As someone who not only nominated TTT but lunches there at least once a week, I'll give you my take.

Firstly, it was great meeting y'all. You veterans made me feel welcome at my first LTH event, and that's what counts. Moreover, we speak the same language, have the same passion for food that makes my family & acquaintances think I'm a bit off at times.

I don't think the milder spice level had that much to do with the non 'wow factor', as ChgoMike so aptly put it. Speaking only about quality, it was there. Presentation-wise, though, when I'm alone with the Sun-Times I'm used to a steaming plate of lard nar with beef arriving to be devoured. In a large group, the tactile sensations lose something when they're passed around--alas, it is the nature of the beast.

All was not lost, however. The fried chicken was done very nicely, and I do have an affinity for MHays' 'little fishes' in the salad. Like she said in a post, a interestingly funky dish. The one-bite salads were an excellent new taste as well.

I think, from a newbie's perspective, I'll definitely leave it to the powers that be to decide whether TTT is GNR-worthy. I will say that when I'm there solo, walking the two blocks from my office after escaping the constant phones, I crave the peace and Zen-state of TTT for a brief respite, and the 2 or 3 lunch specials in my rotation are as good as it gets from my standpoint.

If that's part of the criteria for a GNR, so be it.

Jay

Jay, it was lovely to meet you, too (hope to see you at other lunches) and while I wasn't blown away today (as I was last time,) as EvA said, TTT is far and away better than any Thai I've found closer to my home. We'll be back.

I do love the crispy little fishies, thanks for passing the plate down so I could finish them

I'm glad I finally had a chance to try Tub Tim Thai today. As it was my first visit, I don't know if our meal was representative of a typical experience, for a number of reasons. But I thought, bottom line, Tub Tim Thai is a very good Thai restaurant.

On to the meal. We started with Meang Kum (as the menu states, "An Authentic Thai Appetizer!) aka one-bite salad. This may have been the highlight of the meal for me - spicy, sweet, flavorful, almost rich, yet light and refreshing.


The Thai Crispy Crepe had a nice filling, with coconut and peanut flavors coming through. (One other point - take note of the long strings of beet used as a garnish. It's one of two garnishes used on almost every entree. Pretty, but not much flavor.)


Next up was the Chicken Curry Puffs - obviously meticulously prepared, although the short dough seemed a bit out of place to me - but that may just be my unfamiliarity with this Thai dish.


Jay warned us ahead of time that the Fish Salad might be an acquired taste for some; I thought the crispy fish pieces had a delicious funkiness. However, the menu describes the fish pieces as fried filet of sole - they tasted much more like an oily fish - a sardine or even an anchovy.


Charcoal Broiled Chicken had good charcoal flavor, and was nicely juicy, although I didn't detect much of the coconut milk and Thai seasonings. (You may notice the other garnish that showed up on a number of dishes - broccoli and carrots - left a bit too long in the steamer for my taste.)


My least favorite dish was the Lard Nar with Pork. The noodles seemed overcooked, with very little texture. This version, I thought, would be typical of what you could find at any corner Thai place.


However, I did like the Thai Style Fried Chicken. The dark meat was juicy, and the coating was very crisp.


The Shrimp Paste Fried Rice provided some interesting mix-together-yourself combinations on the plate.


Finally, I enjoyed the Three Flavor Fish, although I didn't really detect three flavors, and although the menu calls it filet of sole, I suspect it was another fish - maybe tilapia or haddock.


As I re-read this, it may come across as a bit critical, so I should re-emphasize that, overall, I thought this was a very good Thai restaurant, and I'd return happily. Service couldn't have been better. But maybe because it's GNR season, I'm in a more critical mood.

Thanks to GAF for setting this up.

The fish in the fish salad is actually called fried white scale fish and comes canned. I enjoyed the funk when I tried the salad, but I don't think I could eat a whole plate of this stuff.

I didn't realize that it was already fried in the can, should have looked more closely at it (and obviously, I differ in that I could easily down a can of it) Obviously, I'm going to have to do some hunting next time I'm at H-Mart.

nr706 wrote:Next up was the Chicken Curry Puffs - obviously meticulously prepared, although the short dough seemed a bit out of place to me - but that may just be my unfamiliarity with this Thai dish.

If you have any interest in comparison, I highly recommend the version offered at Thai Avenue. Curry puffs plus thai-style grilled chicken at Thai Avenue is among my favorite meals on (or just off) Argyle.

4949 N Broadway St
(773) 878-2222

stevez wrote:The fish in the fish salad is actually called fried white scale fish and comes canned.

That seems right. Still, it's curious that it's described as "filet of sole."

From the carryout menu: