Thaiya — Restaurant in Al Maathar Municipality

The interior is nicely done. Unfortunately, the food didn’t live up to the setting.

The creamy seafood Tom Yum was the highlight of the meal—flavorful and well-balanced. However, everything else was a letdown.

• The crab cakes were served cold and lacked any real flavor.

• The chicken Pad Thai was disappointing: the chicken was dry and overcooked, the sauce tasted like teriyaki (which is not traditional), and the eggs were burnt—overall, it felt like a confused version of the dish.

• The mango sticky rice came in a very small portion and was served with unripe, sour mango—missing the sweetness and richness that makes the dessert enjoyable.

Unless there’s a major improvement in the kitchen and attention to authentic preparation, I won’t be returning. A nice space deserves...

We had a disappointing experience with the staff, starting with the waiter who was unfamiliar with the menu. When we asked about the Massaman, he mistakenly told us it was noodles. We raised our concern with the manager, but instead of listening to our feedback, he insisted that his staff knew the menu “100%,” which came off as unprofessional.

To add to the confusion, we were initially told the chef was present, but when we asked to speak with him, the story changed, and we were informed he was off that day.

Overall, it was an unpleasant experience. We were so dissatisfied that we decided to take our food home rather than dine in. Unfortunately, we won’t be returning or ordering from this...

Thaiya is an explosion of authentic flavors served in an elegant and cozy setting. As a Thai cuisine enthusiast, I can confidently say that the team at Thaiya managed to nail down the flavors with their dishes without any compromises. The experience as a whole was excellent, and I personally don’t think that the restaurant will be a hidden gem for long.

The Tom Yum soup was spot-on and tasted exactly like the one in Thailand, which is not the case with how it’s made and served in all the other restaurants here that offer it. I’d recommend the Rangoon, Panang Curry, Pad See Ew, and their take on fried rice.

Think I’ve finally found my favorite Thai spot in town. Can’t wait to...