Garden Thai Cuisine — Restaurant in East Victoria Park

SUMMARY: THEY HAVE CHANGED THEIR FLAVOURS IN A BAD WAY LOW QUALITY NOW VERY SAD (read further for detail).

I’m very sad to write this about a change in a restaurant that was one of the greatest Thai or any cuisine actually, I had ever eaten - but last night’s experience was the first time I left almost in tears at the changes - excuse me guys but where is your head chef? Are you under new management? New staff? One may go there and be impressed if this was the first time, but it’s the changes to a long time consistent brand that is my concern. We’ve been going to Garden Thai for years!!!!!!! It’s all different now and it is a big shock. Imagine a flavour of food that was so beautiful and unique that will never be again. So so so sad.

It used to be the best and most consistent, and great and friendly service - but now no!!!! Where is the usual head chef who is genial and not to mention talented who used to cook flawless and delicious food off a long time menu? If you have changed management and can’t cook the menu items the same way then why are you deceiving your customers???? The old head chef used to tweak the dishes to the liking of old faithful customers (more saucy, deep fry on a non deep fry menu item)… he makes the customer happy. Until last night.

My friend and I were excited after not having been for maybe a few short months? It was a shock. The food is different. It was not the same. It was perhaps one of the most disappointing feelings, like losing an old friend. Do the recipes not get taught to the new chefs? How can you get deep fried so wrong? So gluggy and soggy???? Yet some pieces of the protein hard like a rock? Surely a chef can cook deep fried???

The biggest concern was the peanut sauce stir fry sauce - they have changed that heavenly golden delicious concoction from the heavens into some mediocre dismal boring thick chunky full of peanuts satay sauce…. Like it came from a jar… WHAT A SLAP IN THE FACE… what a let down disappointment. My friend always ordered their heavenly Mussaman Beef Curry and he NEVER complains - but he couldn’t eat it as the offensive sized bricks of frozen in the middle, potato and carrot were a giant (literally) put off, and the consistency was “too soupy” he said it was usually thicker (and mine was too thick!!). The only thing we ordered that was the same was the Pad See Eew thank Goodness - that one was good! And the side of rice noodles seems to have improved in that it does not all stick together so much like glue but that’s hardly an issue when their food was SO GOOD before!!!! - don’t put your prices up by so much unless you can provide the quality too!!!!!

I think I will have to wait a while, come back and see if this was just a one off bad night (we all have them), and pray to the Thai food Gods that they have...

Our Friday evening visit to Garden Thai was a complete fail. The first interaction where we were told to wait outside before being told that we were allowed to come in felt quite strange. My partner and I were shown to a small table in a room with another large table in it. Signs on the wall say they are “short of staffs” and to order via a QR code that takes you to the pretty average website. No email confirmation, no txt. But instant transfer of funds from the credit card.

We quickly realised that the other table in the room was for 2 large very loud families with completely out of control kids whacking each other and the plates with cutlery etc. and that group not only received table service after we had ordered via the QR code but they were served long before us.

The ladies bathroom didn’t have any toilet paper and used paper towel on the floor.

About 20 minutes after showing the waitress that we had previously placed an online order, were asked by the same person if we had ordered! We were then quickly told that our food was cooking.

Having been told that there was no other place in the restaurant for us to sit other than with the poorly behaved and very loud kids, that at one point even moved a chair to sit and stare at me, my partner and I decided to switch our order to takeaway and leave. Now, standing near the kitchen, we realised that the previous comment about our meals cooking was a complete lie. We waited for the pretty average food to be cooked from start to finish before getting out of there. The price was very reasonable but we definitely...

We were deciding where to have Thai food for lunch and one of our friends recommended this place. I've always driven past it but never been so thought would be the best time to go try as there were a few of us and we could order and try different things.

It's located in an old house that's renovated to be a restaurant, and the garden part of the name lives up to the description as there are trees and indeed even outdoor dining in the garden. The entrance is actually through the back of the house.

We ordered chu chee fish, basically battered fish fillet with curry, a pad see ew which is like stir fry flat rice noodles, a chilli basil fried rice, a kailan with crispy pork belly and larb gai (minced chicken salad). I also ordered their milk tea with grass jelly.

The fish was soft and the batter was crispy. It's really good with the creamy red curry and goes really well with rice. The kailan is cooked just right and the pork belly was crispy and accompanied the vegetable really well. The rice noodles is a little underwhelming to be honest, and a little bit oily to my liking. The fried rice was flavorful but would have liked more basil. Larb gai was good; the vinegar and salty seasoning is really appetizing. The milk tea is okay, as I prefer a stronger and creamier version, but that's possibly cause I'm unfairly comparing it to HK style milk tea.

Overall would still go back and try the other dishes. The staff was friendly despite the busyness and the price was really good comparing to the other...