Foods from Coriander Thai
Comments
2011 Feb 15
@kylemcinnes: my experiences with Coriander Thai are very close to yours in terms of taste, though now I'll have to try that soup!
But I wonder - how fair is it to include price of wine, something I consider non-necessary, in saying a restaurant is too expensive? I tend to evaluate alcohol and food ratios seperately. Without the wine, it seems the price of the meal is just over $50 with tax and tip, which would seem better for the portions (nice and filling but rarely with leftovers) and the service (friendly but a touch slow when the place is busy).
With three dishes hitting the 4/5 mark at most mains costing less than $15, I'd consider it personally an excellent quality for the price.
But I wonder - how fair is it to include price of wine, something I consider non-necessary, in saying a restaurant is too expensive? I tend to evaluate alcohol and food ratios seperately. Without the wine, it seems the price of the meal is just over $50 with tax and tip, which would seem better for the portions (nice and filling but rarely with leftovers) and the service (friendly but a touch slow when the place is busy).
With three dishes hitting the 4/5 mark at most mains costing less than $15, I'd consider it personally an excellent quality for the price.
2011 Feb 15
App: Vegetarian spring roll ($5)
Review: Pretty good. The sauce is enjoyable and the filling is tasty. 3.5/5
Soup: Hot and Sour coconut milk soup with chicken and mushroom. ($5/bowl)
Taste review: Very tasty. The chicken, mushroom and coriander all balanced well in the dish. 4/5
Main1: Green curry with tofu and vegetables. ($14)
Taste review: Slight spice, nice mix of tofu and vegetables, and the coconut curry broth was just great. (4/5)
Main2: Stir-fried vegetables, spicy chilies and bamboo shoots. ($11)
Taste review: Nice and spicy, vegetables appropriately cooked and bamboo shoots were very flavorful. (4/5)
Wine: $35 bottle (can't remember the brand).
Overall, the meal was really enjoyable. The ambiance is dark, quiet and pleasant. My major criticism is that for the price, I would expect the portions to be a little bigger. Post-tip, I'm paying over $100 for 2 and I'm used to something either larger in portions or higher in quality/service. It's for this reason that I'm not sure if I'll be going back. I may be more price sensitive than most.
Review: Pretty good. The sauce is enjoyable and the filling is tasty. 3.5/5
Soup: Hot and Sour coconut milk soup with chicken and mushroom. ($5/bowl)
Taste review: Very tasty. The chicken, mushroom and coriander all balanced well in the dish. 4/5
Main1: Green curry with tofu and vegetables. ($14)
Taste review: Slight spice, nice mix of tofu and vegetables, and the coconut curry broth was just great. (4/5)
Main2: Stir-fried vegetables, spicy chilies and bamboo shoots. ($11)
Taste review: Nice and spicy, vegetables appropriately cooked and bamboo shoots were very flavorful. (4/5)
Wine: $35 bottle (can't remember the brand).
Overall, the meal was really enjoyable. The ambiance is dark, quiet and pleasant. My major criticism is that for the price, I would expect the portions to be a little bigger. Post-tip, I'm paying over $100 for 2 and I'm used to something either larger in portions or higher in quality/service. It's for this reason that I'm not sure if I'll be going back. I may be more price sensitive than most.
2010 Oct 9
Probably the worst Thai food I have ever had.
The signature Thai dish, Pad Thai (which is very hard to screw up), was absolutely awful. It tasted like noodles and shrimp mixed with ketchup and Tabasco sauce. There were almost no vegetables, simply noodles and shrimp. I can't believe they would even serve this to customers, but then again the state of Asian food in Ottawa is generally pathetic.
We also had the Green Curry with chicken which was awful as well. The curry had no taste and the vegetables were almost raw. I guess nobody told these guys that Curry is more than just coconut milk and food colouring...
To make this worse, it is VERY expensive for Thai food. $14 for curry, $3 for rice, $12 for pad thai. Thai food in Ottawa is generally pretty bad but this is the worst I have tried so far, and also the most expensive. Do yourself a favour and go somewhere else.
The signature Thai dish, Pad Thai (which is very hard to screw up), was absolutely awful. It tasted like noodles and shrimp mixed with ketchup and Tabasco sauce. There were almost no vegetables, simply noodles and shrimp. I can't believe they would even serve this to customers, but then again the state of Asian food in Ottawa is generally pathetic.
We also had the Green Curry with chicken which was awful as well. The curry had no taste and the vegetables were almost raw. I guess nobody told these guys that Curry is more than just coconut milk and food colouring...
To make this worse, it is VERY expensive for Thai food. $14 for curry, $3 for rice, $12 for pad thai. Thai food in Ottawa is generally pretty bad but this is the worst I have tried so far, and also the most expensive. Do yourself a favour and go somewhere else.
2009 Feb 12
It's the first Thai I had, and still among the best, even comparing places in the US. It may also have played a trick on me - the last time I went, after sampling US and even Irish thai restaurants, I actually asked about their lemongrass tea, and they said that it was started by them, then some staff went to other local Thai restaurants and it spread - but remains an Ottawa thai thing. (Maison Samorn has pushed this lemongrass tea to an art.) If it's true, I now understand the blank stares I was getting at any thai place outside Ottawa! :)
Whether eat-in or take-out, the dishes are flavourful and well-balanced, and once home reheat to just about as good as the first time. (Admittedly, I never take curries.)
I have a friend who used to leave near it, who said it was just like when he was on tour of duty in SE asia and he went to small Thai villages and ate in people's homes. I've only had one slow service in over a dozen tries.
Whether eat-in or take-out, the dishes are flavourful and well-balanced, and once home reheat to just about as good as the first time. (Admittedly, I never take curries.)
I have a friend who used to leave near it, who said it was just like when he was on tour of duty in SE asia and he went to small Thai villages and ate in people's homes. I've only had one slow service in over a dozen tries.
2008 Oct 23
Came back to Coriander tonight. The service was quick, and wonderful, as was the food.
The big difference tonight was the curry: Instead of Panang (red curry), we ordered the green curry, which was a larger portion (hurray) with more coconut milk in it, but still with some good afterburn.
Very yummy indeed!
The big difference tonight was the curry: Instead of Panang (red curry), we ordered the green curry, which was a larger portion (hurray) with more coconut milk in it, but still with some good afterburn.
Very yummy indeed!
2008 Jul 24
CT is my go-to thai restaurant and I find the food exactly what thai should be: Sweet and spicy and sometimes tangy.
FreshFoodie, may I recommend next time, trying the lemongrass soup? I agree, the coconut doesn't have much kick to it, but dang--the lemongrass with shrimp or chicken & mushrooms is to die for!
FreshFoodie, may I recommend next time, trying the lemongrass soup? I agree, the coconut doesn't have much kick to it, but dang--the lemongrass with shrimp or chicken & mushrooms is to die for!
2008 Apr 28
I visited this restaurant on a quiet Sunday evening as a guest of the food photographer from Ottawa Xpress magazine. This was in preparation for next Thursday's issue, in which they will review Coriander Thai and also make mention of online food communities in Ottawa.
Overall I was very pleased. Decor is simple and cozy. Our server was perfectly pleasant and our water glasses were kept full (we were the only patrons at 9pm on a Sunday night).
We ordered the same three dishes being reviewed by the Xpress: Tom Kha Gai (coconut chicken soup), Coriander Thai Beef (in the Salad section, sliced grilled beef on lettuce with dressing), and Goong Pad Makhua-yao (shrimp and eggplant stir-fried with chilis).
The Tom Kha Gai was good enough but not spectacular. The lime and coconut flavours were prominent but the flavour of the stock was not. I prefer to have all three in balance with each other. I should qualify my comments and say that we sampled this soup after it had cooled (due to photography setup), so the freshly served version may well be superior.
The Coriander Thai Beef was absolutely stellar! Flavourful grilled beef, fresh lettuce, sliced tomato, and a nice chili dressing. In addition to tasting totally addictive, the beef was in a generous steak-like portion. Highly recommended! I will order this again each time I come back.
The Goong Pad Makhua-yao was very good! The eggplant was only slightly mushy (it always is), the shrimp were a tad overdone, but the overall flavour of everything down to the little strips of onion and peppers was most appetizing.
I snapped a couple of photos with my cellphone, but I'll wait to see if Ben uploads any of the good ones he took with his mighty DSLR and offset flash. :-)
Overall I was very pleased. Decor is simple and cozy. Our server was perfectly pleasant and our water glasses were kept full (we were the only patrons at 9pm on a Sunday night).
We ordered the same three dishes being reviewed by the Xpress: Tom Kha Gai (coconut chicken soup), Coriander Thai Beef (in the Salad section, sliced grilled beef on lettuce with dressing), and Goong Pad Makhua-yao (shrimp and eggplant stir-fried with chilis).
The Tom Kha Gai was good enough but not spectacular. The lime and coconut flavours were prominent but the flavour of the stock was not. I prefer to have all three in balance with each other. I should qualify my comments and say that we sampled this soup after it had cooled (due to photography setup), so the freshly served version may well be superior.
The Coriander Thai Beef was absolutely stellar! Flavourful grilled beef, fresh lettuce, sliced tomato, and a nice chili dressing. In addition to tasting totally addictive, the beef was in a generous steak-like portion. Highly recommended! I will order this again each time I come back.
The Goong Pad Makhua-yao was very good! The eggplant was only slightly mushy (it always is), the shrimp were a tad overdone, but the overall flavour of everything down to the little strips of onion and peppers was most appetizing.
I snapped a couple of photos with my cellphone, but I'll wait to see if Ben uploads any of the good ones he took with his mighty DSLR and offset flash. :-)
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basilchili
The basil chili dish still looked really good, a few of my coworkers had that. I think that I will stick with the stir fry if we ever go again. Oh, and their homemade hot sauce is killer, yum! I probably put half a cup all over my pad thai to add sauce.