Mid-Atlantic

Tips for Dining, Eating, and Food Shopping in Central/Southern NJ, PA, DE, and MD

1. Is this the place across from Whole Earth? If so, I went there once for a family birthday party. The food was excellent, very well flavored and spicy for those who asked for a little extra kick. I was sad this place isn't convenient for us because the food was some of the best Thai I've had recently.

   The only problem we had was with the service. All the dishes arrived one at a time, so for our party of 7 that meant those of us who got our food first were left with semi-cooled dishes by the time the last person (who also happened to be the birthday girl) was finally served a good ten minutes later. I thought maybe it was because we were a large group, but a party of two near us had the same issue, as did another party of four. The man in the party of two was served first and had to actually flag down a server to ask where his wife's meal was.

   This was at the end of December and I don't think they'd been open too long at that point, so maybe service has improved.

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   SarahEats Mar 23, 2007 11:41AM

2. This restaurant is reviewed in the New Jersey section of today's (3/25/07) New York Times. I haven't been able to find the online version of the review, possibly because the name of the restaurant is the same as that of a Thai dish

   While the reviewer gives an overall rating of "Good", she mentions that the service, even at lunch, was "excruciatingly inefficient". And she mentions that she received her food while her companion waited, and waited, and waited. They also waited a long time for the check. She does say, however, that a subsequent lunch suggested that service was improving.

   The picture accompanying the review is interesting. It clearly looks as if the server doesn't know who gets which dish.

   Based on SarahEats' comments, not much has changed since the end of December.

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   ambrose Mar 24, 2007 08:55AM

3. We have become regulars at Tom Yum Goong. By far, the best Thai in the Princeton area. However, I only get take-out now, mostly because of the service issues. Hopefully they just need some time to work out the service issues, as they are so new. I can say the food is outstanding, fresh, perfectly spiced and seasoned, and consistently prepared. The chef and cooks are all real Thai, and prepare wonderful food.

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   frackit Mar 25, 2007 07:27AM

4. We went there on a Saturday night. The food and service were both excellent.
   I highly recommend the yellow curry chicken. We would definitely go there again.

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   summerdiner Jul 21, 2007 08:59PM

5. Had our first meal there last night. Would ditto the comments about the food - best Thai by far in the Princeton area. Also a very nice room. There were four of us, and everyone was happy with his/her food.

   Recommended starters: Vegetable Thai Dumplings, Gaeng Jurd Puck and Tom Kha Gai soups. Entrees: Po Taek, Hor Mok, and Pad-Tamarind Sauce. The presentation on the Hor Mok salmon was especially nice.

   As for the service issues referenced above, they were still present, though with some improvement. Mrs MercerChow's Po Taek arrived several minutes before the other entrees, but as it was wrapped in foil it didn't make too much difference. Afterwards we waited quite a while and finally had to ask for the bill - though on the other hand it was good not to be hustled out on a Saturday night.

   Would definitely return. Nice that Thai is a real option locally.

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   MercerChow Jan 20, 2008 06:10AM