New Thai in South Slope-not worth it

I can't remember the name (Wondara?) something like that. It's the one on 7th Ave between 14th and 15th Sts.
We just ordered in. Pad Thai was tasteless, Green Curry was a strange consistency. Maybe slimy from the Okra-like veggies in it. (which were quite good, actually..I wonder what they're called...round and green, with dark seeds...)
Mango salad was also bad. Underripe mango, and not much else.
I'm still partial to Song. They beat this new place on all 3 fronts: Pad Thai, Curry and Mango Salad.
Unfortunately they don't deliver on Friday/Saturday nights.

[cjd260]

I have to say that I've had pretty positive experiences with Watana. Their pad thai is nothing revolutionary, but it's solid, and it's much helped by actually squeezing the lime they give you. More positively, their basil chicken - usually something I stay away from, simply because most places treat it as a standby ordered by people who neither know nor care - was one of the best I've had in the City, and just about hot enough to scorch my tongue.

[jinx]

Yep, this is our standard Thai in the 'hood. Solid and what's more, we like the atmosphere...friendly, not too frenetic or loud. Doesn't hurt that its BYOB, either! And Slope Cellars is a quick minute down the block.

[prcentauri]

yeah i couldn't disagree with the original poster more... i've eaten watana siam's food countless times and it has always been great, dare i say the best thai in the hood. cleanest taste. finest plating. very satisfying.

[gpcohen]

Maybe they have their off nights or off dishes. I have eaten there twice and I and my friends enjoyed every dish. Standouts were a Crispy Basil Red Snapper, the honey pork appetizer, papaya salad and a shrimp dish, maybe Goong Gratiem Prick Thai. Decent pad thai. Just as a point of reference, I live around the corner from AM Thai and I think Watana was comparable.

[Gnu23]

FYI: I was walking around the S. Slope Saturday and I felt like grabbing a quick bite so I went into Watana around 3 PM. This was the first time I've ever eaten here and I was pleasently surprised. Certainly not as authentic as Sripraphai but much better than the usual crappy Thai places that are really just Chinese food flavored with basil and Nam Pla. Watana even had the table set with a fork and spoon. NO Chopsticks! (I'm not going to go into the whole chopsticks and non-noodle Thai food thing here..)
Song is better. This place is a good standby.

[JenMarie66]

I also think Wantana is pretty solid. But, hey, I love Thai eggplant. While I've never had an earth-shatteringly great meal from them, I've never had a bad one, either.
Tookata Thai on PPW is quite solid as well, with a slightly larger selection of dishes. I really love their shrimp & eggplant salad.

[Offbalance]

I ordered from Wantana a week or so ago out of curiosity and I was pleasantly surprised by their panang curry. While a little bit on the soupy side, it was spicy and flavorful, and I would order from them again in a heartbeat. But, that said, I've also enjoyed the meals I've had at Rice.

Beet is still my favorite, but they're a little pricey to order from on a regular basis. I stopped ordering from or eating at Thai Sky after I got sick of dealing with their pushy, rude owner.

[erikka]

I've never had a bad meal from them and I order takeout weekly. Might have been an off night. I think they are pretty reliable--not the best thai I've had but not terrible either.

[andy deemer]

I've been noticing it's often really crowded... maybe things have changed?

Is the naming of the restaurant ("Watana Siam") supposed to be a reference to the old "Owa Tana Siam" joke?

Watana is the name and the vegetable is eggplant in the green curry.

I think it's a little harsh giving them a review like that after only one try. I've only tried it once as well, but I found the food to be quite decent--nothing earth-shattering, but of good quality. We also had the green curry and pad thai and I really enjoyed the chicken cashew. Only thing I didn't like was that they charged for rice.

maybe they are trying to cook real thai food - mango salad would be made with green mango - and it sounds like either thai eggplant or okra in your green curry...too bad they arent doing it more persuasively

I recognized that the Thai eggplant was an attempt at authenticity. Unfortunately, it's presence didn't complete the task.
The mango salad was actually a bit better day 2. But still no comparison to Song's.

I agreed with Sharon. The name is Watana. The owner owns Rice Thai on 7th and Nine D on Court. I tried them all. The taste of the food is pretty much the same and also their menu are the same. The food is taseless and not generous portion. It is not worth to go back at all.

I don't think your information (or your grammar) is correct.

Curby, I think my information is 100% correct. May be my gramma is not correct because I am not the native American like you. Please respect. Don't be rude.

Curby, I think my information is 100% correct. May be my gramma is not correct because I am not the native American like you. Please respect. Don't be rude.

round and green with dark seeds? maybe thai eggplant? i find the taste too bitter, if that's what it was. also, my mom makes a mango salad using unripened mangos, but it tastes much better than what you describe. if you're ever in riverdale, siam square from what i remember is excellent, although it's been over a year since i was there. their duck is incredible and they offer banana leaf (pandan?) ice cream that i've never seen anywhere else. and wednesdays, they used to offer and am not sure if it's still ongoing, free wine wednesdays. this is probably one of my favorite thai restaurants. good food, good service.