I judge Thai restaurants by two things – Pad Thai and Massaman curry. Massaman curry is a Muslim-influenced, Thai curry that contains the aromatic spices cardamom and cinnamon. I haven’t had the Pad Thai at Siam Lotus,
but I've heard it's good. The Massaman curry is one of the bests I’ve had. So many places do it incorrectly – usually too watery and no depth of flavor. Siam Lotus’ Massaman curry is thick, rich, and right on.Siam Lotus is on an uninviting block of Spring Garden St. - not that any block on Spring Garden is attractive.
At night, neighboring businesses are locked down, and you feel as if you're in a desolate area of the city even though you're only minutes from Center City. Get past this, and enjoy some tasty Thai food surrounded by schizophrenic decor - homey, cute wainscoting and mod, plush wall hangings. A small bar and a DJ table up front transform the restaurant into a nightclub. I just went for the food, though.Siam Lotus, 931 Spring Garden St, Philadelphia, PA, 19123
215-769-2031
Lunch -Tues.-Fri. 11:30AM-2:30PM; Closed Mon., Sat., Sun.
Dinner - Sun., Tues.-Thurs. 5:30-10:30PM; Fri.-Sat. 5:30-11PM; Closed Mon.
5 comments:
Sweet - love the DJ's. That sounds like a cool place to visit.
-Crystal
I've never had Massaman curry ...I'm going to look for it next time I'm out for thai!
Massaman curry is a dish I've only tried this past year - so far the best I've had it 'watery, but good', elsewhere the tofu was spot on, but the flavor was off. That one looks delightful..
Hey--I live three blocks from that uninviting block. ;)
(I'm just kidding. I like living on the wrong side of the tracks. It's quiet and I got more bang for my real estate buck.)
You know, I don't really like Siam Lotus' food. I think they're oeverpriced and you can get better Thai elsewhere in the city (but the decor is really cool).
Crystal - I've never seen the night life.
Megan - Massaman is my favorite Thai curry. Try it.
Jess - Yeah, it's hard to find a good one. It will be thick and rich when it's done right.
Urban Vegan - Woo, tell me about bang for buck in Philly! My bf just bought a house near Jefferson square, so I've been peeking at real estate in Philly this past year. Philly's a cheap large city, but still more than I can afford.
I liked Chaleo on 5th and Bainbridge, but it's no longer there! I haven't had a stellar Pad Thai in Philly and Siam Lotus had the best Massaman I've had in Philly - so far.
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