泰元THAIYUAN — Restaurant in Kaohsiung

tl;dr // Worth a visit. Overall it was a good vibe. In general all the food we ordered was spicy but flavorful. Get Fried Chicken.

Warning if you have any egg allergy, they won't adjust their food for you (at least the pad thai part). Our visit they managed to do it for us, but we were upset at first. Across the world including places in Thailand would adjust egg part for us, so we didn't think that would be a BIG hassle to ask, but again they run the show. So we respect that. Another tiny caveat: the menu is not really foreigner friendly...I suppose to tackle the Thai-authenticity vibe, but really lost the simple communication that menu is designed to do.

The shining star of our meal would be the fried chicken related items, like FC pad thai, or a la carte. The beef noodle was another interesting one. Pricey but understandable with the michellin stamp on their store.

Been visiting its past life aka Pad Thai for years, and this was our first time visiting here. Was the food different? Yes, but it has a spicier twist and more flavorful.

Would we go there again? Sure if time permits. Usually with such egotistic service from a restuarant, the food ironically has the warmth from the culture and the casual vibe with proper presentation for the visuals.

3 stars overall and add another one for being unique...

Visited due to the Michelin guide mention and positive reviews but was unfortunately disappointed.

The food overall was alright, the clear stand-out being the fried chicken. Pad Thai and green curry were okay but lacked the complex flavor I was looking for.

The customer service was the most bizarre part of the experience. We arrived at opening and were told we could not be served for 30 mins but were invited to sit at our table upstairs. There were 3 tables that were being served while another 4 waiting like us - it was really strange that the kitchen could not serve more folks. When we asked for water, we simply got a single cup for the table of 3. Finally, as the empty dishes piled up, no one ever came to bus our table.

To be fair, I would overlook all of the service transgressions if the food was excellent. But as simply average, I would encourage others to...

Stopped by Thai Yuan Restaurant during my trip to Kaohsiung and was pleasantly surprised!

The food was flavorful and felt really fresh—especially the Tom Yum Soup, Shrimp Paste Fried Rice, Green and Red curries, Pad Thai and Papaya Salad (do inform the staff if you have a peanut allergy and they will put it in a separate bowl for you). You can tell they use quality ingredients, and the portions were just right.

The prices were very reasonable, especially for the quality, making it a great spot if you're craving Thai food while in Kaohsiung, Taiwan. The atmosphere is casual and comfortable—nothing fancy, but perfect for a relaxed meal.

Overall, a solid pick for tasty, affordable Thai cuisine...