[Shanghai] Urban Thai
Urban Thai | urban-thai.com
Address:
– Urban Thai 1: 长乐路938号(近乌鲁木齐中路) – 938 Changle Rd near Wulumuqi Rd (Dianping)
– Urban Thai 2: 大沽路383号(近成都北路) – 383 Dagu Rd near Chengdu North Rd (Dianping)
Date visited: 2014.03
Price: RMB¥150-200 per person
Will return: Yes
What to get:
– Cha Yen – Thai iced tea
– Pad Krapow – Stir fried basil
– Khai Jiew Moo Saab -Thai omelette
– Pad Thai Goong
– Mango sticky rice
– Please note this was an invited tasting –
Recently soft-opened Urban Thai on Dagu Rd is the second addition to the Urban Thai family. The first Urban Thai branch is on Changle Rd and though I have not had a chance to drop by yet, I was told this new branch on Dagu Rd is meant to be a replica experience of the first branch in a larger space. The owner’s Thai mother-in-law is the head chef and splits her time between the two kitchens cooking and training the staff for consistency. Therefore, dining between Changle Rd and Dagu Rd should be the same.
The main dining area is on the first floor and there is a space upstairs that can be used for large parties or private events. Look for the cute elephant candle holders!
Service-wise, what I like about the staff here is that they are very knowledgable and can recommend dishes based on having tasted the menu offerings themselves. At many restaurants, I commonly get servers who recommend what is popular among customers without actually knowing how dishes taste, the most expensive dishes, or literally a run down of all the dishes without narrowing anything down. The server who helped us througout our dinner was clearly knowledgable and gave us her opinions of what she liked and why. Regardless if it is casual or fine dining, good service just makes a meal so much more pleasant.
Cha Yen – Thai iced tea (RMB¥35)
Recommend: yes
Blended ice on top of milk and black tea with just the right amount of sweetness. The Thai iced coffee (RMB¥35) is also an excellent choice for those who prefer a stronger flavor.
Assorted Finger Food Plate for 2-3 (RMB¥68) with spring rolls, fish cakes, satay, curry puffs
Recommend: yes
A variety of choices for those who would like to try a few of the popular appetizers. I especially liked the fish cakes and curry puffs.
Tom Yum – Hot & sour soup (RMB¥58)
Recommend: maybe
Spicy and very flavorful with a distinct Thai coconut taste. Recommended for those who would like a huge kick to start.
Gaeng Keow Wan – Thai curry (RMB¥58 choice of beef or chicken, red or green curry) with Thai eggplants, kaffir lime leaves, basil
Recommend: yes
Great red curry flavor to be paired with white rice; the only thing was the chicken was slightly dry.
Pad Krapow – Stir fried basil (RMB¥58 choice of minced chicken, beef, or pork) with fresh chilies, garlic, holy basil
Recommend: yes
The basil was especially fragrant and very yummy with minced pork. Another dish that pairs nicely with white rice.
The last three dishes below were my favorites of the night!
Khai Jiew Moo Saab – Thai omelette (RMB¥52) with minced pork, onions, Thai sauces
Recommend: yes
Omelette cooked with a fried crust and soft inside. So simple and well done.
Pad Thai Goong – Stir fried noodles (RMB¥63) with prawns, tofu, dried shrimp, ground peanuts
Recommend: yes
Good mix of flavors all around and surprisingly not greasy. I normally don’t like dried shrimp but it topped the pad thai off quite well. This is definitely a dish to get.
Mango Sticky Rice (RMB¥35)
Recommend: yes
Did someone say mango sticky rice? Yes! Even though we were so full from dinner, we gladly opened our second stomaches for this. The sticky rice had a slight hint of saltiness to bring out the sweetness of the fresh mangos. Perfect salty-sweet balance to end the night.
I leave you with one more elephant.
