Thai Paradise — Restaurant in Maryland

The food was not very good, but the service was terrible. After being recommended by a friend, I looked forward to getting takeout from here a few Fridays ago. I kept calling, but the call wouldn't go through. Thinking my phone was probably acting up, I called from my friend's phone and got the same result. After I verified the number, I decided to swing by to place my order in person. When I arrived, there seem to be few customers waiting for their orders and none of them looked happy. I should have taken that as a sign and given up then. The guy behind the register seemed overwhelmed and frustrated, but eventually got around to taking my order. I told him about not being able to call in my order and he said that he took it off the hook earlier because they were busy. I'm sure you're reading this thinking that I should have just walked away at that point, but at the time, I was really hungry and thinking that I was going to get some good Thai food and it would make everything better. I ordered the pad thai for my wife, some curry for me, and some tom kha soup for us. I don't remember how long he said the order would take, but there was enough time for me to go home, empty my car, take a shower, and make it back before the order was supposed to be ready; it still took an additional 20 minutes. As I picked up the food I saw the Tom kha soup was in a little cup. I'm used to a larger portion size that my wife and I split, but each place is different so I ordered another cup. I walked out a little frustrated, but happy to be done with it and heading home with some Thai food. The food sucked. The Pad Thai was so bland my wife didn't eat it. My Curry was okay but had no spice. The Tom kha did not even resemble tom kha. It was watery, flavorless, and the color of dirty dishwater. I called to let them know how disappointed I was in the soup; at this point we hadn't actually tried the curry or pad Thai. Surprisingly, the phone was working again and the man who answered asked me what I wanted him to do about it. I had expected him to accept the criticism a little better and maybe even apologize; instead he said he'd refund the soup. Once we started eating the rest of the food, I realized I probably should have waited to make the phone call until we tried everything. Fortunately, we still had some leftovers...

First thing, there a sign notifying customers that the location would not be open for family time. After speaking with, I assume, one of the owners he mentioned that they would not be open so that they could dedicate more time to thier child. Any place with the attitude of family first gets my vote and respect.

Food:

Outstanding. Fresh. Authentic. Quality. Seriously, I cannot stress how good the food I ordered was. None of this instant mix sauce or cheap ways to cut corners for time. Fresh veggies, bright flavors, and seasoned as authentically as I have experienced outside of someone's house. The Kaprow chicken was outstanding with no bones (take notes other restaurants) with the appropriate amount of basil. The real surprise was the larb...never had it before but if you like spicy you miss out on this. Portion size was appropriate and greater than expected. Ever have the crab fried rice at Lemongrass? 4 tablespoons of food for $18 doesn't sit well with me.

Take aways:

Great food. I am willing to drive the hour I drove for this again. Flavors are diverse and not over seasoned or sweet. Owners. Anyone who puts family first really gets my vote. Time for orders to be prepared was accurate.

Only downside:

No seating. This is an take away place...so ordering out is your only option. Sadly, as much as I would love to grab a table with my foodie friends and order enough food for an army that is not possible. But any place with this level of food is destined to have seating options...

Food was fresh & hot!!! My 2 favorite adjectives to describe my food HOT & FRESH! The food retained its heat. The Pad thai was flavorful not too sweet but delicious for sure. The Vegetable Basil fried rice entree was exquisite &hearty. Both meals were well prepared with love. The customer service was prompt and efficient. Due to Covid-19 no one is allowed to enter the store. Curbside deliver & pickups are available. You can call in advance to place your order. The parking area is small but the pickup process is easy and fast. I can appreciate the extra effort Thai Paradise owners are taking to ensure the safety of their staff & customers. My food was amazing everything about it was more than I imagined. Thank you Thai Paradise for providing a memorable experience. I love...