Thai Tamarind (Bellevue)
Overview:
Thai Tamarind is a local favorite in Bellevue, a suburb of Pittsburgh about 10 miles from downtown. Located at 172 Lincoln Ave, It is nestled in a cozy cafe next to a couple of businesses and houses. There are only a few parking spaces up front, and after that, you have to park along the street. Below is a schedule of their hours with Monday being the only day they are not open.
| Tuesday |
| |
| Wednesday |
| |
| Thursday |
| |
| Friday |
| |
| Saturday |
| |
| Sunday |
|
The Food:
Thai Tamarind offers takeout, delivery, and dine-in making it super convenient to eat here whenever you want. For delivery, they are on Uber Eats and DoorDash. I decided to dine-in for lunch during the week and was pleasantly surprised with my experience. We decided to order an appetizer with our lunch which also came with a spring roll.
 |
| Matcha Green Tea Latte |
To start off the meal we first ordered drinks. I tried the matcha green tea latte. It was one of the daily specials listed on the chalkboard outside. The drink had a distinctly sweet taste similar to candy and was overpowering. I did not get much of a matcha taste from the drink but finished it anyway.
 |
| Vietnamese Spring Rolls |
For our appetizer, we got the fried Vietnamese spring rolls. They were stuffed with pork, shrimp, and veggies and then deep-fried to golden perfection. I really enjoyed the sweet & sour sauce with chopped peanuts they give you on the side. The rolls themselves were crispy on the outside and tender on the inside without being mushy.
 |
| Wonton Soup |
Thai Tamarind provides a side dish for lunch. You can choose from a side salad or a cup of soup. I decided to get the wonton soup. It had wonton dumplings with pork, broccoli, scallion, and fried garlic. Additionally, you get a small spring roll on the side with sweet & sour sauce. I thought the broth of the soup was very flavorful without being too salty. The fried garlic chunks gave the soup a robust umami flavor while the vegetables helped cut through the garlic and scallions.
 |
| Pad See Ew |
One of the dishes our party ordered was the signature pad see ew. It is a stir-fried flat noodle dish with egg, broccoli, carrots, broccoli, scallion, and crispy onions. I tried a bite and was blown away by the rich flavor profile and variety of texture the dish has. The noodles are chewy and tender while the broccoli and carrots give the dish a crunch. I also like that they include pork, chicken, or tofu as a protein for no extra cost. We got the chicken and it was tender and went well with the pad see ew sauce.
 |
| Trio Curry w/ Rice |
The dish I ordered at Thai Tamarind was on the special board and it was a trio curry dish with rice. It was a green curry cooked with freshly sliced mango, pineapple, pumpkin, bamboo, bell peppers, tomato, basil leaves, and avocado. I thought the curry broth itself was rich, velvety, and spicy at the same time. I ordered a spice level of 3 out of 5 so I was definitely getting some heat. The fresh veggies and fruit with the broth tasted great and they also included a protein as well. I decided to get the pork which was a little dry but still good in the broth.
The pumpkin was an interesting addition to curry I have never tried but it worked really well with the broth and other ingredients. Aside from the curry, you also get a side of rice which is shaped into a heart if you dine-in. I would definitely say Thai Tamarind's curry is top-notch and is something I will try again from here.
Service:
Thai Tamarind's lunch service was very nice when we went during the week. When we got there, we ended up being the only ones in the restaurant for a while. Still, we thought the waitress and service were great. Our waitress was friendly and our food came out in the correct order and on time.
Atmosphere:
Thai Tamarind's atmosphere was one of my favorite parts of the place. When you first walk in the walls, tables, ceiling, and chairs are all well-decorated to feel like a cozy cafe. Each chair has a seat cushion and the tables all have flowers to brighten up the place. We sat right by the window which had lots of natural light coming in making lunch really nice.
Rating: Excellent |⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐|
Thai Tamarind is definitely my favorite Thai restaurant located in Pittsburgh. The food, service, and atmosphere are all out of this world spectacular. I thought the lunch specials were well-priced. For $13-$17 you can get a lunch dish, a side of soup or salad, and a mini spring roll. This is similarly priced to lousy fast food joints offering far less quality food. If you like Thai food, definitely give this place a visit. Also, if you are interested in more Thai restaurants in Pittsburgh check out my review of Red Orchid in the North Hills.
Comments
Post a Comment