Taste of Thai — Restaurant in Grass Valley

We've always enjoyed Thai food. In some ways, it's odd for me to think that on a trip to Nevada City, we would be craving Thai food when there are so many good restaurants in a part of the state where you would think Asian food is not something you would be gravitating towards. But Thai is good anywhere right? Originally we wanted to stay in downtown Nevada City for all of our dining because there are so many good eateries in such a small total area. You would need to stay here for a month to be able to eat at all of them. When we chose the Thai restaurant we were going to, it was based on reviews and taste of Thai had a significantly large number of viewers and sustained a high overall rating so we decided to go there. Upon navigating, we realize that this was not in downtown Nevada City and it was actually in nearby Grass valley. We decided to continue on either way since the buzz about this establishment was very positive. When we arrived, we realized it was in downtown Grass valley, which appeared to have a downtown experience of its own separate from the well-known Nevada City downtown. This was just a bonus.

The restaurant appears to be inside of a building that may have other businesses shared within the same space. It does have a street-facing window, but you have to enter the building first and then it is the first business to your right. Right. I would say that the space is overall small for a restaurant, but long, and therefore does not have a whole lot of seating, but that appears to be a choice made by the business owners to allow for a quiet and spacious dining area for the patrons. With that said, this restaurant presents itself as a higher end Thai restaurant that leans in the direction of finer dining without being fancy. The stone walls with the wood wall accents opposite make for a very pleasant and slightly upscale dining environment to be in.

I ordered the basil chicken, which isn't actually called basil chicken. I forget the name of it but if you were like me and this is a dish you want, they won't know what you're talking about. If you order basil chicken. You will need to look for the menu item that has the ingredients of basil chicken, and then say you want it with chicken. My wife ordered the combination pad Thai. For the basil chicken, the chicken is sliced and not chopped, where I prefer the chopped version. I also ordered the mild so that my wife could share with me and we could eat family style, so those of you who follow me will know that I prefer to have my basil chicken made the spiciest the house. The house is willing to prepare it, so I won't be able to comment on what that experience would be. Be. In general, it was a good dish. Not outstanding from my Thai palette and experience, but still good. The chicken itself was fair, leaning on the slightly drier side versus the tender side, but this is a very minor gripe. I would characterize as average. This is not a negative towards the dish, but it did present to me a standard fare. We didn't really venture outside of these dishes, and I tend to find that my average Thai order includes yellow Curry pad, thai and basil chicken, and sometimes they're Thai fried rice so this is generally how I have my Thai experiences.

I would say the most outstanding feature of this experience would be the restaurant itself and the beautiful high stone walls and wood accented panels. This is a beautiful place to have a dinner, and the waitresses are very friendly and attentive. It is a quiet and calm dining experience, and would be great for a quiet business dinner, a date, or a simple, peaceful, Thai eating experience. The four-star rating that I give it is based on that total feeling versus my overall opinion of the Thai food versus other Thai restaurants. Have patronized, where I find this one to be average...

Taste of Thai, Grass Valley, CA 204 W Main St., Suite 103 — a jewel of Thai cuisine right in downtown Grass Valley. 

If you want “bam-pow” flavor, this is the spot. From the moment we walked in, we knew something special was happening. The service? World class. Paula—our waitress who gave us world class service, Jep our server who was most insightful (and that girl with the cool tattoo on her left arm) Saffron,—delivered with a smile that lit up the whole room. That kind of genuine warmth makes you feel immediately at home, like everyone who works there loves doing what they do. It’s not just polite—it’s joy in human form.

Now, let’s talk food: • Pad Kee Mao: noodles cooked to perfection—slightly chewy, richly sauced, never soggy. The pork was tender, giving just the right pull with each bite. The spice level? Hot. Not just “Thai hot” but “if I asked for hot-hot, this is what I want” kind of spicy. BAM. • The Evil Jungle Noodle: this was the show-stopper. A daring mix of red curry and yellow curry married with fresh vegetables that pop in color and flavor. Each spoonful punches with vibrant curry richness, fresh greens, and layered textures. It’s familiar, yet creative—everything you want when you try variation on a classic.

What stood out most was how everything comes together: the atmosphere, the authenticity, the pride in the cooking. The food exploded in flavor, but it never overwhelmed—you taste each ingredient.

If I could sum it up in one line: Taste of Thai is one of the best Thai meals I’ve had in a long time, full of soul, style, and spice.

We did have an appetizer that I highly recommend it delivered more than I expected.

Tod Mun Pla (Thai Fish Cakes) — lightly deep-fried little rounds of spiced fish paste, crispy on the outside yet tender and packed with savory flavor inside. They come served with crisp cucumber slices and a sweet-and-sour dipping sauce that cuts through the...

I feel bad about giving this review, because I want businesses in our town to succeed. But today I had the worst service I've ever had at a restaurant in a very long time. It took the server a while to take our initial order, and when I asked a food allergy question, the server kinda shrugged and answered. It seemed as though she really wasn't sure, and wouldn't go back to the kitchen to ask. When the food came, it wasn't delivered all at once. About 5 minutes in-between each meal coming to the table. (Fresh spring rolls, soup and 2 salads). My salad took 20 minutes longer to come out. In the meantime, my friend asked about my dish about 10 minutes after receiving hers. The server never returned to the table to check on us or give us our check. 10 minutes after my friend asked, I went to the counter to ask for my food. They said there was mix up, but I ordered a salad and she read it back to me as well. I don't know why there was any confusion about my order. I wish the server would have come back to the table to confirm what I ordered, instead of waiting till I came up 20 minutes after. They shortly brought out my dish, didn't acknowledge anything about the service or Wait and it was really clear they just threw it all on a plate. I've had the dish before several times and it's always presented nicely. Like I said, server never came back to check on us which was about 30 minutes in and I don't think anyone in the restaurant cared. It's a bummer because this was one of my favorite places to go for years. Just wished there was some acknowledgement and accountability and to not feel like a burden to the staff for asking where my delayed food was. The way they looked at me when I came to politely ask made me feel weird. Not sure if I'll...