rare outside of the uber-popular Bida Manda in Raleigh. Thankfully, Yin Dee is near work for me, so I was able to stop in for a couple of lunches. Here’s how it all went down at Yin Dee…

Order counter at Yin Dee in Morrisville - nctriangledining.com
Order counter at Yin Dee in Morrisville – nctriangledining.com

Finding Yin Dee is a bit of a challenge, it sits in a strip plaza near Chapel Hill Road and I-540 next to Perimeter Park. There’s a bit of construction here, so take Carrington Mill Blvd if you’re coming from the north. Hours are pretty simple, 11am to 8pm Monday to Friday so don’t try to visit them over the weekend! Up front you’ll immediately notice Yin Dee’s narrow storefront and inside you’ll quickly realize why. Yin Dee is a very simple counter order set-up with some stool seating by the open kitchen and a side-wall. The stool are back-less and Asian in design so you’re not here to lounge around at all, just stop in, eat and get out, hence the street-food concept. Or of course you can do take-out like I did!

Menu at Yin Dee in Morrisville - nctriangledining.com
Menu at Yin Dee in Morrisville – nctriangledining.com

Yin Dee does have a website but there was no menu posted there (when I visited) so I had no idea what to expect. The menu at Yin Dee fits on one page and offers a handful of appetizers, soups and noodle bowls. It looks primarily Thai with a handful of Lao specials thrown in. Everything is $4 to $10 so it’s an inexpensive meal here and you can customize it with your choice of protein (chicken, pork, tofu). Spicing is handled at a 1 to 5 level and it’s the real deal. Even a #3 level of heat brought sniffles out of this hungry guy!

Pad kee mao at Yin Dee in Morrisville - nctriangledining.com
Pad kee mao at Yin Dee in Morrisville – nctriangledining.com
Summer rolls with pork belly at Yin Dee in Morrisville - nctriangledining.com
Summer rolls with pork belly at Yin Dee in Morrisville – nctriangledining.com

Over the course of a couple of visits, I’ve tried a handful of their appetizers and the pad kee mao. While the dumplings were just ok, the summer rolls stuffed with pork belly were great! As mentioned before, you can choose your protein and on a whim, I went with the belly. These summer rolls were B-I-G, nearly 10″ long and well stuffed with noodle, carrots and basil. Paired with the peanutty hoisin sauce, there’s nearly enough for a meal here. The pad kee mao was less successful for me. Yin Dee uses rice sticks vs. the wider, flat noodles which changes the texture of the dish. Chicken was a bit scarce but I can tell you for heat, they bring it at Yin Dee. It’s a good portion size but covered with some sliced cabbage and eggs strips. Unusual and different from pretty every other pad kee mao I’ve tried!

Counter seating at Yin Dee in Morrisville - nctriangledining.com
Counter seating at Yin Dee in Morrisville – nctriangledining.com

Note that if you do take-out (and a lot of people will take out given the seating at Yin Dee), you’ll be eating out of plastic containers which unfortunately just takes some of the fun out of dining out. So what to make of Yin Dee? I’m scratching my head a bit on this one. They are definitely staying true to their street-food calling but that being said, I’m mixed on this concept in a suburban setting. When I think of street food, I’m in a busy, urban street and need to grab something quickly on a small rickety stool or dirty plastic chair (which I’ve done in Bangkok). Transplanting that casual dining experience to a strip plaza that you need to drive to just doesn’t quite work for me. The food is decent, the prices are right but I imagine that most of Yin Dee’s business is take-out for office workers in the area grabbing lunch or bringing home dinner. So take Yin Dee with a grain of salt and understand what you’re getting before you roll out here. It’s a very different concept for Morrisville and one which I’ll be watching over time…

 

Yin Dee

10970-106 Chapel Hill Road

Morrisville, NC 27560

919.237.3023

 

Location on Google maps

Filed Under: Morrisville, Restaurant & Bar Reviews Tagged With: Thai Restaurants

March 14, 2017 by Ron Wen Leave a Comment

First Take: Thai China Buffet in Durham for an Asian Eats Feast!

Thai China Buffet in Durham - NC Triangle Dining
Thai China Buffet in Durham – NC Triangle Dining

When it comes to buffets, it’s hard to go wrong with the ubiquitous Chinese buffet. But what if you’re in the mood for something different? Something spicier? Well my friend, have I got a good option for you: Thai China Buffet in Durham. I had been to this place years ago but finally decided it was time for a lunch visit and a bit of spicy Thai flavor again. So on a cold and rainy day, I head on over for a quick meal!

Dining room at Thai China Buffet in Durham - NC Triangle Dining
Dining room at Thai China Buffet in Durham – NC Triangle Dining

Located in a very busy strip plaza, Thai China Buffet sits far in the back corner, so you’ll have to keep your eyes peeled to find it. Inside Thai China Buffet, you’ll find a very simple and humble interior fronted by a short buffet island to the right. The space is small, seating maybe 40 or so people so the the place fills up quickly for lunch, given its popularity. I get lucky on a quiet Monday afternoon, order up a diet Pepsi and it’s time to dig in and eat!

Thai China Buffet in Durham - NC Triangle Dining
Thai China Buffet in Durham – NC Triangle Dining

While the lunch buffet is a bit small with only about 20 items, at $9.95 it’s a pretty good deal. Thai China Buffet lives up to its name serving up a mix of Thai and Chinese on the steamers. I spy pad thai, spring rolls, lo mein, orange chicken, broccoli beef, tempura fried shrimp, pea pods, chicken wings along with some curries and fried rice. I load up my plate with pad thai, spring rolls and more. Drinks are brought quickly to the table while I’m preparing my little feast!

Thai China Buffet in Durham - NC Triangle Dining
Thai China Buffet in Durham – NC Triangle Dining

Overall, all the flavors on this buffet are solid. Enjoyed the red curry with chicken, pad thai, spring roll and orange chicken. The pad thai has the sweet-sour flavor combo that I usually look for even if it’s a bit sparse on the extras (egg, peanuts). Cooked veggies here (green beans and pea pods) are fresh and retain a bit of crisp, given the quick turnover on this buffet. And the orange chicken is well-fried with a nice mix of crunch, sauce and flavor. While Thai China Buffet’s lunch-time eats are not outstanding, for a buffet it’s all pretty good! Thai China Buffet also does a standard dinner service but it seems as if the majority of the traffic for this restaurant revolves around lunch.

thaichinabuffet-platewingsroll
Lunch plate from Thai China Buffet in Durham – NC Triangle Dining

To sum things all up, you come to Thai China Buffet for the food and a lot of it. Don’t expect ambiance, great service or exquisite food or even a website! The room and decor is a bit worn down, the buffet is on the smaller side and still this place brings in a good lunch crowd, regularly. Because the reality is that it’s VERY rare to find any sort of buffet when it comes to Thai food so while Thai China Buffet won’t dazzle you, it does things just well enough to keep you happy and well-fed.

 

Thai China Buffet

4900 NC Hwy 55, Ste 200

Durham, NC 27713

919.361.8881

Location on Google maps

Filed Under: Durham, Restaurant & Bar Reviews Tagged With: AYCE Restaurants, Thai Restaurants

November 12, 2016 by Ron Wen 3 Comments

First Take: Thai 55 in Durham for Affordable, Spicy Flavors

Front of Thai 55 in Durham - NC Triangle Dining
Front of Thai 55 in Durham – NC Triangle Dining

When the craving for Thai food hits you, it’s hard to resist! There’s something about the melange of flavors that Thai food delivers (sweet, spicy, savory and more) which keeps you coming back for more. Thai eats are a little hit or miss in the Triangle so I’m always looking for a great Thai option. Reviews online pointed me to a new spot, Thai 55 in Durham which is conveniently l0cated near the 55/54 intersection, home for many dining options. So yeah, it was time for a visit to get my spice on!

Interior of Thai 55 in Durham - NC Triangle Dining
Interior of Thai 55 in Durham – NC Triangle Dining

Driving by Thai 55 you’ll immediately notice the stand-along building with its bold signage. Looking like a chain restaurant conversion, the inside of Thai 55 is humble and bright. Decked out in yellow and red vinyl table cloths, I grab a seat at one end of the sunny dining room. They have a slew of lunch options which come with a salad-soup and rice for under $10. I go with the spicy catfish along with some basil rolls to explore the menu.

Basil rolls at Thai 55 in Durham - NC Triangle Dining
Basil rolls at Thai 55 in Durham – NC Triangle Dining

A salad with ginger dressing starts of the meal and it’s decent but nothing to write home about. The basil rolls follow and they are similar to the Vietnamese summer rolls here. While most basil rolls I’ve had in Thai places are primarily vegetarian, Thai 55 adds shrimp and roast pork to their version which is near identical to what you’d get in a Vietnamese spot. These basil rolls at Thai 55 are a bit smallish and a bit sloppily wrapped. They used whole shrimp here (not butterflied) and the pork is inconsistent. It’s still an okay appetizer but not up to par with what I’d find elsewhere.

Spicy catfish lunch at Thai 55 in Durham - NC Triangle Dining
Spicy catfish lunch at Thai 55 in Durham – NC Triangle Dining

And finally the spicy catfish! It looks great, presented on lettuce leaves, a sprinkle of thinly sliced ginger and a scoop of rice. The catfish is perfectly fried with a nice crisp coating soaking some of the spicy sauce. Well actually the sauce here is sort of spicy and a bit one-dimensional but still a tasty meal. It’s a good portion size for the lunch prices so certainly Thai 55 offers up a good value.

Salad at Thai 55 in Durham - NC Triangle Dining
Salad at Thai 55 in Durham – NC Triangle Dining
Thai barbeque chicken with shrimp fried rice at Thai 55 in Durham - nctriangledining.com
Thai barbeque chicken with shrimp fried rice at Thai 55 in Durham – nctriangledining.com

I pay my bill and head out thinking that it is nice to have Thai 55 in my hood near the office. While it’s certainly not perfect, it’s decent Thai for Durham and maybe I picked the wrong items on the menu. The menu has plenty of options (including sushi), service was good and the setting is perfectly fine for lunch. It might be a bit casual for dinner here. But I certainly think that Thai 55 is worth another visit before a final verdict. So 3.5 stars for Thai 55 right now, let’s see what visit #2 turns up!

 

Thai 55

4716 NC-55

Durham, NC 27713

919.748.3051

Location on Google maps

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Filed Under: Durham, Restaurant & Bar Reviews Tagged With: Thai Restaurants

September 19, 2015 by Ron Wen Leave a Comment

First Take: Wasabi in Cary Dishes Out Good Food But Not Enough Spice

Front of Wasabi in Cary, NC Triangle Dining
Front of Wasabi in Cary, NC Triangle Dining

Over in Mac Gregor Village you’ll find a handful of restaurants set off of 64 in a plaza.  Cilantro, Tribute Pizza, Tony’s Oyster Bar, Jimmy V’s and also the lesser-known, Wasabi!   With a mixed Japanese-Thai menu, Wasabi mimics the more popular Sushi-Thai with its offerings spanning the Asian continent.  And after my second visit, I think it’s a decent choice but just doesn’t quite rock the house for me.  Here’s why…

Dining area at Wasabi in Cary, NC Triangle Dining
Dining area at Wasabi in Cary, NC Triangle Dining

Inside Wasabi opens up to a large dining room with a busy bar area full of Japanese decorations.  In my head it looks more like typical Japanese restaurant that added Thai as opposed to Thai-Sushi which feels like it went the other way around.  The menu spans the usual culprits, sushi, tempura, teriyaki, Thai noodles and curries along with a smattering of house specials.  I order up the pad thai with chicken for lunch which comes with soup and salad for a reasonable $8. The living room is a bit busy with the Cary crowd which is nice to see.

Pad thai with chicken at Wasabi in Cary, NC Triangle Dining
Pad thai with chicken at Wasabi in Cary, NC Triangle Dining

It only takes 10 minutes or so for our food which is great for an abbreviated lunch period.  The salad with ginger dressing looks basic but fine, the miso soup falls in the same category: ok!  My main shows up and it’s a generous portion of flat noodles with bits of egg, nice slices of white meat chicken along with nice bits of scrambled egg and scallions.  A nice sprinkle of crushed peanuts on top completes the dish!  While all the parts of Wasabi’s pad thai was decently cooked (tender noodles, stir-fried chicken and good egg), the dish just came off a bit flat for me.  As if an ingredient or two was missing in the pad thai.  There’s a long ingredient list for pad thai which is why I’d rather just order it when dining out.  But maybe the tamarind sauce?  The dish was just missing that sweet and sour element you usually get in Thai food.  I wrapped up half the dish to bring home, thankfully the portion size was solid!

Service at Wasabi was good and you’re able to get in and out for lunch pretty quickly, woohoo!  But I did eat my leftovers that night and it didn’t get any better after sitting around so I stand by my original assessment.  Wasabi, you’re doing a decent job but just missing the flava that I usually associate with good Thai eats.  Or maybe I just chose off the wrong side of the menu, I guess I’ll have to try Japanese for my next visit, bon appetit!

 

Wasabi

107 Edinburgh S Drive

Cary, NC 27511

919.460.7980

 

Location on Google maps

Save

Filed Under: Cary, Restaurant & Bar Reviews Tagged With: Japanese-Sushi Restaurants, Lunch, Sushi, Thai Restaurants

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