Tana Thai Bistro
10700 N. May Ave.Oklahoma City, OK
(405) 749-5590
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.
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 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).
Stir-fried basil with shrimp
Tom yam with shrimp
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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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