Tis Me Michelle

For those who are new here, I am on the hunt to find a solid Thai restaurant in Orlando. There are some I like, but I still haven’t found that one that truly stands out. I’ve started to have a standard order for true comparisons: Pad See Ew and a Thai Tea. If I’m extra hungry, I’ll throw in a Papaya Salad. Talay was next on the lineup!

The Atmosphere: Honestly, all the newer spots are killing it with interior designs. Very clean, coastal design, which makes sense since they specialize in seafood. I could tell it was meant to be a more elevated restaurant; the prices are on the higher side, but I did show up in rags. I was running errands and needed some fuel. I dropped by Talay early afternoon on a weekend and was surprised they weren’t busy. The staff was super sweet and got me seated right away. Given there weren’t many other folks, I didn’t feel awkward being dressed like a bum.

The Meal: The menu was pretty robust, and as mentioned, kind of pricey. On one side of the menu, they have the ‘classics’, aka what I ultimately ordered. The noodles, curries, and rice dishes that most of us are used to. The other side has the seafood forward options, which I definitely want to go back to try. It all sounded delicious, but I wanted to stay true to the mission.

I did indeed go with the Pad See Ew and Thai tea, no Papaya salad. I would try the salad when I get to go back, though. The Thai tea came out first, and it was good. Sweet and creamy, but nothing unique or special. My only problem with it is the $7 price tag. I don’t think a Thai tea needs to be more than $5 unless there’s something special or some booze added to it.

Almost cried from happy tears seeing the Pad See Ew come in. The noods were still not as wide as I wanted them to be, but wider than most spots. But I could just see visually that it was going to taste delicious. I always opt for the pork option, and it was cooked perfectly. These days, I go between hot and medium; my stomach can’t really handle hot, let alone Thai hot these days. This time I asked for it hot, and I could feel the heat. I love Pad See Ew because it has that sweet soy glaze, and it balances well with heat. Not going to lie, this has been my favorite Pad See Ew I’ve had in Orlando. My comparison point is the dishes I’ve had in the northeast. I don’t know if that’s authentic, but nowhere else in the city has come close to this one.

I got SO excited about how good it was, I ordered a Pad Kee Mow (Drunk Noodles) to go. I don’t know if it would have been better fresh. In comparison to the Pad See Ew, the Pad Kee Mow did not hit the spot. I went from being elevated to underwhelmed. I don’t know that I want to try it fresh because there are so many other dishes that sound great. But I would 100% order that Pad See Ew again.

The Parking: On North Orange Ave, sometimes, like me, you can get the free street parking. I found some princess parking outside Reyes Mezcaleria, right next door. There are likely some garages around, too, but these street parking spots don’t have a meter.

Overall: I will definitely come back here. I don’t know if you could tell… I really loved that Pad See Ew. I’m super interested in trying the main signature seafood dishes. Only to my own fault, I’ve been going to too many expensive spots, and this is no exception. If it were a bit more affordable, this would be a go-to spot I’d go to every week, even if it is a bit of a hike. I also want to try out Noir. (Side Note: Would you be interested in reviews of more affordable/low-key spots around town?)

Rating: 8.5/10

Address: 861 N Orange Ave, Orlando, FL 32801