Tom Yum Thai-Rated 3.8 Stars txMB

It was time again, and the beckoning of the belly was upon me. For this gastric adventure I decided to go Thai. I’d heard quite a bit about Tom Yum Thai from different people. Hooray, hooray they all say, go and get the lunch buffet. Well, I’ve said once, I’ll say it a trillion times, I am a fan of a good buffet. Endless choices, flat price and plate after plate of comida. Buffets and booze over boys anytime. With that in mind, I hopped in reliable Old Blue, and headed to Tom Yum Thai. It was a Friday, and Friday’s are special at Tom Yum. That’s actually the only day that you can get buffet. 

Tom Yum is not a huge place and lives peacefully inside of a Garland shopping center. I got there around 1:15. This was actually perfect timing, the place wasn’t packed and the buffet was still going on. The buffet is tiny, with something like about 6 hot options and a couple of cold salads. I pilled it on. A little Pad Thai here, chicken there, spring rolls, fried flat noodles, green curry, fried rice and ginger rice with chicken breast. Diving fork first I went for the chicken. It was sweet, and fried chicken breast, had almost a Chinese Orange Chicken vibe to it sans the spice. It wasn’t overly saucy, but it a surprising taste experience at a Thai restaurant. Next I tried the chicken Pad Thai. It was good, but definitely not the best Pad Thai I’ve ever eaten. The dish was mild, a little too sweet and lacked adventure, like a glass of flat champagne, but just like a glass of flat champagne, it got the job done. Next my fork found the fried flat noodles, which tasted like a dumbed down version of pad see ew. I guess because the flavor was simulated, but still missing something. Spring rolls were tiny, fried, and basic.

But now friends, let me tell you about two very epic dishes that are actually worth several return trips to Tom Yum Thai. I could have eaten the green curry and chicken ginger rice ALL DAY long. You should know, red, yellow, and green curry make my taste buds tingle with delight. Sliced pork, chunks of green bell pepper, zucchini squash, and bits of jalapeno, basil and bamboo shoots swam in the salaciously spicy green curry. Each bite, a new salivating discovery.

Finally guys, let’s talk about the chicken ginger rice. I gotta tell you this dish alone makes life worth living. It’s sultry and tastes like layers of happiness. The boiled chicken breast is moist, while it dances gaily in a peppery, gingered, garlic, brown sauce. The sauce is piquant and savory and spicy and just everything. The party all happens atop a bed of rice. Actually, it really is hard to describe. All I know is, I have a chow crush.

So, will I be returning to Tom Yum, ABSOLUTELY. Most of the items on the lunch buffet were subpar, but, the green curry and chicken ginger rice, are inexplicably flavorsome. They are worth a trillion trips back to Tom Yum Thai. TXMB

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Where to find them-3313 Belt Line Rd, Garland, TX 75044 

Phone-(214) 703-0391

That whole parking thing-Well, good news here, it’s located in a shopping center so no need to worry about parking. Plenty of spaces to go around.