Thai Mint — Restaurant in New Orleans

Is This Restaurant Under New Management? It Has Certainly Gone Downhill.

This is long. But a truthful account about how this once good restaurant has become mediocre.

I have been going here regularly for two decades. Until Recently everyone has always been so friendly, and everything seemed to be run efficiently. We don't go every week, but we go at least once a month. We have taken out of town company here. It was one of our favorite restaurants. We visited often when we wanted a weeknight date night.

But Nothing Good was happening on my latest visit.

Look at the most recent reviews. Things have changed.

STRIKE 1 I tried to call a to go order in. My calls went directly to a cryptic voice mail. Just a "you have reached (phone number). Please leave a message"

Nothing stating the restaurant name. I checked the number. Same thing. It was getting late, and I needed to get the order in. I called several times. After 15 minutes, a friendly young woman answered, and took my order. She said "15-20 minutes....probably 15". I arrive in 20, and still waited another 10 minutes for the food. A small thing, but important. Not very professional.

STRIKE 2 Here is where it gets weird. I paid with a $100.00 bill. It was all I had on me, that and five dollar bill. The (manager?), a tall skinny Thai guy, was really bitchy about it. He loaded me up with 17 singles. I politely requested that maybe I could get a couple of fives or a ten? He said that he didn't have any five dollar bills. I said okay, how about a ten? I was still being friendly, I just didn't want a wad of singles. He was acting irritated.

His voice got louder, his attitude got worse, and his volume went up. He dismissively said that he didn't have time. You would think that I had insulted his mother.

He then started to loudly berate me for using a large bill for such a small ticket ($26.00, with tip). He was very loud, and the whole restaurant turned to see what was going on. I was done. I reached into the plastic folder, and took half of my tip back (I regret not taking it all). And left. He continued to berate me. As I stepped outside, he was still yelling "It Is All Money".

It was embarrassing. I wasn't being impolite. This overgrown child escalated the situation. There was absolutely no need for his rudeness and his overreaction to a simple request.

STRIKE 3 When I got the food home, it was Ice Cold. It apparently had been just sitting somewhere unnoticed, while I cooled my heels at the bar. And the spice level was none existent. I had ordered a higher spice level. This was incredibly bland.

So Cold Food, Zero Flavor.

AND YOU'RE OUT! Inefficient Service, Pissy Management, Bland Food.

If this is the New Management's way of operating, then I won't be back. There are lots of good Thai restaurant around. All better than what this place has suddenly become. And this if from a 20 year regular.

Yes. "It's All Money". This Train Wreck of a restaurant isn't getting any...

We wanted to love this place as these reviews are glowing. If you are looking for authentic Thai, this is NOT the place to go. Too much coconut milk in both curries we ordered, not spicy at all, ginger tea was PRESWEEETENED and undrinkable. They used pho noodles for pad see ew and didn't char the beef and so at best, it was a pho stirfry. Everything too sweet, Americanized. The worst part is that we were early, only 2 other tables, ordered no appetizers and it took 55 minutes to get this mediocre food that I can make better at home. We asked the waitress twice when the food would be ready and she kept stalling that it was almost ready...with still 30 minutes to go! Other tables were getting food left and right but super slow too. If it is going to take 20 more minutes, just tell us. So we can get up and go next door where food is 4 times better. They are all very nice in here, but nice isn't what I'm expecting from a Thai place. Quality is. The only redeeming dish was the pineapple...

This is only for the lunch; however if you pop in from 11-2:30 you can get the lunch menu. I ordered the basil eggplant with shrimp today and asked for hot which was the spiciest option on the menu. We were started with a spring roll and a small cup of a type of hot and sour soup with chicken and tofu. The soup was tasty and the spring roll was hot and crunchy. My entree was served with white rice and had excellent basil flavor; the shrimp and veggies were cooked well (though the onion may have been on the underdone side) though I learned I should have asked for "Thai hot." Total was $11.06 plus tip. Not bad for...