“Thai Noon Restaurant”

Lemon Squeeze (Summary)

Name: Thai  Noon

Location: 2635 NE Alberta ST, Portland (97211)

Phone Number: (503) 282-2021

Type: Thai/Asian

Reservations required? No

Site: thainoon.com

Overall Rating: Two Lemon Twists (See rating scale at the end of the blog)

Summary: Delicious deli-food for a sit-down experience or meal on the go.

Starting Off

I had the pleasure of doing two things that make me  happy. (1) Hang out in the Portland area and  (2) spend time with my guest “Dr. J.” Dr. J and I went to an incredibly authentic Thai restaurant in the Alberta Neighborhood in Portland, just East of downtown. We went right in and were seated immediately. As we’ve seen in another review, that’s the start of a great experience. We were handed the menus within seconds of arriving and even received some waters right away too.

Our server, who had a subtle smile on his face greeted us and offered to take our drink order in an Asian inspired bright deli-like atmosphere. It is tempting to order a hard drink considering just feet away there’s an attached bar to the eatery. The trim, chairs, and bar are all outlined in cherry wood which is one of my personal favorite products when it comes to decorating and furnishing.

In addition to a large dining room, guests also notice a smartly placed to-go station to the right of the foyer, a generously sized banquet/meeting  room for groups of up to 25 people, and a kitchen you can look into from many angles (always nice when you’re curious, right?). This setting and start to the meal was just what I would want for a quick bite out during a day in the big city.

Food

Thai food is tasty,  let’s face it. There are a variety of different types of foods in this genre but  rice and noodles are some of the most common. Dr J ordered the tofu Pad Thai and I ordered chicken fried rice. At almost any Asian restaurant, my default choice is some type of fried rice. While this isn’t too adventurous, it’s enjoyable and each locale has their own variation of this.

The tofu Pad Thai was good. I actually had a bite and enjoyed it enough that I might order this next time myself. With these entrées being less than ten dollars, this is a great value as it has fresh pasta, great veggies, and a taste that’s not overpowering or too sweet--- as this can happen with some varieties of this dish. I’ve had Pad Thai at several locations in the Northwest and even a fairly up-scale location in New York and it’s not as enjoyable as Dr J’s plate. Yummers!!!

My chicken fried rice was better than I anticipated. Since this my default dish, it is a great meal for comparison. Chicken fried rice is going to be a little leaner than other meats, which is a great choice. Additionally if needed, Thai Noon also has Gluten Free and Vegan Choices if requested. My spread added broccoli, tomato, and onions into the mix too. The one aspect of this dish that was noticeable was that you couldn’t see or taste the oil used. At many other establishments, you are left with a visible or edible remembrance of the skillet. Not with this plate. That takes the cake.

Dr. J noticed that the smaller noodles made it easy for her to get the pasta onto the chopsticks. When I started listening, I quickly noticed that you can hear fresh products being chopped. When you can see, hear, and taste a fresh wholesome product, you know you’re eating healthy. Couple that with a great value and you have a successful edible feast that earns its respectful one lemon twist for the Food Section.

Service

When it gets down to the heart and soul of my blog, it all comes down to service. How they take care of me. How they handle special requests. How I feel when I’m working with my server. I’m pleased to write that I am satisfied with my experience. Really, when it comes down to it, all my little “isms” were met. Our server took care of us and got our drinks right away including refills.

Our server took care of us by getting our food in less than ten minutes from order to table. Pretty fast by anyone’s standards. We asked for recommendations of what would be the best and he quickly made his recommendation: Pad Thai. Good thing he was honest, Dr J truly enjoyed what I’m sure is one of their best dishes. This proves he’s a true menu expert, something that is key to any strong server.

Our server further met my expectations by ensuring my soda was refilled without asking, constantly having a smile on his face, giving Dr J chopsticks immediately when asked, and being efficient without giving a rushed feeling. Dr J described the experience as “friendly without hovering” which fits so perfectly with the experience holistically

Since I was pleased and my strict expectations were met, Thai Noon and their team earns one lemon twist for the Service Section.

Heading out

With a quick street side escape awaiting us, it was time to leave. We left a little after noon and things were starting to get busier in this bustling Portland district. We got out for less than $20 with tip and with dinner price not that much higher this is a great place to go for a quick bite for lunch, a healthy meal to go, or even a convenient dinner destination, this is a top choice.

If you add up the Lemon Twists, we’re at two of the three possible ones and I’d love to hear from any of you who decide to visit Thai Noon Restaurant because of this review. Enjoy!

Your Customer Service Expert,

Nick

Do you have questions or comments? Feel free to leave a comment below or email me at the address in the profile section of the site.

Evaluation Scale/Rating:

0 Lemon Twists: Avoid the location
1 Lemon Twists: Go whilst drunk as you won’t want to remember your visit there
2 Lemon Twists: The location would be great to visit overall.
3 Lemon Twists: AMAZING location; highly recommended.