Insider Pages Reviews for Thumra Thai

5 Stars: Excellent (by Jared R)

Jared R — Sat, 26 Dec 2009 09:00:00 GMT

My roommate discovered this place last year when we got all of the snow. It was the only place we could find that hadn't closed due to the snow and the only business that was even open in the plaza. Fate lead us to one of the best family owned and operated restaurant's I've been to.

I think the restaurant is owned and operated by a three person family. I started going here a lot while I still lived in the Kirkland area. But that night we were served by the "mother" who served us every time but maybe once. Alone that night she was keeping the restaurant open despite being completely snowed in herself.

The food is great, the prices can only be beat by fast food joints, and the service is one of a kind. I don't know if I should share this story or not... but the second to last night I was there I noticed a decoration that reminded me very much of a piece my grandmother used to have in her living room. After dinner I nostalgically admired it and after a moment or two drummed up the gumption to ask if I could buy it.

It wasn't big or expensive, but it immediately had some intangible sentimental value to me and I was prepared to pay maybe... $50 - $100 for it? When I asked "mother" if I could buy it she immediately unplugged it, took it from it's place and offered it to me refusing to take any money whatsoever! I was shocked and haven't before or since felt so humbled the generosity of a stranger. Well maybe not a stranger... certainly not anymore.

I realized though that between having the only "open" sign on in a totally desolate snow covered parking lot, and serving each customer like their a family friend... this is the care that goes into each meal that's served.

Please don't start asking for their decorations... but please DO take a moment to enjoy some of the fruit of their hard work. The back of the menu tells a story about who their family is, how they came to the states, and how they opened Thumra Thai. Your taste buds and even your wallet will thank you!!!

5 Stars: Absolutely the Best Thai food around (by dolphinali)

dolphinali — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 09:00:00 GMT

My best friend told me she had the best Thai food ever at this little place in Totem Lake. She was right! It's in a little strip mall and I wouldn't go there if I drove by myself, but I she took me and I'm officially hooked. It really is the best Thai food I've had. I love the story behind the restaurant too. It makes it that much better! The service was great and everyone is soooo friendly. I will drive WAY out of my way to come back here. I hope that more people try Thumra Thai and continue to bring more family and friends and help make this restaurant a success. Try the Phad See Ewe (?) and have the coconut ice cream for dessert! So deelish!

5 Stars: Deelish, would go back time & time again (by heatherinseattle1234)

heatherinseattle1234 — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 09:00:00 GMT

I absoluely love this little hidden gem in the Totem Lake area of Kirkland. I have tried 5 things off the menu so far and each of them have been full of flavor and perfectly seasoned & cooked. After discovering this place about 2 mos ago I have since brought 2 people to experience Thumra as well, both of whom loved it.. Great staff, great food & great prices!!!

5 Stars: great (by Elaine W.)

Elaine W. — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 14:10:00 GMT

Have visited several times for lunch. Good food, fast and extremely friendly service. Conveniently located on 124th...a little difficult to find. Down by the Value Village.

5 Stars: Best Thai on the East side (by r2thefoodie)

r2thefoodie — Sat, 06 Sep 2008 09:00:00 GMT

This is a small, cozy place with the most delicious authentic Thai food on the East side. Don't go there if you're expecting a fancy upscale dining experience. However, for fresh, tasty Thai food that's very flavorful, and cooked just right, this is the place to go to.
The first time I walked in here, I wasn't sure what I was in for. I was expecting an average meal at this tiny, empty place in a Kirkland strip mall. But the lady welcomed me and brought me the freshest plate of mussels in red curry ever. I keep going back, and I have never understood why more people don't know about this place. The food is delicious, I have never been disappointed.
The lady (who is the only server there, her husband prepares the food) is very kind, too. I've been there a few times, and the second time I was there, I was sick, and she brought me hot tea (on the house!) that I didn't ask for, and she said it would make me feel better! This is the sort of friendly environment combined with great food that keeps me coming back for more.

5 Stars: Great Simple Local Thai (by TeagueandEamon)

TeagueandEamon — Sat, 19 Jul 2008 09:00:00 GMT

I'm at a loss to explain why this place is empty at night. I did a cooking tour of Thailand in 2006, have taken some Thai cooking classes at PCC, and so although I'm not an expert by any means, I feel like I have a good personal sense of what I like in Thai food. The tom yum soup is great. The thai fried rice is perfect - not goopy, but clean and vibrantly flavored. My favorite dish panang curry with chicken, is both rich and spicy. The husband/wife owners are wonderfully eager to please and will adjust things for me. This has become a Sunday night staple.

5 Stars: My Favorite Place (by PomPink)

PomPink — Sat, 05 Apr 2008 09:00:00 GMT

Have you ever gone to a Thai restaurant and was disappointed because the curry did not taste as flavorful as you would like or Pad Thai is too sweet for your taste?? Well, as one of food enthusiasts, I found food from Thumra Thai are always well prepared and cooked just right. The ingredients are always fresh. It's one of the cheapest place for lunch and dinner. My boyfriend and I always go to this place whenever we're in the mood for Thai. We always ordered three dishes to shared, resulted in a lot of leftover, and the price for all that was usually around 23-24 bucks. What a great deal !!!

5 Stars: Recommendations from Citysearch didn't make me feel disappointed! (by hanyu1999)

hanyu1999 — Sun, 02 Sep 2007 09:00:00 GMT

My friends and I had a great time at this restaurant. I decided to meet a few of my friends whom I went to college with at this restaurant based on good reviews in Citysearch. We were a group of eight people. The food was delicious-- It tastes fresh and full of flavor. The atmosphere in the restaurant was very relaxing. We were there from 8 til 10 pm and we didn't feel rush. The service was great. After we finished our meal, the waitress who turned out to be the owner of the restaurant brought us free dessert: mango and sweet sticky rice. It was a very enjoyable moment --- Thank you Thumra Thai :)

5 Stars: I have to go back to this place!!!! WOW !!! (by dave80)

dave80 — Sun, 08 Jul 2007 09:00:00 GMT

Well, I recently went to this little Thai Restaurant for the first time upon a friends reccomendation and was very surprised how everything could taste soooo good. I had a soup called Tom Ka Gai and it was infused with a rich coconut flavor and some type of fresh green herbs. Needless to say it was a remarkable dish. I had a bite of my dates seafood dish. Siam Ocean Delight (I think this is the name), it was a combination of seafood with Thai seasons and was unlike anyting I have had before, very fresh and distinct in flavor. I may order that one next time. If you go there you have to order this Mango and Sticky Rice dessert that comes with a coconut cream sauce. I was not expecting to be as impressed as I was. I could eat this dish every day. I really don't know how the cook can get EVERYTHING right. I have only 2 words about this Thai food. "Highly Reccomended".

5 Stars: Exceptional Thai Cuisine (by luke123)

luke123 — Wed, 04 Jul 2007 09:00:00 GMT

I tried this small restaraunt and was very pleased with the meal. Cook seasons food just right. I don't think I have had Thai food taste so delicious ever. Every dish at the table was wonderful and was accompanied with great service in a peaceful atmosphere. I highly reccomend the Mango and Sticky Rice dessert along with the best Pud Kee Mow (Drunken Noodles) I have ever had. I am a repeat customer there and would confidently reccomend it to friends and family.

5 Stars: Best Authentic Green Curry (by jenny2001)

jenny2001 — Wed, 06 Jun 2007 09:00:00 GMT

I went to Thailand two times and fell in love with authentic green curry there. However, it is very hard to find authentic green curry on the Eastside. Most Thai restaurant makes it too sweet or either put too much coconut milk in it. Thumra Thai's curry is by far the best green curry I've had. They are not afraid to make it spicy too.

5 Stars: Best Thai in Kirkland (by ssstar)

ssstar — Sat, 02 Jun 2007 09:00:00 GMT

What a find !! We went to Thumra Thai the first time upon a recommendation of our friends and we were greatly amazed with the food here. Before we found this place, my husband did not like Thai food because he does not like sweet food. This place totally changed our opinions about Thai food. My husband fell in love with yellow curry here --- a curry that is not too sweet, but has a great flavor. Red curry mussels here is my favorite. Mussels are very fresh and the red curry is just well cooked.

5 Stars: Amazing Drunken Noodles ! (by jswever)

jswever — Sat, 02 Jun 2007 09:00:00 GMT

Upon a recommendation from our waitress, my girlfriend and I ordered Drunken Noodles from this place and we were surprised how good these noodles are. Thumra Thai makes the BEST drunken noodles in Seattle. I don't live in Totem Lake, but my gf does. I tried to find drunken noodles from other Thai restaurants in Seattle, but I was always disappointed. It seemed to me that they used the right kind of vegetables for their drunken noodles and the flavor of their drunken noodles are just unbelievable good.

3 Stars: Good for the price you give. (by D M.)

D M. — Tue, 13 Sep 2005 17:23:00 GMT

I like their lunch menu. I have gone to this place twice and always took a take out . Though they have a good place to sit in resturant too. Its a good place to eat and very cheap.