Westport is one of the oldest, most historic places in Kansas City. It is also home to Thai Place, which has been a family owned Thai restaurant since 1991. The restaurant is snuggled into the corner of Pennsylvania, adjacent to Indian and Mexican restaurants. Together they create an eclectic variety of multicultural restaurant options.
I was eager to go to Thai Place, because I had gone before and had fond memories of it. The homey yet vibrant vibes of Westport had already put me in a cheery mood. The sun was setting, and golden hour had struck. All was beautiful, and then I walked in….
The room was dim, noisy and tacky pop music was playing. Although the decoration was unique, it had been spaced horribly, and seemed cluttered. I couldn’t even appreciate the art work if I wanted to, due to the practically non-existent lighting.
The seating was crowded, and overwhelming. I waited about three minutes to be seated, and the server was not as welcoming as a person in the service industry should be. That was the first strike of the visit.
Once our official server had acquainted herself with us, the experience started to improve. She was pleasant and sweet and quite attentive. I started to let the tacky music, and dim setting go. I ordered the panang curry, which is stewed in peanuts and coconut milk, and is simmered with kaffir lime and bell peppers. To add more variety my brother ordered the pad thai, their signature dish, which is basically a spicy, noodle dish.
The food had a lovely aroma, and had put in me in a trance from its delicious scent.The curry was perfectly spicy, and warmed my soul with every bite. The chicken, although dry, wasn’t completely unpleasant. My brother’s pad thai was your typical well-made pad thai and had been executed well.
My brother and I had clearly finished our food, and were ready for our check. Usually the server comes within five minutes, but I waited a full 20 minutes before the waitress had brought me the check, and she didn’t even apologize. If I had been rude, or a disturbance, I wouldn’t have been as annoyed, but the whole meal I had been courteous.
The food was typical, and just fine. It was not exceptional, but not disappointing. I do not think Thai Place meets the expectations that it is given. It is a fine establishment, but definitely not my first choice. The thing that was most unsettling was the service, that is what will keep me from going there again. If your willing to take a chance on the service, then go check it out.
Leave a Reply