Bann Thai — Restaurant in Alliance

Do not be fooled by the "Plain" exterior, walking in the front door is like going through a portal where you are transported into a fine dining atmosphere. I was greeted at the host station by Jayden who was also my server and appears to be a PIC (person in charge) as during my visit I observed him giving directions to some other staff. I was seated at the PERFECT table for me, a corner table, which is what I would have chosen if I had sat myself. Jayden put the menu on the table and informed me he would be back with some water. As I read thru the menu, he came back with a glass of water as well as a carafe full of icy water and asked me if I would just be having the water or if I would like something else. I ordered my usual Pepsi/Coke, and he went to go get it, giving me ample time to decide on what I wanted. When he returned with my Pepsi he asked if I was ready to order and I was. I ordered the Cucumber salad with house dressing, and The pepper steak that is served with bell peppers, carrots and Jasmine Rice. Jayden asked me how hot/spicy I would like it on a scale 1-10 and initially I said 1, but as he was preparing to walk away, I said, actually, make it a 2 please, so that there is a little spice, he said that was perfect and he could always bring out more spice if i needed it. (The menu also explains this) When the cucumber salad came out, I was over joyed with the fact that THIS is exactly what I think, when I see Cucumber salad, It was 80% cucumber chunks, with 10% lettuce and 10% shredded carrots. Their house dressing was a sweet clear dressing, and served in an appropriate sized ramekin. The Cucumbers were fresh and delicious, the lettuce crisp and fresh and the dressing just put it over the top. I will ALWAYS get this in the future. I was the only guest in the restaurant when I ordered and my peppered steak entree came out while I had just a few bites of my salad left. I am SO glad I chose 2 and did NOT go "mid range" with a 5 or something lol. The steak pieces were tender and easy for me (with no teeth) to chew. The peppers were cooked PERFECTLY, still a bit of a crispness to them but also soft enough for me to eat them. The ratio of meat to vegetables could NOT have been better. And the rice was fluffy with no hard grains. I added my rice into the Steak bowl and a couple of bites in, could feel a slightly warm sensation, but not even close to an uncomfortable level. Near the end of my meal, my sinuses were opened and I had a bit of a "sniffle" but still, no discomfort. It was just perfect enough that it also did not force me to suck down sodas at an alarming rate. Actually, I never asked Jayden for a refill, as I was too busy enjoying the dish to drink lol, and if you know me, you know I"m typically a 3-5 drink guy at a restaurant lol. When I finished my entree, I returned to my salad and glass of water. Jayden's service was PERFECT, he did not hover, but was never far, and he checked on me after I had a few bites. We engaged in some light banter and I told him I was glad I had went with a "2" and with a twinkle in his eyes as if he was 50 years older than the young man he was, he said "I knew a 2 was perfect for you" The prices are much less than I expected for the elegance the restaurant provides. All the dishes were served in white ceramic dishware, including the dressing. Clean black cloth tablecloths adorned each table with gold paper placemats. The decor was just enough to remind you that you were eating Asian food, but not so much as for you to think you were at a China buffet. Jayden was professional and efficient. All employees I witnessed were clean and well groomed. Prices are in the $10 - $12 a plate range. With plenty of appetizer and entree options without it being TOO many. They also have a kids menu and bubble tea options, including a banana one that I was going to try, but I'll save that for my next trip :) Overall I would recommend this restaurant 10 out of 10 times based on this visit :)Great Job Jayden...

above all other Thai restaurants that I have eaten at between Pittsburgh and Cleveland. This is the BEST Thai food between Pittsburgh and Cleveland. And that includes Pitt and Cleve! It is 14 miles from Lake Milton.

When I move back to Pittsburgh, I am going to make an excuse to visit Salem Ohio, or Canton, and Bann Thai will be where I stop in for lunch and/or dinner.

During this life in the age of Covid, there is butcher paper on the tables, replaced after every diner. A dispenser of hand sanitizer also. Now that I've said THAT...

The food, the tastes, the smells sights and sounds. I LOVE THIS PLACE!!! They do well enough with carry out business, but that would be missing out on the excellent service. The wait staff is impeccably attentive. They will suggest items if you are having a difficult time determining what entree to get. Or what appetizer is best for you.

I cannot recommend this Thai restaurant any more than I have, because I have already given this place the HIGHEST recommendation that it is possible to give!

Oh, and I got a quart of the Tom Yum soup to go. The seafood. $8.99 and so darned good! And the standard Pad Thai “go to” that most everyone gets? Fantastic. Get extra peanuts, that is my only suggestion.

As for the rest of the menu, fire away! Order anything at any spice level and expect the best! ALSO! The owner is the cook. If it isn’t in the menu, she will cook it. Chicken Larb is not on the menu. You can order it.

LOVE....

After driving past it for far too long, and hearing good things about it, we finally decided to give this place a try. The results were mixed. Our server was awesome and could not have been more friendly, pleasant or helpful. But despite there only being one other couple in the room when we arrived, our order took a very long time.

Our appetizers (shrimp "cigars") came out promptly and were quite tasty. But although it was obvious that many carryout orders were going out the door, it didn't help our impatience as we sat, with no food, for more than a half hour.

When it finally came, our food was delicious with just the right amount of spicy heat for each of our tastes. My wife had Pad Thai with chicken and thought that the chicken breast in it (and in mine) was too dry for her taste but still ate heartily. I had "Crazy Noodles" (at heat "level 3") with chicken and found it to be very good. Neither of us had much left to take home for lunch the next day.

As I said, we have mixed feelings. Despite the dry chicken breast, our meals were very good and there were other menu items that I'd like to try such as the Bann Thai eggplant, the Red Sea salmon, and if I get adventurous, one of the many curry dishes. I think we'll get food here again, but despite the positive experience of having a great server, we will probably get carryout and skip the...