Plern Thai Cafe — Restaurant in Lake Forest

I can't believe the absolute disaster that Plern Thai Cafe is! I decided to give it a shot since I live just across the street. What a massive mistake! The Shrimp Pad Thai noodles I ordered were beyond terrible. I've never encountered such dry, tasteless noodles in my entire life. And guess what? Not a single onion to be found, just an uncut stick of onions - seriously, who does that?

As if that weren't enough, the shrimps tasted like they had been sitting there for ages. Zero flavor, zero freshness - it was an insult to my taste buds. I had to salvage what little taste I could by dousing it with my own soy sauce and hot sauce. I mean, come on! I paid a whopping $17 for this culinary catastrophe, and I could have made it better at home with my eyes closed!

When I dine out, I expect something exquisite, something that I can't replicate in my own kitchen. But this disgraceful excuse for a meal was a complete waste of time and money. Maybe it's not just the establishment's fault; their so-called "chef" is probably the culprit behind this atrocity. Whatever the case, they can say goodbye to me as a customer forever. I will never set foot in that place again, and I'll make sure to warn everyone I know about the abomination they call food. This was the last time they'll ever see a...

A few friends and I came here, and we genuinely had an amazing time, thanks to the incredible service from Nancy and the delicious food. From the moment we sat down, she made sure we were taken care of, which made the experience even better. We went all in and shared a variety of dishes, including the brussel sprouts, Pad Thai, Pad See Ew, Zapp Beef Soup, Braised Beef Panaeng Curry, Thai Coffee, and Thai Iced Tea and let me tell you, everything was on point. The Zapp Beef Soup and Panaeng Curry were the real standouts for me, packed with rich, bold flavors and the perfect amount of heat at medium spice. Definitely got that kick, but in the best way possible! Also, if you’re debating on getting rice, do yourself a favor and try the Roti instead, it had that soft, naan-like texture with a great flavor that paired perfectly with the curry. And don’t even get me started on the Thai Tea and Thai Coffee—just the right balance of sweetness without being overpowering. Overall, this place is a solid win, and I’m glad we found another go-to Thai spot! If you’re in the area and craving some seriously good Thai food, I’d 100% recommend...

My friend recommended Plern Thai Cafe to me and I have to say, it was a great find. The interior was simple and modern with a yellow/white color scheme that was very appealing.

For my main course, I tried their Plern Signature dish, which included grilled pork, Thai purple rice, assorted veggies, and their signature sauce. The staff recommended that I mix everything together and pour the sauce over it, and it was a fantastic combination of flavors. I really enjoyed it.

We also shared the Zapp braised beef soup, which had braised beef, lemongrass, lime leaves, shallots, cilantro, scallions, and was served with jasmine rice. I've had beef soup before, but never a Thai version. The hint of lemongrass was a nice touch, and the beef shank was incredibly tender. Additionally, we ordered the pork toro, which was grilled marinated pork jowl served with spicy tamarind sauce.

I appreciate that Plern Thai Cafe offers a different take on traditional Thai restaurants. It introduced me to new types of Thai dishes that I haven't tried before. I'm excited to come back and try more items...