Phaya Thai Express — Restaurant in Portland

I will start by saying the vibe of this place is very nice and the employees are kind. It gives me family owned vibes but like they tried to give it a little more of an elevated touch.

When we walked in we were immediately greeted with a smile and asked if we’d ever been there. When we said no, the man explained that we could order a ready-to-eat bowl or a la carte bowl. Basically if you want any noodle option it’s going to be a La carte. My boyfriend chose the ready-to-eat option which is basically panda express style. He got two meats. I got drunken noodles because it’s my favorite at any Thai place.

We sat down and I was given a number to wait for my a la carte selection while my boyfriend had his food already, but he chose to wait for my food to arrive. I tried some of his and the flavor was really good although the meat a bit dry.

I ended up having to wait 30 minutes for my food to be prepared. And I was already kinda hangry when we got there. Not to mention there was not a single person sitting in the dining area when we arrived, so they were not busy either. Maybe they had to warm up the grill? I’m not sure, but either way my boyfriend still waited with me which was nice.

On the bright side, the drunken noodles were delicious and perfectly spicy (my bf said they were too spicy but he can’t handle spice at all). And the final verdict is that the fresh ala carte is 10X better than the cafeteria style food they have, although that’s to be expected. But like I said, the cafeteria style food still has really good flavor, and is perfect if you’re in a rush. Personally that’s the single reason I would come back here. ✨convenience✨

The portion sizes could be like 15% bigger for the price. Just compared to other Thai places I go to. I usually have leftovers for the same price we paid here.

Overall good flavor,...

I really wanted this to be my new favorite place, based on what I had read. In practice, though, it wasn't quite my thing. The concept is great - you can order a bowl of rice with one, two, or three different 'toppings' (proteins with different sauces). This idea lets a single customer have their own family style meal, without leaving with a week's worth of leftovers. Don't get me wrong, a week's worth of Thai food in my fridge would be a wonderful thing, but by day 5 I may find myself questioning my choices. Anyway, there were two of us, and we ordered a two item bowl as well as a stand alone Pad Thai. My main quibble is with the bowl - the proteins were not quite as flavorful as I would have liked, and were on the dry side. Since they're adding items from a steam table, they understandably haven't been seasoned to order, and probably shouldn't be heavily sauced, to prevent sogginess. Considering the lowest common denominator limitations, I think I'll stick to the traditional Thai restaurant model, but I think Phaya could be just right for...

Phaya Thai Express has quickly become one of my absolute favorite go-to spots! Despite being a newer restaurant, it’s already earned my trust, especially when it comes to gluten-free options. As someone with dietary restrictions, it’s such a relief to have a place where I know the food is safe and delicious. Phaya Thai reminds me of Panda Express but with a local, personal touch, and they’re incredibly allergen-friendly. The staff are some of the nicest people I’ve ever met—they’re always so kind and welcoming when I stop by.

I’m absolutely in love with the Phaya Chicken! I hadn’t had chicken like that in years due to my gluten-free diet, and now I crave it at least once a week. The location is convenient, and the restaurant is always spotless. I can’t recommend Phaya Thai...