Thai 5, Thai Food Express — Restaurant in Washington

Thai 5 Thai Food Express in Mill Creek

One evening, I was settling for a quick dinner and tried this place, as it was near where I was at that time.

I really wasn't expecting much for a hole-in-a-wall, Thai restaurant. But boy, oh boy... was I in for an unexpected experience.

I found myself in almost a trance-like state, in every single spoonful of panang curry I put in my mouth. I quickly realized, that it was not any other ordinary curry, but it was like curry that I tasted in Bangkok.

As I spoke to the chef, I learned that, the curry I was consuming, was cooked by none other than - THE Head and Executive Chef of SIAM Intercontinental Hotel - before they came in the USA.

As I probed a little deeper, I was right. The chef won FIRST place, in the BEST curry of... not Thailand, but the whole GLOBE, at one point. Yes, you read that right. The best curry in the whole world-at one point in time. It's like traveling in time and place, it's Bangkok all over again - in every bite.

I wish I could put into words, the authenticity of the taste. All I can say is, it was one of THE BEST tasting panang curry, I've ever tasted in my life! It was Thailand all over again.

I don't get paid to do this, but I think, this deserve my humble review. I gladly did this on my own volition. If you try it, maybe you'd like it too.

I suggest you try it for yourself, before word go out, and the line of people starts coming here.

I went to Bangkok Thailand years ago. I never tasted a panang curry THAT good before. I never thought that the best panang curry would be in Mill Creek!

Part 2 ( a week after)

Today was another Authentic Thai food experience. I just found out that this restaurant does catering. And so they prepared a mouth-watering multiple course dinner dishes.

• 3 day-marinated,BBQ Chicken. (Gai-yang) • Banana leaf-wrapped Thai chicken • Beef Larb-Gai Salad • Authentic Thai Salad • Chicken Tom yum soup • Thai spices special sauces • Sweet Sticky Rice

These sauces, I only tasted in the heart of Bangkok. I just couldn't compare it anywhere else. Sweet, salt, sour and special spices, all in one tasting!

• 3 day-marinated,BBQ Chicken. (Gai-yang) This dish is so hard to find here in Washington. Because it takes days to capture a genuine Thai cuisine, in this dish. 5 stars

• Banana leaf-wrapped Thai chicken This reminds me of what I used to eat every single week in the Philippines. I don't mind eating it every week.

• Beef Larb-Gai Salad THIS is THE best tasting dish in it's kind, It's a perfect balance of sweet, sour, spice, salt - that I've only tasted in Bangkok.

• Authentic Thai Salad- It feels healthy when I consumed it. Filling but doesn't slow me down. Taste is as genuine as it gets.

• Thai spices special sauces - You probably won't find it anywhere else in Washington.

I still can't believe it's all here...

A hidden gem located in a small retail complex, Esplande, in Mill Creek. There aren't many Thai restaurants in this area but Thai 5 is arguably the best. The quality/taste of the signature Thai soups, Tom Yum soup can reveal the quality/taste & skill of the main chef. The soup was savory, refreshing, slight bias towards sour than spicy and a bit salty. Very good starter to wet the appetite. Phad See Ewe w/beef was decent but not award winning. Pad Prik King w/chicken was also full flavored with a good balance of red curry spice & lime leaves. I would've preferred skinny green beans rather than the beefy kind they used but the flavor was excellent. Spicy Basil w/tofu also had a wonderful ensemble of basil, Thai chilli & spices. To round out the carbs, House fried rice w/prawns was hearty and flavorful. Pandemic era meant takeout only; took ~20 min; owner (I think?) was friendly and assured me there were no peanuts (special request/nut allergy). Initially, the portions looked a bit small but the food was rich and filling, had leftovers. Conclusion: not cheap nor overpriced; very savory but perhaps a little on the salty side; friendly fast service (convenient online order); consistent good quality/well prepared authentic Thai food; recommended; support your neighborhood...

Every other Thai place I've been to tends to be a fairly elaborate, sit-down affair with longish wait times (which I don't mind - Thai food can be complicated).

Thai 5 has somehow transported the Thai food experience to a no-frills teriyaki-style takeout counter. The food is every bit as good, but the service is incredibly quick and the price point is excellent for the quality you get. The owners are friendly and obviously take pride in their food. And they don't mess around when it comes to the spice level, which I greatly appreciate as someone who likes their Thai food with a side of pain.

The only potential downside is that rice is not automatically included in the meals. That's not a big deal for me, but it's something to be aware of. The atmosphere is bare-bones, but this restaurant excels as a...