Thai Gardens-Middletown Ct.

[DonShirer]

Stopped in Middletown today with an appetite for Thai--but Pho Mai was closed on Sunday, so I ended up at Thai Gardens a few blocks south, which was open on Sunday for lunch and dinner.

Despite several lukewarm mentions of this restaurant on the web, my Massaman Curry was excellent, and so were the appetizers. (And there is an upbeat NYTimes review posted on the wall.) I would have no hesitation in visiting them again.

By the way, some websites list their address as 300 Plaza, but they are actually on the SW corner of Main and College St. Plenty of on-street parking or there is a big parking garage across the street (entrance off Court street).

[divainjeans]

I've been to this place quite a few times for lunch and every time the food has been excellent. And you can't bee the $6/$7 lunch deal. Quick service, too.

[kattyeyes]

Pho Mai is on vacation until August 6th. I just called tonight and heard their outgoing message. They are open Sundays, otherwise, so I hope you'll try again when you're in town. They're one of my favorite places downtown!

Pho Mai
860-347-0773

[kattyeyes]

Pho Mai is OPEN again and they are open seven days a week. We just returned from dinner there, having missed them terribly over the past several weeks. Don, I hope you get to try this place. Try #35 or #36 (first is chicken only; second is shrimp and chicken)--it's a spicy, delicious curry that may oust my usual #39 from top billing. Seriously, we have never had a bad dish here. Am anxious to hear others weigh in.

[DonShirer]

Sorry, tried again (on a Sunday since I am often passing through then) but they must have seen me coming. The store at 570 Main was closed, and there is a sign on the front door with hours listed 11-9 every day BUT Sunday! Do they have another location (or a back door they use for favored customers)?

[kattyeyes]

My sincere apologies, Don--that must have changed since we've eaten there on a Sunday before. And no, it's not like Pepe's with special doors for the regulars. ;) I did call today and the person who answered the phone said they are closed on Sundays. I couldn't get to when that changed because the person I was talking to spoke limited English. So please try again any other day of the week. Again, my bad.

[howaboutthat]

Um, that would be Sally's, not Pepe's.

[kattyeyes]

Well, how about that?!

[sherry f]

Is Pho Mai Thai or Vietnamese? Are they open for lunch? My son who goes to Wesleyan in Middletown eats at Thai gardens all the time and I am definitely going to pass on your post and warn him about the raw pork. I am going to visit him in a few weeks and may take him to Pho Mai.

[kattyeyes]

Pho Mai is Vietnamese and yes, open for lunch. They're open Monday through Saturday, 11 a.m. - 9 p.m. I just called to verify and will now update their listing since I send people here all the time (and didn't realize they were closed Sundays till recently, as you see above). It's not at all fancy and it's in the North End, next to Iguanas Ranas. It is one of my favorite, go-to spots in Middletown. Bet your son knows about it already. I see plenty of Wesleyan students there. :)

EDIT: Here is an updated link for Pho Mai:
http://www.chow.com/restaurants/45442...

[sherry f]

Thanks so much, I am going to visit our son the week after next and will be taking him and some of his friends out and will be sure to report back our "eats". By the way, he really appreciated the warning about the raw pork at Thai Gardens.

[dennisl]

I think they made their name when they first opened years ago, and either changed owners or just slid by on the good press to the point they lost a lot of business. I know myself the last couple of times I went were awful, maybe they've learned their lesson?

[kattyeyes]

I'm with you dennisl. I used to eat there frequently years ago. Haven't been back in ages as it was no longer the same experience. I actually live in Middletown and will drive to Glastonbury to Thai Angel (in the Nayaug section across from Char Koon) when I want Thai. I prefer Thai Angel over both Thai Gardens and Typhoon. It has literally been years since my last meal there. Maybe they've turned things around--that's good to hear!

[kattyeyes]

Don, I am glad to hear you had a positive experience at Thai Gardens. I stand by my original decision not to have gone for years. We went tonight and the only thing that was consistent about it was it thoroughly SUCKED from beginning to end.

I wanted to leave when none of the waitstaff seemed interested in seeing if we were ready to order. I really, really did and now regret having stayed; however, what is one bad meal when we eat out often enough and enjoy so much good food usually...BUT NOT HERE.

I'm not going to waste many words on the evening. Service, if you can call it that, was incredibly inattentive. My main was a dish made with ground pork (similar to larb), which I ate about 3/4 of before I noticed THERE WERE PIECES OF RAW PORK IN MY DISH. We asked to see the manager and he apologized. But I really don't think there's any excuse for serving raw pork. I am just hoping the memory of a bad meal is my only consequence from eating there. How pathetic--we have two Thai restaurants in Middletown and I won't eat at either one.

I usually gladly make the trip to Glastonbury to Thai Angel, which is one of my very favorite Thai restaurants in the area, but tonight I just didn't feel like getting in the car and making the trek. Lesson learned. NEVER AGAIN. And I will tell anyone who will listen, including the pharmacist at CVS, where we stopped on the way home to ask if there was anything I could do since I ate raw pork (there is nothing I can do but hope I don't get sick) STAY AWAY FROM THAI GARDENS IN MIDDLETOWN. The service is horrible and the food is no better.