Kalaya — Restaurant in Philadelphia

EDIT: Fran and Chef Nok called to lecture at me about my review (was not a discussion) then she offered for me to come back and comp a new meal after which I will not given the rudeness. Their argument was I left a $30 tip (fair enough, i did $30 based on $262, an 11.6% tip granted I disliked the food and we ate quickly to save the rest of our birthday night. We spent more time waiting than eating that's how fast we're talking) I wanted to tip even less truthfully but I do minimum 10% for the server and leave EARLY on food I don't like. Nok emphasized this TWICE. Telling me, "we're in America, you don't do that". Don't tell me what to do Nok. You're right, this is America and I could've tipped less and after this call I wish I did. She argued portion sizes are not small, and emphasized this is fine dining. I said, we were 4 guests who ordered 2 apps and 4 entrees at nearly $300, we weren't full. Look at other reviews here about portions, am I alone? (Sure if that's unreasonable even by fine dining standards then I'll admit this isn't for me) BUT no arguments on the TASTE? maybe she agrees on that. Tried to guilt me about being SEAsian and how difficult it is to bring food to fine dining.. ok I can empathize but the taste was not up to par sorry I didn't expect to be lectured at with arrogance. If I knew, I would not have taken the call. That's on me. The lower reviews here must've struck a nerve that blew on me. She can't take any criticism so beware of the call, she wants to vent. Fair enough, well fair IF you can take accountability and not ignore 70% of the review.

Truthfully, I want to lower this review to 1/5 but out of principle, I will keep it at the original 2/5. I will admit fault that parts of my review are more emotionally provoking than they should be. Then again, was pissed about what I got for what I spent. I gave it more than a solid chance ordering 6 items. The taste just isn't there for what you're spending. I 100% stand by what I said. I did not block her so if she wants to conduct herself professionally then we can talk, otherwise waste of time for the both of us. Chefs/owners can't be this fragile to criticism, good luck.

Original: “Mai aloi laegaw peng mak” Absolutely Disappointed to be brutally honest 3-5/10 Either a bad night or just NOT IT.

I want to hold liable all these 5 star reviews and Philly Mag. I can only trust Asian reviewers for Asian food now. Shoulda known.

flavors and portions are just very underwhelming Price to worth ratio is 👎 4 people 2 apps, 4 entrees After tip nearly $300 Lol Yea, if you’re not a yuppie with more money than taste than you’ll feel regret imo

To be fair I’ve lived in Thailand eating Thai food every day for a year. I still came with an open mind to see what “fancy priced” Thai food can be like on the east coast.

Only 1/6 dishes was decent and that was the river prawn. Everything else was average at best. You’re coming here for ambiance or something.

Lab ped 3.5/10 $25 Duck larb dish with no taste of duck lol. Overshadowed by just straight spiciness and sourness, tasted not much else

Rice cakes 5/10 $14 Fried crispy but nothing spectacular 3 pieces You can make your own simply for less than $5

Moo yang 5.5-6/10 Flavor there but dry

The giant river prawn $44 Only decent thing here imo 7/10 Buttery and not over cooked

Salted egg seafood dish $47 Not much salted egg yolk flavor at all 5/10 Mostly shrimp 1 piece of octopus 3 scallops Maybe 4 large shrimps lol does $47 make sense?

Green curry 4/10 Average at best More like a sweet cream Where’s the curry taste?

4 people total 2apps, 4 entrees 260 after tax

Overall: 5/10 at best Price to worth 2/10 Portions 2/10 Taste 3-5/10 Service 5/10 Ambience whatever 6/10

Server seemed proud of her pronunciation but if the food was good I couldn’t give a damn about service lol. Save your money, maybe it was a bad night or the place was better before they moved. BUT for what you pay and get, I’m telling my friends to NOT come here.

I need to stop using Reddit for...

My girlfriend was like a little kid on Christmas morning when a res opened up last minute here, as this is her favorite restaurant in Philly. I thought she was being a little dramatic, but to be quite honest she was down playing it. Kalaya was likely the best meal I have had this year.

This was really nothing like Thai food I've had stateside. Oh wait, you haven't been to Thailand? Oh.........

Jk… I've also never been to Thailand so maybe I am way off here, but these spices and punches of flavor are what I imagine Thai Food would actually be like in the motherland.

After sprinting the 20 feet from the uber that dropped us off in the pouring rain, we entered this beautiful open space that looks like it's fit more for an Anthropology than a restaurant.

We were seated and the waiter began explaining the menu to us and recommended pairings, which was super needed because the menu was kind of confusing for my little peahead.

We ended up pulling the trigger on the Blue Dumplings, Rice Patties, Yellow Curry with Chicken, Beef Stir Fry, and Caramelized Pork Belly. All these dishes have fancy Thai names that I can't pronounce but I'm not going through all that effort right now ahahaha.

After about 15-20 minutes, the food came out in traditional bowls that just feel so authentic. If they're not traditional Thai bowls, they got me because it just felt so right. I don't even know what I meant by that ahha let me lock in.

Be careful, because this is a blast of flavor and spices that you have likely never tasted before. My tastebuds felt absolutely violated, but in the most beautiful way.

They don't ask you for a spice level, the spice level just is what it is. I loved that. I was ready to meet god.

After mogging the beef stir fry (no spice) I began ripping into the Caramelized Pork Belly, and this is where I started to meet god. The taste was SO delicious, but the spicy was CRACKING me with 4 punch combos. I was taking bombs, but couldn't stop eating. I would take a bite, wash it down with my negroni, take a bite of rice, then take another bite.

I was doing my best to show no weakness to my girlfriend and her mom, but the wifey could definitely see me struggling as my eyes were probably watering and I was breathing heavy aahahaha. I was in a dog fight with the spice.

She leaned over and said "avoid the little red flakes, that's where most of the spice is." I just kind of shrugged her off like "Yeah I'm good I know how to eat thanks..." but lowkey that saved my life ahahaahah shoutout to my baby. The spice level became much more bearable for me when I started eating around the little red flakes.

Just as I conquered the Caramelized Pork Belly, I went at the Yellow Curry like it owed me money, but that turned out to be only slightly less spicy ahahaha. Every bite was somewhat masochistic.

It might sound like I didn't enjoy this experience due to the spice levels, but I couldn't have enjoyed it more. It felt so authentic. I can't imagine in Thailand that they are asking you what spice level you want ahahaha.

I LOVED all of these dishes equally, I couldn't imagine our meal without any one of them. The perfect pairing.

I need to start putting more respect on the Philly food scene. Living in NYC, I find my ego beginning to run rampant when it comes to food.... "sure I bet the thai food is great here, but better than NYC?" ... Actually yes. This was the best thai food I've had in my life. My ego needed this chin check.

Thank you, Kalaya. And thank you, Philly, for this jawn.

IG @jnov_ Tiktok...

New location, additional offerings, same high-level quality and truly personal touches.

Had a fantastic experience at Kalaya celebrating its new, soaring space (loved the leafy greens in the center) and a birthday! Snagged a late-for-us reservation off the Resy waitlist and got lucky with a well-timed e-mail, which resulted in a perfect dinner time.

We were seated in a booth along the far wall--loved that the booth was an open arc, which allowed for easy scooching as well as seating for a fair number of diners.

Everyone enjoyed the cocktails and zero proof drinks: as to the latter, the Tom Kha Colada (coconut cream spiced with turmeric, lime leaf, galangal, pineapple & lime) was outstanding. I'm not generally a colada-type-gal, but I'd take a tub full of this drink.

We wanted to try as much as possible, especially the new dishes. We ordered each of the dumplings (5 to an order): Sakoo Moo (tapioca pearl dumplings with ground pork, sweet radish and peanuts), Shaw Muang (flower-shaped dumplings with ground chicken, cucumber and Thai chili), and Jui Guay (steamed rice cups with shitake mushrooms, bamboo shoots and spicy sweet soy sauce). All the dumplings were yummy--delicate flavors zinging with spice (note, the Thai chilis do not play!).

For our appetizer, we ordered the Gui Chai (crispy garlic chive rice cakes with spicy sweet soy sauce)--like the Tom Kha Colada, I'd take a tub full of these piping hot, savory, spicy, and sweet bites.

For our salad, we ordered the Laab Ped (ground duck salad with crispy duck skin, herbs, chilis and fish sauce) and created lettuce purses cradled around cucumber--so appreciated the cooling factor!--and bits of everything for perfect bites.

For our curries, we ordered the Gaeng Pae (goat and lamb curry with Kalaya spice blend and toasted coconut, served with jasmine rice*), which had a terrific depth of flavor and was incredibly tender, and the Prik King Jae (wok-cooked dry red curry with crispy tofu, long beans and long hot peppers, served with jasmine rice).

For our stir fry, we ordered the Pu Pad Pong Karee (colossal crab meat with chili oil, egg, Chinese celery and crab roe, served with jasmine rice)--that crab meat. OMG.

For our large entree, we ordered the Goong Phao (whole grilled freshwater river prawn with nam pla waan, neem, fried shallots, garlic and peanuts, served with jasmine rice) and then had Chef Chutatip "Nok" Suntaranon herself guide us through the best way to build the dish. Love that Chef Nok continues to oversee her restaurant with care--it really makes you feel the soul of Kalaya.

For our side, we ordered the Kana Pla Khem (Chinese broccoli with garlic, Thai chili, soy and salted mackerel). I immediately wanted to recreate this dish at home and am so happy to re-read the description and note the salted mackerel, because we never would've added that on our own--I'm sure it's what gives the Chinese broccoli its oomph!

To enhance the meal (though it didn't need any enhancement!), we added on the Lhon Moo Kai Kem (heritage pork, coconut cream and shrimp with crudite), and to end the meal, we shared two Nam Kaeng Sai (shaved ice) desserts: the Coconut Ice (passion fruit, milk chocolate, mango) and the Yuzu, Lychee (Thai basil, lime leaf cheesecake, toasted rice graham cracker). Both were amazing, but the Yuzu, Lychee would be my third tub for the evening--I adore tart desserts!

Cannot wait for our next food experience at Kalaya!

*Loved that the jasmine rice was bottomless--again, those...