Thai Tom

best thai on the ave!

Bring cash. We had to make a quick run to the ATM! I guess they don’t take credit cards because it’s so cheap here. Two of us ate for less than $20.

The food is good, and you could say the cook almost puts on a show as he prepares all the dishes for eating in and take-outs —amazing!

On a literally darker note, the place is quite filthy and not well kept :(

This is an incredibly popular small restaurant… there’s a line on the sidewalk most of the time. It’s fun to watch the chef make the dishes in the open kitchen. I think the food is OK but not great.

Thai Toms has the BEST PAD THAI EVER. As a native to the suburbs of Seattle, I was indoctrinated to the deliciousness that is Thai Toms prior to my admittance into the University of Washington. Since then I have frequented the restaurant on innumerable occasions and offer my review here.

Nestled in the comforts of the Ave, this ‘hole-in-the-wall’ is well worth the wait and worth the cramped seating. On a busy night you might have to wait over half a hour to get a seat (it has a long bar to watch the action and minimal tables) but the experience is unlike any other Thai restaurant on the Ave or in the Seattle area (and there are plenty of Thai restaurants). However, if you don’t have the time, call ahead and order it to-go, it’s just as tasty.

Then we get to the food. As a girl with an affinity for spicy foods that make you sweat, Thai Toms delivers. In fact, they make my pad thai with a little extra serving of their delicious spices as I order 8 stars, compared to the usual 1-5 star rating. For those who are not lovers of spicy food as I am, I do have several friends who get 0-1 stars and savor it just as much.

The pad thai is amazing, unlike some other restaurants that have a ketchup-like consistency, Thai Toms offers a little crunch. I’m convinced that the ‘Little Thai Express’ Stove offers a taste unique to the restaurant. Start your meal off with some fresh spring rolls, pad thai and a Thai iced tea and you’ve got yourself a fine night. Other recommendations: Pad See Ewe, Swimming Rama… in fact everything on the menu. You can’t go wrong.

Were it not for Lotus of Siam down in Las Vegas, I’d have no hesitation calling this the best Thai place I’ve ever been to. But this is easily the very close runner up. I can just smell the place now, writing it up for here—so satisfying.