Nara Thai Kitchen — Restaurant in Irvine

An Update to my Previous Post - Nara Thai Kitchen in Irvine remains a popular destination for Thai cuisine, but recent changes in the kitchen have significantly altered the flavor profile of two beloved dishes. The cashew nut chicken, once a standout with its delicate crunch and harmonious spicy sweet jam flavors, now presents as a standard, gravy-laden dish, missing the distinctive qualities that made it so enjoyable. Similarly, the panang curry, while still flavorful, is now overly rich and lacks the complexity and balance it once had.

While the overall dining experience at Nara Thai is still pleasant, these significant changes have left me disappointed and less enthusiastic about returning for my favorite dishes. Previous Review - 3 months ago

Nara Thai Kitchen, nestled in Irvine's serene Portola Parkway neighborhood, promises exquisite Thai fusion cuisine. My anticipation of savoring its flavors had been brewing for some time, yet the steep prices had previously deterred my indulgence.

Today, fate intervened, and I joined my husband and a dear colleague for lunch, eager to explore the culinary offerings. Opting for the cashew nut chicken, the panang curry, and the yellow curry, we embarked on a journey of discovery as our taste buds savored each dish. Although the cashew nut chicken arrived with a milder touch than requested due to a minor slip-up, its essence remained intact.

The chicken, delicately encased in a light batter, offered a delightful crunch that harmonized with the rich flavors, making every bite a pleasure to savor.

The panang chicken curry, though ordered mild, surprised me with its fiery undertones, adding an unexpected kick to the dish. Yet, amidst the heat, the robust flavors of the curry shone through, leaving a lasting impression.

Across the table, my friend reveled in the comforting embrace of the yellow curry, its aromatic blend of spices infusing each morsel of potato with a delectable essence. Her satisfaction echoed my own, affirming the culinary prowess of Nara Thai.

However, as we reveled in the culinary delights, the reality of the bill sobered our enthusiasm. The bill for lunch at Nara Thai exceeded $100 for just three of us, including an appetizer and beverages. Despite its exceptional dining experiences, the restaurant is more suited for special occasions than casual visits.

In conclusion, Nara Thai undoubtedly stands as a beacon of Thai cuisine excellence in Irvine. Its dishes tantalize the palate with flavors that leave a lasting impression. While I'd like to return, the high prices might mean I can only indulge occasionally. Financial constraints could make Nara Thai a place for special occasions rather than a regular hangout.

Typically, I wouldn't consider spending $36.67 per person, excluding gratuity, for lunch, but on this occasion, I felt justified...

I was excited that a new Thai restaurant opened in OH plaza, but I am not sure if I'll come back again unless they make some changes. It seems most of the reviews so far are for dinner, but I came here for brunch on a Sunday. The idea of Thai breakfast/brunch definitely intrigued me as I have not seen that before, even when I went to Bangkok years ago.

First, I do want to say the taste of the food is pretty good and didn't disappoint. However, I can only give it 2.5-3 stars for the reasons below.

I ordered the Thai omelette because I was curious what that would look like. To my surprise (an indifferent kind of way) it was just a fusion of Japanese omurice, except they used either shrimp or bacon as topping, and they used Thai curry served on the side and Thai jasmine white rice (not fried). The curry tasted pretty good with a slight kick, and the egg was perfectly runny, so no doubt it tasted good. My disappointments were mainly the portion and lack of ingredients. For $16, you get a very small bowl of rice underneath some runny eggs (maybe only 2 eggs in total), topped with a few small chopped pieces of bacon and one grape tomato slices in half for garnish. The curry is served in a small tall shot glass that you can pour yourself on the egg. I understand that $16 is pretty standard now for brunch, but for the amount of food you get, there are much more and better options all around (like Jinbei next door). I'm not a super big eater, but I wasn't even 1/3 full even with half of the pork skewers (also $16 for 4 sticks and a very small portion of sticky rice). Despite the taste, I was actually expecting more for a "Thai" brunch. It sounded unique, but what I see is more of just a variation of Japanese omurice, but with less ingredients and lack of originality.

My friend ordered the Hainanese chicken rice, and again, for $16 portions were small. The taste was good, but not great. I would say it's not any better than say Capital Noodle Bar, which to be honest isn't exactly the gold standard either. So it is a little disappointing.

The atmosphere is nice. The remodeling done after La Sirena closed down is a nice refresh, and the gold colored rustic utensils are a nice touch and can be appreciated.

I can only speak for brunch, so maybe dinner is better. However, I can't recommend this place for brunch unless you are not hungry and just want a small bite.

One last note, my friend ordered the Thai ice tea for $6 and it was overly sweet and filled with ice to the top on a glass that looked...

Beautiful, fancy and modern decor, nice dinnerware that intend to provide fine dining experience. Nice and tasty Thai fusion food but in small portion and at elevated price. Really not sure about the owner's pricing strategy and market positioning. It really tries to differentiate itself from other restaurants in the area through the interior decoration, pricing and serving portion, but is it right for its location.

This restaurant is beautifully decorated and gives a different feel than most nearby restaurants. It presents itself as an option for fine dining experience for more formal/special occasions or business oriented customers. All these are also fully reflected in its serving portion and pricing. The portions are smaller and each dish is $5 - $10 more than normal Thai restaurants nearby. But again, I feel this restaurant's owner is not targeting those who just want to have a quick bite and big portions. The question is: is this in the right location? It's in a residential neighborhood after all. Also, is it really worth paying that much more?

The food is good, to be fair. However, I can't help but feel being ripped off. A vegetarian stir fried dish, with no tofu just vegetables, steamed rice, and a bit of salad with no dressing costs $20 at lunch time. Its lunch menu is not lunch special but what they only serve during lunch. An entree starts from $20 for vegetarian option and goes up as you add meat to it. I asked to look at the dinner menu and found dinner is actually cheaper than lunch. I just don't get it. And do I really feel the food is that much more superior than what other Thai restaurants can offer that I'm happy to pay so much more for? Definitely not!

I guess if this restaurant were at a tourist spot, a business or shopping/retail area, a busy nightlife downtown district, where there are people from all over places for a special time, then the concept of this restaurant makes sense. But in a neighborly residential area? I'm not sure. After giving it a try, it's not a place I will visit again. It hurts my pocket even though I can well afford it and I would still feel hungry afterwards. And because of its location, it most likely won't be the place I invite my friends to go to for birthday or special occasions. There are plenty more options in the Spectrum, and the downtown of nearby beach cities where I have other places to go to after a meal.

I wish the owner best of luck in the success of...