Thai Fresh Gardens — Restaurant in La Grande

WHEN AN UNEXPECTED FIND TURNS INTO A PLEASANT SURPRISE.

This review is based solely on my experience and personal opinion.

I went to the Thai Fresh Gardens restaurant on a Thursday Night, 12/2/21, and it was my very first time.

PLACE: That night I was very tired and sleepy but yet I forced myself to go out and find a nice place to eat. I eventually decided to join my friends and go explore La Grande on a very cold night. We parked our car and started walking and while strolling around we spotted the unusual golden elephant statues standing in front of a building entrance. We decided to get in and follow the signs to this Thai Fresh Gardens we had just seen on the entrance glass door. We went down the stairs and all of a sudden it was like we had just stepped into a different world... a world of its own... a sort of underground world, welcomed by a fountain and a narrow path going all around a elf-like village. on the sides of the path many display windows, many doors and many pretty decoration. I felt like I was walking around a Christmas village.... such a pleasant feeling. At some point, along the path, you can see a big open room with a long table and fabric Art frames.... then medieval style windows and then a Caribbean tree with colorful parrots and pretty birds. We had just found the Thai Fresh Gardens restaurant.....what a pleasant surprise.

FOOD: We ordered Thai Fresh Gardens Fresh rice, Yellow Curry, Crispy Chicken Pad Thai, Thai Vegetable Egg Roll, Broccoli and Meat and Tom Yam Soup. All of our meals were tasty and well prepared. I loved the fresh ingredients and the combination of sweet and bitter. I tried each and every of our orders and my favorite was the Thai fresh gardens fried rice, and in second place the Thai Vegetable Egg Roll with Tofu. I did really enjoy them. Just remember, this is no fast food restaurant, so you have to wait for them too prepare and cook your food, regardless of what you order.

CLEANLINESS: The overall cleanliness was very good and they would come and clean the table as soon as the customers left.

STAFF: The young girl who served us was nice and helpful, friendly I would say. She took photos of us, She explained the Menu for us and did her best to meet our needs. Very customer oriented person. Less friendly and customer oriented was her mother, who, in all truth, could not understand English very well.

PRICES: not as cheap as you would expect from a restaurant in La Grande OR, but it's the only Ethnic food restaurant in town, also portions are big and flavors are there, so, it is worth the money.

CONCLUSIONS: I genuinely enjoyed it and I would definitely go back again. very positive customer experience and a...

My readers know of my weakness for Massaman Curry and my quest for a 70 inch waistline, so it will come as no surprise that upon arrival in La Grande, Oregon, the first phrase I uttered was, "OK Google, Thai food restaurant near me." What followed was an important lesson in semantics. I happened to be sitting outside of a Fusion restaurant, so I walked in and asked if they served curry. The decidedly non-Thai individual in charge of seating said, "Of course!" My follow-on query regarding Massaman was rebuffed, "I don't know anything about curry," is a dead giveaway that you have come to the wrong place. Second on Google's list was Thai Fresh Gardens, an authentic Thai restaurant serving delicious tea, massaman, and crab wontons as befitting a purveyor of Thai food. Plus, the extremely helpful and friendly staff taught me how to make the straw wrapper for my tea into a cute little flower. I picked up dinner there every day of my conference and can tell you, if you have occasion to be in Eastern Oregon for any reason at all, drive a little further and visit La Grande. They are home to the best Thai food within at...

I've been to Thai Fresh Gardens twice to dine in, and have taken out there many times as well. Like other reviewers have said, this place is not easy to find. My advice is to just go down the stairs and walk until you find it, there's signs but they're not the best. In regards to the food, I've enjoyed everything I've had there. As someone who is moderately dairy & gluten intolerant, they have been very accommodating and even list their entrees that are safe for gluten-intolerance (if you're celiac, don't risk it). Their prices are fairly reasonable, and will not be a surprise to anyone who has had Thai food here in the US before. As well, the restaurant itself is very nice inside, if anything a bit dark in regards to lighting. My final warning is to not take their heat ratings lightly, my Dad learned that the hard way! Definitely give it a try, it's great food with...