Last night Mike and I went to Watercourse Way, our favorite spa in the Bay Area. Before we stopped for dinner at Siam Royal Authentic Thai Cuisine on University Avenue in Palo Alto, which is pretty close by. I had been there many years before with my friend Lola, but couldn’t remember whether I’d like it or not. My conclusion this time was that it’s a pretty average Thai restaurant, there is no compelling reason to go there or to avoid it.
We started the meal with Angel Wings (“Deep-fried stuffed chicken wings with ground chicken and vegetable, served with sweet and sour sauce” – $8). The wings themselves were pretty tasteless, the stuffing was in great need of some spicing. The sweet and sour sauce was pretty good, on the spicy side, though the wings were too big for the sauce to coat every bite. We wouldn’t order them again.
My entree was Gai Yang (“Char-broiled marinated chicken with Thai herbs; served with sweet and sour sauce.” – $8). It was also OK. The skin was nice and crispy, but the chicken itself was a bit dry. As with the wings, the sauce helped quite a bit – but I also wouldn’t order it again.
Mike was happier with his Panang Salmon (“Simmered salmon in coconut milk, peanut curry sauce and string beans.” – $12), which also came with broccoli. The salmon was perfectly cooked and the sauce was very tasty, with just the right amount of spice. The portion seemed generous enough, though he still ate some of my chicken, but then again, salmon is not that filling. I think he’d order it again.
We skipped dessert because we were in a hurry to get to our spa appointment – they have the obligatory bananas cooked in a number different ways.
Service was fine, though we had to ask for the bill – they brought it quickly once we did so. The dinner, with one drink and one side of rice, came to $37 after tax and tip. Not precisely cheap, but not too bad. I’m not sure I’d go there again, there are many other choices on University Ave., but it was OK for what it was.
Siam Royal Authentic Thai
338 University Ave
Palo Alto, CA
(650) 329-8129
http://www.siamroyalthai.com/
Bay Area Restaurant Reviews
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