Chang Kao Thai Cuisine — Restaurant in South Bradenton

Was able to enjoy a satisfying dinner here tonight. The owner and the waitress was very attentive to our needs. We had a party of 15+ and was properly taken care of. The wait for the food was an acceptable amount of time. Now..for the quality of food.

The pad thai is the best I've ever had in Florida. I was a native in california where thai food is plentiful, and I can tell you it's on par with the quality there. Other Thai restaurants serve inferior pad thai where the noodles are more broken, and not long like the ones served here. The taste of the noodles has the right blend of saltiness, sweetness, and citrus. It's also served not overly sauced, which makes all the difference.

I was able to try multiple dishes, including ones with shrimp or seafood in them. The quality of seafood and the way they were cooked is superb. The shrimps are large (13-15) and cooked to perfection. They were moist and snappy and not overdone at all. Their scallops and mussels are treated the same way in a curry dish that I tried at the table. The seafood versions of their dishes will not disappoint. I also ordered a green curry with crispy duck. The duck is served boneless and in very generous portions. It was cooked perfectly as well. It may be the highest priced version of curry available, but is well worth it. The seafood versions are well worth it as well.

Every family member enjoyed what they ordered, including an interesting crispy pad thai dish, thai fried rice, and drunken noodles. I highly recommend this restaurant. I've eaten at all of the other ones in Manatee/Sarasota county and can say this is hands down the best one. The attention to detail the chefs put into their dishes are unmatched. It's the subtleties that set them apart...

Stopped in recently to check this place out. The vibe was cool right from the start—great décor, a solid theme, and the place looked clean and well-maintained. We were seated quickly, and the menus stood out: high-end look, very extensive (probably 80+ items), and really well put together.

Unfortunately, that’s where things slowed down. The server—who I think may also be the owner—greeted us with a quick “I’ll be right with you,” but didn’t come back for about 10 minutes. When he finally did, we placed our drinks, food, and appetizer order all at once. The appetizer (spring rolls—fresh and very good) came out before our drinks, which we had ordered as bubble teas. After waiting another 10 minutes, I asked about them and was told he “didn’t have time to make them.” At that point, I just asked for water.

Our entrées came out while we were still without drinks, so halfway through the meal we canceled them. The food itself, though, was excellent—large portions, cooked perfectly, and full of flavor. One note: I ordered medium spice, and it definitely had some kick to it. If you’re not into real heat, you might want to order a step down from what you think you can handle.

When the place slowed down toward the end, the server asked if we still wanted the drinks, but we declined. It also took about 10 more minutes just to get the check.

Overall: the food and cleanliness deserve five stars, but the service was some of the worst I’ve had in a long time. Maybe they were short-staffed or running lean that day, I don’t know. If the service matched the food, this would easily be a five-star spot. Still worth checking out for the flavors and portions—just be ready for slow or...

What a surprise, after parking in a rather dismal, and mostly vacant strip mall, to enter this wondrous world of Asian cuisine. It is tastefully decorated and exudes a classy ambiance. Our only disappointment, on this our first visit, was our middle-aged. American male waiter in cargo shorts. As mentioned to him, a sarong draped young Asian might have been more apropos (the thus described person would be the owner on vacation).

To begin with, we were handed one of the loveliest menus I've ever encountered. The aforementioned "cargo shorts man" (and co-owner, Brian) said that he purchased these fancy padded menus in Bangkok.

The choices of fare are ridiculously plentiful. Susan and I each had spring roll type appetizers and entrees of chicken fried rice (her) and duck red curry (moi).Both were scrumptious and most filling (to-go boxes required). We shared a delicious tempura cheesecake (Susan hardly ever eats dessert).

Finished this most satisfying evening with a stroll about the room with its small gift shop, aquariums and tasteful artwork.

Do yourself a favor, and give Chang Kao a go. You...