Tuk Tuk Thai Ventana Restaurant — Restaurant in Four Corners States

We stopped by this newest TuK Tuk location on our way home from a day at Mount Lemmon. We've now eaten at all three Tucson Tuk Tuks.

When we arrived for dinner on Saturday at about 4:30pm -- hey, we had a light lunch! -- we were the only customers there, meaning we were outnumbered by employees about 5 to 1.

The smallish dining room was a bit warm, but was decorated with air-brushed art that left no doubt this is the same restaurant chain with locations in Oro Valley and Campbell Grant. The gender neutral individual restrooms were clean too.

No actual Tuk Tuk here though. Also, the giant mirror along one wall means at least one diner will have to spend the meal watching themselves eat. Which neither of us is narcissistic enough to enjoy. :(

As mentioned, there were no other diners. But the server/hostess felt like she needed to separate two tables, making it a right juggling act to keep all our stuff on a tiny two-top. Kinda weird, yeah?

It was too warm at 98F to sit outside, but there are several sidewalk tables that will probably be nice when the weather cools (November?).

Our go-to meal at Tuk Tuk is to share the Pumpkin Curry Chicken แกงฟักทองไก่ ($15.95) with tofu instead of chicken, and the Holy Basil Chicken ข้าวกระเพราไก่สับไข่ดาวู ($14.95). They always ask if we want a side of rice with the Curry, which, weirdly, doesn't come with rice. But we've found that the rice that comes with the Holy Basil Chicken gets the sauce mopping-up job done pretty well.

Our meal was better than the other non-Tuk Tuk Thai places we've tried in Tucson, but not quite as good as the Campbell Grant Tuk Tuk location.

With Thai beers and generous tip our total bill came to $52.42. Not a bargain, but for something we couldn't very easily replicate at home, not outrageous either.

For now, our overall Tuk Tuk rank is (1) Campbell Grant, (2) Ventana, and (3) Oro Valley. Maybe these folks will get someone over from the Campbell Grant Tuk Tuk to help them step up their food prep game? All it would take is a tweak or two. If so, this would def be our go-to Tuk...

Lunch. My second time dining here. The first was back in February 2023, which was not such a great experience, but I love Thai cuisine so thought I would give Tuk Tuk another try. I’m happy to say today’s lunch was hot, fresh, delicious and with excellent service (kind, attentive, considerate).

Probably my biggest complaint about the 2023 visit was the somewhat cold, impersonal and yet imposing nature of the middle-aged woman who served us, making my girlfriend and I both uncomfortable, and as the food was rather mediocre… well, it left such an impression I stayed away for over a year. Today’s experience was vastly superior, night and day. The young person who served me knew how to treat customers making me feel welcome and at home. And the food was great.

I do wish they would add more curry dishes, green and yellow with something other than just beef. Like green with chicken. And make it Thai hot!

For today’s meal, I had an order of calamari and the Pad Mee Lueng from the lunch menu. As you can see from the photos, there’s enough for two meals. The calamari alone was enough...

I'm not sure where the taste buds have traveled that are leaving these 5 star reviews, but they are mistaken. We went here on a Saturday afternoon and ordered the Pad Thai and the Pad See Ew. Neither had any palatable or visual seasoning/flavor, and there were maybe 5 total shrimp in the Pad Thai. The food was hot when we received it at least. I have eaten Thai food throughout the country and abroad and this was solidly a bottom third experience.

The calamari appetizer was the best dish of the evening and I'd give that 3.5 out of 5 on its own. I normally finish my entire meal and if I don't I will take it to go. This was one of the rare occasions that I didn't want to take the food home with me. I hate to be wasteful, but in the photos you can see how much food we left behind.

Our drink order was forgotten about until we reminded the waitress as well.

I do no recommend...