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Tana Thai Bistro

10700 N. May Ave.
Oklahoma City, OK
(405) 749-5590

Tana Thai in The Village, a suburb of Oklahoma City

Tana Thai Bistro is located in the same strip commercial center on North May Avenue as Papa Dio's Italian Restaurant, and like Papa Dio's, has a rather unassuming exterior. As is the case with Papa Dio's, though, the outside gives little clue to the treats that await inside.

Tana Thai is small, with about a dozen tables, and appears to be a family run operation. It is a little more upscale than most small Thai restaurants, operating under the "Bistro" concept with a very limited menu selection. The dining area is fully carpeted, and chairs are very plush (but the booths have wooden seats). It is also interesting that the entrance is through a double door to help keep out the wind, cold, and other harsh weather that is commonly experienced in this part of the country.

The menu includes a few noodle dishes, some soups, salads, and three types of curry. Drinks include Thai tea, but I was not very happy with the hot tea that was brewed with a single bag, but priced as if it were loose leaf tea.

Stir-Fried Basil with Shrimp
Stir-fried basil with shrimp

The Stir-Fry Basil dish I ordered had all the strong Thai flavors I would expect. The menu says anything can be prepared without meat, and I ordered this dish with tofu (that was prepared very nicely). I loved the basil flavor, and thought the vegetable selection was good. Steamed rice was complimentary, but at the prices that are charged, it should be.

On another occasion I tried Stir Fry Basil with Shrimp, and I thought this version was even better than the tofu. The shrimp was quite fresh and large, making this the only type of shrimp that really excites me. So far I would say this is the main dish at Tana Thai with which something of equal quality will not be found at another restaurant. Even though Tana Thai's menu is small, though, I am a long way from trying a good sample of the items.

The Panang Curry lacked a little spice and flavor for my taste. However, I thought the tofu that came in the non-meat version and the green beans were quite good, and overall this was a pretty good dish.

Tom Yam with Shrimp
Tom yam with shrimp

Tom Yam with Shrimp was a spicy soup that seemed simple, but the mix of flavors indicated that there was more to it than met the eye. The Thai word yahm means something "mixed together," and that is exactly what this dish enatils. One of the items mixed in is red chile powder, which at the two-star level made it about as spicy as I have ever experienced with this dish. The three-star version would be entirely too hot for me. I'm sure the flavor would be just as good, though, provided a person could eat it.

It seems that operating a "Bistro" restaurant provides an excuse to charge high prices, but I thought the food quality was very good. The large number of patrons (both in the dining area and with take-out orders) seemed to provide testimony to the food's quality.

While the menu lacks a number of items that might be expected to be served in a Thai restaurant, the dishes offered seem to be of high quality with the true Thai flavor. Although Oklahoma has more "true Thai" restaurants than previously, not all are of the quality of Tana Thai.

The "Thai spiciness" scale of one to three stars seems to be equivalent to the "hard core" Thai restaurants where I have eaten, so beware if you order food with three stars! (In fact, I would only recommend two stars if you have a real love for spicy Thai food).

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RESTAURANT DETAILS

RATING: 23

Cuisine: Thai
Cost: $$
Hours: Closed Sun.
Accessible: Yes
Tea: Green (bags)/ Thai tea
MSG: No
Smoking: No Smoking
Alcohol: No
Buffet: No

Most Recent Visit
Jan. 3, 2008

Number of Visits: 5

Best Item
Stir-Fry Basil Shrimp

Special Ratings
Stir-Fry Basil Shrimp:
Stir-Fry Basil Tofu:
Tom Yam:
Panang Curry with Tofu:
Thai Tea:



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