We are a county in love with Thai food. There now four in the heart of downtown, more than 20 within Santa Rosa city limits, and another 15 or so (by my quick count) in surrounding ‘burbs.
That’s a lot of green curry and Pad Thai.
Despite the already crowded market, Thai Time in downtown Santa Rosa recently opened its doors to a peanut-sauce craving public. Located in the former Golden Dragon location, the space has been transformed — bright natural light coming in the front windows, blazing red walls, crisp tablecloths and new service ware — into a more welcoming eat-in and takeout space.
Having already tested the restaurant waters in Cloverdale, the family-run restaurant has all the major bases covered. Pad Thai, satay with peanut sauce, Drunken Noodles, papaya salad, Thai iced tea, Tom-yum soup and curries are all on the menu. Lunch specials run thrifty $8 and include rice and a salad.
In addition, the restaurant has a number of higher end “Chef’s Creations” for dinner including roasted duck curry ($16), sole with tamarind sauce, Filet mignon ($20), Lamb Kabobs and the gigglishly named Ole’s Fruity Seafood ($22) which includes prawns, scallops and crab with mango, lychee, pineapple and seasonal veggies in a a pumpkin curry sauce. It’s a tasty, if odd treat, mixing seafood with Asian fruits.
Get this: Green curry is a knock-out, along with the Santa Rosa Parade appetizer ($16) that’s a filling plate with 14 mostly fried bites of shrimp, chicken, wontons, spring rolls and satay. The Tweety Basket ($7) has crispy egg noodles with sweet-sour sauce, shallots, cilantro, carrots, mint and nuts. Fortune bags ($7) are wonton purses filled with ground chicken and sweet potatoes. Peanut noodles are a great pick with rice noodles, peanut sauce and steamed broccoli, along with Cashew Chicken that’s sweet and salty.
Skip this: Pad thai, a benchmark for any Thai eatery, missed. Done right, its all about the wok hay, which this didn’t have. More breath, less sauce.
Service is fawning and friendly as owners and staff work to build up a loyal clientele.
Thai Time Asian Bistro, 402 Mendocino Ave, Santa Rosa, 707-526-7777. Open daily for dinner from 5pm. Lunch Monday through Saturday, 11:30 to 3pm.thaitimeasianbistro.com
Thai time has fantastic food. The food is very fresh tasting, lots of veggies. My particular favorites are the Siamese eggplant, traditional Thai chicken salad and Tom kha soup I personally thin Thai time has some of the best Thai food I I’ve ever eaten.
Thai time has fantastic food. The food is very fresh tasting, lots of veggies. My particular favorites are the Siamese eggplant, traditional Thai chicken salad and Tom kha soup I personally thin Thai time has some of the best Thai food I I’ve ever eaten.
Went in Thai Time for lunch on a Monday. Not a single customer in the store and thought that may be I give them a boost in the business. Generally no one will come in if they don’t see anyone in the store. Unfortunately I have no coins ton feed the meter so I went in and sat down order then ask for change to feed the meter but the waitress said they are not allow to give out change. At that point I am so disappointed that I was ready to walk out. But I relented and said I will pay for my lunch now so I can get change for the parking meter. Though the lunch was got but it left a bad taste in my mouth that I had to pay ahead just to get change. I later talked to the manager or may owner about the situation. Bass is his name and he was very polite though not apologetic. It is just not the way to do business downtown. In hope they succeed but I won’t be going there anytime for lunch anytime soon.
That’s pretty unfortunate. When parking is tough, businesses need to do whatever they can to bring in business. I’ve had great meals at Thai Time, but i hope they hear that customer service needs to evolve. And god, I wish they’d repaint the walls another color. That red actually really stresses me out – i feel very uncomfortable inside.
Went in Thai Time for lunch on a Monday. Not a single customer in the store and thought that may be I give them a boost in the business. Generally no one will come in if they don’t see anyone in the store. Unfortunately I have no coins ton feed the meter so I went in and sat down order then ask for change to feed the meter but the waitress said they are not allow to give out change. At that point I am so disappointed that I was ready to walk out. But I relented and said I will pay for my lunch now so I can get change for the parking meter. Though the lunch was got but it left a bad taste in my mouth that I had to pay ahead just to get change. I later talked to the manager or may owner about the situation. Bass is his name and he was very polite though not apologetic. It is just not the way to do business downtown. In hope they succeed but I won’t be going there anytime for lunch anytime soon.
That’s pretty unfortunate. When parking is tough, businesses need to do whatever they can to bring in business. I’ve had great meals at Thai Time, but i hope they hear that customer service needs to evolve. And god, I wish they’d repaint the walls another color. That red actually really stresses me out – i feel very uncomfortable inside.
We used to eat at Thai Time when they were in Cloverdale. The salmon and halibut on the dinner menu are quite good. You refer to the service as friendly and fawning as they build clientele, check back in a year and you will find it to be exactly the same. That was our experience.
We used to eat at Thai Time when they were in Cloverdale. The salmon and halibut on the dinner menu are quite good. You refer to the service as friendly and fawning as they build clientele, check back in a year and you will find it to be exactly the same. That was our experience.
I love Thai food, but I hate the Thai-ny protions that the local Thai restaurants are serving, I never return to those restaurants after the first try (who do they think they are local Sushi restaurant? LOL). I go to Sanfrancisco for Thai and Japanese food when I have a craving for those types of food. I hope this one provides better size portions. I will deffinitely give them a try.
I suspect you’ve never actually been there. Whatever, more for me.
I love Thai food, but I hate the Thai-ny protions that the local Thai restaurants are serving, I never return to those restaurants after the first try (who do they think they are local Sushi restaurant? LOL). I go to Sanfrancisco for Thai and Japanese food when I have a craving for those types of food. I hope this one provides better size portions. I will deffinitely give them a try.
I suspect you’ve never actually been there. Whatever, more for me.
Tough spot next to El Coqui, I get one smell of there rice and beans and I turn into a zombie and walk in.
More bad Thai food for Santa Rosa…Hurray…just means I will have to drive to the City to get decent Thai food.
Thanks for the drive-by comment. I’ll assume you haven’t actually eaten there, right?
Tough spot next to El Coqui, I get one smell of there rice and beans and I turn into a zombie and walk in.
More bad Thai food for Santa Rosa…Hurray…just means I will have to drive to the City to get decent Thai food.
Thanks for the drive-by comment. I’ll assume you haven’t actually eaten there, right?
Just wandered over there from the PD for dinner. You’re right about the Pad Thai. It’s all right, but I wouldn’t go out of my way for it. The Granny Smith Salad, however, is fantastic. You should definitely give it a try next time you’re in there, Heather.
They also threw in an order of their Siamese Rolls as part of their special tonight. I’m not a big fried-rolls guy. (I prefer the unfried fresh ones.) But these were tasty. I shared ’em around the newsroom, and they got an enthusiastic response.
Just wandered over there from the PD for dinner. You’re right about the Pad Thai. It’s all right, but I wouldn’t go out of my way for it. The Granny Smith Salad, however, is fantastic. You should definitely give it a try next time you’re in there, Heather.
They also threw in an order of their Siamese Rolls as part of their special tonight. I’m not a big fried-rolls guy. (I prefer the unfried fresh ones.) But these were tasty. I shared ’em around the newsroom, and they got an enthusiastic response.
Thanks. Can’t wait to check it out.
Thanks. Can’t wait to check it out.