Thai Taste Crowds

Corrin and my family went to our favorite buffet night at Thai Taste on 82nd Street. Thai Taste has been a part of the Indy restaurant scene for years with the same owners. Each Thursday a dinner buffet is featured with the first Thursday of the month relegated to vegetarian dishes. Tonight was veg night and, as typical, the restaurant whose buffet officially starts at 6 PM was already packed by 5:30.  There was no table in sight as we made a mad dash from our car to the front door of the tiny establishment.  We waited about 20 minutes until the first shift started to finish and head out. The five of us squeezed into a table for four and began sampling from the buffet set up in the middle of the very full room. We talked about the pull of the restaurant which, yes, has very good Thai food but what makes it especially attractive is the notion that it is in high demand. We also suspect the cozy jostling of shoulders and convivial discussions that flow across tables add to the restaurant’s appeal. Most importantly, are the family owners and workers here who are gentle-spirited and very friendly. Typically the vegetarian buffet features a spicy clear soup full of vegetables with pepper and lemon flavors. There are always nice crunchy spring rolls and usually another deep-fried dish such as a sweet potato tempura.   Constant features are the very nicely seasoned green and yellow curry dishes as well as a decent Pad Thai and yummy fried tofu in a sweet chili sauce. There are about four other dishes that change depending on the month, plain and fried rice, and Thai noodles. For dessert is a large bowl of tapioca with coconut milk. If you do not want the buffet, items from the menu are also available.  This is one of my favorite restaurants in town with a simple formula: consistently good food, a clean simple interior, warmth, owners and servers who really seem to care, a history, and an excellent location.     

Atmosphere – 9
Service – 10
Price – 7
Presentation – 9
Food – 8
Overall – 9.5