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We really liked Thai Garden in Hoover, located at the Hoover Commons shopping center. It's on Highway 31 on the left, after exiting I-65. We lived in the Birmingham area for several years, and Thai Garden was our favorite. If you want something more upscale (and more expensive) you might try Surin in the Five Points area of Birmingham. I've heard there's a Thai restaurant in Huntsville near the airport that's supposed to be good, but we haven't made it over there yet. I'll let you know when we do!
[QUOTE]Originally posted by greenlake888:
All the Surins are good.

Surin of Thailand has the Huntsville location as well as a Mountain Brook location. Surin West's website is here
QUOTE]

Surin West is quite good for a nice Thai meal. Actually, though, it's not in Mountain Brook. It's in Birmingham's "Five Points South" area (which is easier to find if you're not familiar with those places).
I second the Pad Thai, and I'll add the Curry dishes. Those are my favorite, they're traditional and standard, and they're popular among Thai food regulars. I like the fresh rolls myself. You might also like Pot Stickers as another appetizer option to the spring rolls. If you want a soup, go with WonTon soup: a common, traditional choice. And if you like SPICE, you'll love Pad Prik. (You can usually get it with any of several meat choices.)

You might also just tell your server that you're not familiar with Thai food, but you want to try a good, representative sample. Then you'll end up with THEIR house specialty, which might be something different from those we've listed above, but perhaps a better selection at that particular restaurant.

In general, when I go to a restaurant for the first time, I often tell the server my basic preferences (i.e. "I especially like chicken dishes, but anything other than pork. And I can handle mild spice, but nothing too hot.") Then I ask them to tell me what the most POPULAR dishes are there AMONG THEIR REGULAR customers within my preferences. That approach rarely goes wrong.
Last edited by e 2
I have been to Thailand before (Cobra Gold '96). Some of the best seafood I have ever eaten was over there.

Key thing about Thai food: have PLENTY of white rice handy and do NOT eat or bite into one of those black chili peppers....Water won't help you, and Coke adds fuel to the flames that will incinerate your mouth (Thai's drink LOTS of Coke products). Not sure if the dishes in the States are as hot as they are over in Thailand...last restaurant I ate at was in Tulsa, OK some years back...the food was not as spicy/good but lame as far as seasonings/spices/etc.

Also, I have been to Phuket, Thailand before. It is pronounced "FU KET" with the long U sound and the short E sound.
Phuket and Surin are almost identical. The only thing about Phuket is that it's in a really pretentious part of town, so make sure you don't wear jeans or they'll seat you in the back of the restaurant. They did this to us, and we weren't happy. But the food was great. Surin will always be my favorite, but that's because I grew up going there. It feels less stuffy, but I think that's because it's not in Providence Place.
In reference to Brentenman’s post about not drinking water or Coke when your mouth’s on fire:
I’ve heard the best thing to do is get yourself a packet of sugar (not EQUAL, duh!) and pop it in your mouth and let it dissolve. I’ve tried it and it works. Emeril told me! Wink

Oh, and SmartChick said Phuket's pronounced "Pooh Get." Somebody call 'em and see how they answer the phone . . .
quote:
Originally posted by FatNoMo:
In reference to Brentenman’s post about not drinking water or Coke when your mouth’s on fire:
I’ve heard the best thing to do is get yourself a packet of sugar (not EQUAL, duh!) and pop it in your mouth and let it dissolve. I’ve tried it and it works. Emeril told me! Wink

Oh, and SmartChick said Phuket's pronounced "Pooh Get." Somebody call 'em and see how they answer the phone . . .


_________________________________________

Why do you folks drive me to do strange things? Smiler I called. The nice lady who answered the phone said the first syllable was "Pooh" (and in her words, "like Winnie the Pooh!" and the second syllable is "Ket." (She had a strong accent, so I asked her whether it was like "Get" or "Ket". She confirmed "Ket" (as in the word "kettle").

Mystery solved. The phonetic pronunciation is "Poo Ket", at least in terms of how this restaurant chooses to pronounce their name. And since it's their place, I guess they can pronounce it any way they want to! Wink
Last edited by e 2

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