Thai Time 3 — Restaurant in San Diego

If you love Thai food like I do, you should definitely try Thai Time 3 (TT3). This unassuming restaurant, a bit off the beaten path (in the back of a Clairemont mall, off Genesee and Balboa, with not the best up-close parking), is currently my favorite Thai in the entire country, though I have to admit I haven't given LA a chance yet... And, not sure how you heat-seeking/spicy folks will like it, as I saw a one-star review of them that must have been from a heat lover or competitor?, but their mild (read least hot; I think they use a 1-3 scale), food, is the best Thai, and some of the best restaurant food overall, I've ever had. What passes for heat at other Thai restaurants, here, is replaced by an amazing subtlety of flavors, with each dish I've tried so far, revealing several distinct layers of flavor over time. For instance I'm a curry guy, who doesn't normally eat the noodle dishes, and my go-to green curry here was bordering on the over-the-top richness of a "Legal Seafood's" NE clam chowder (for you Boston folk), with fresh tender (thank you) mint, and exquisitely marinated eggplant you don't often get in curries... a first for me was no green beans weirdly though, but I didn't miss them. and their "Pad See Ew?" which I find bland and unappealing elsewhere, was amazing enough to make me switch my usual order on a second visit - it was sweet and smoky with other indescribable flavors in between. The only thing I would improve maybe was the quality/supplier of the mock duck, but I could get real duck to fix that -- Maybe it's me, but I'm pretty sure less 'spongy' mock duck exists. [E.g., Taiwanese mock meats are amazing!]) But. it was ok for what it is... but please don't shortchange your vegetarians...) To counter that, the hostess was amazingly nice, helpful and knowledgable about the food. With Thai being my go-to "exotic" meal, I've been fortunate to try it all over the country (Boston, Dallas, DC, SF, New Orleans,) and while, at it's worst, it's still great -- why I love it -- Thai Time 3 was the first Thai place I've come across, with an expansive, notably different approach to the flavors, (don't worry the flavors will still be the classics you love, but with lots more depth). To put it another way -- the only difference in quality between Thai restaurant I've seen normally is in quality-of-ingredients, as opposed to better, surprising flavors. Maybe it's more like like a chef's approach to a genre that can sometimes rest on its laurels - lackluster dry chicken, etc, TT3'a approach is unique -- and especially appreciated in a rising-price environment, where you can get okay green curries from a jar. (I have to say that I'm sensitive to MSG, and it'd be embarrassing if that's the special sauce, didn't seem like it, as I didn't feel any effects, so maybe the owner will address that in a response.) Anyhow, getting something special from a meal out these days is appreciated. (Better stop dad-ologuing...) My complements to...

I give this establishment 5 stars for its consistency as I've been eating here since the mid 90s. Right now you can only order pick up to go so instead of using the postmates web portal to do it I called my order in directly to make sure that the restaurant gets 100% of the money they have coming to them. Avoid 3rd parties at all cost unless of course you need their services.

Nestled in a quaint corner of an oddly shaped strip mall off of Genesee Avenue. TT3 shares its corner with Little Caesars and "Kroran" a Uighur restaurant.

We ordered the pad Thai with pork Panang curry chicken and steamed rice Spicy basil stir fried vegetables Golden chicken wings. Everything was tasty and fresh and as good as I remember it being.

While it is the era of covid and a global pandemic, being able to order alcoholic beverages to go from establishments that serve them is welcomed courtesy the law has let up on and TT3 has extended their offerings of assorted beer and wine to the public. You can even order spiked seltzer with your dinner if a white claw or Truly is...

This review is for today, 9/23/22. Whoever was working the counter during lunch time should be seriously reprimanded by managers or the owner. I've gotten food to go here several times recently and was informed that the dining room was open for business again. I tried to stop by for lunch, but the employee informed me that she wouldn't let me take a table inside because she was 'working alone and didn't want to seat anyone inside.' She had no customers already inside, nor were there any to go orders waiting at the counter for pick-up. It was obviously slow at the time of my arrival and that she was being lazy and wasn't happy that indoor dining had resumed at that location. I was turned away after driving ten minutes on my lunch break to eat here and had a subsequent ten minutes drive back home. Waste of my time and gas. Horrible customer service, I'll think twice about coming back to...