For the 8th round of this comprehensive group survey/review of Thai restaurants in Portland we visited Veranda Thai which is located right off of the Washington Street exit of 295. Veranda Thai also has a sister restaurant, Veranda Noodle Bar which is situated across the street.
Appetite Portland – read the full review
My Chicken Pad Thai — also ordered at heat level 2 — was decidedly peanutty with a spicy snap. Red in color from the spices and shiny with oil, the noodles slurped up beautifully. The Tofu Pad Thai — ordered by Margo from the Portland Daily Sun — was white and dry. It looked like a dish from a different restaurant. She had ordered it at heat level 1. Lightbulb. You’ve gotta go for the heat.
The Blueberry Files – read the full review
Happily, I recommend Verenda Thai for great Thai food in Portland. The decor may leave something to be desired, but who cares when the kitchen is serving such great food? If you’re in the mood for some take out (or maybe try the noodle bar for better ambiance?), head over the bridge to Verenda Thai.
Edible Obsessions – read the full review
When the Mrs. said she was going to grab lunch at Veranda, and did I want anything to take away, I stayed true to form and ordered the Drunken Noodle with Chicken. Their version of the dish is the standard by which I’ve been measuring every other one of the variations I’ve had so far. And, so far, no one has compared. Because that singular dish is the embodiment of my Thai comfort food, and because they do it so well, I can only say that Veranda is my sentimental favorite of the pack.
Where is Jenner’s Mind – read the full review
as i said before, the restaurant is tiny so the kitchen is tucked around the corner, really only feet from the dining room. its kind of cool to be able to hear the cooks working in the kitchen, but with that you have to take that your meal may be a little smokey and your clothes may continue to smell like thai food long after you are done eating. overall i found veranda thai to be pretty good and i would eat here again.
As for my thoughts, I think this is my favorite spot we’ve been to among the standard Thai restaurants we’ve visited so far in this series—Boda is also very good but seems to be something of a different animal. That said the group still has 5 Thai restaurants left visit (Chiang Mai, Vientiane, Saeng Thai House, Sengchai Thai, Siam Orchid) before we finish up and there’s a chance one could be a real hidden gem. Stay tuned to find out.
For additional information on Veranda Thai visit the restaurant’s website or read this review that appeared in The Maine Switch from last Summer.
If only the town had a wealth in Italian restaurants to O-Rama!
But we do. There are already 11 Italian restaurants in Portland.