New Tai Hu packs some heat in the Thai department
The first time ordering take-out from a restaurant is like gambling, sometimes you luck-out, but the majority of time you lose. When you walk into a dark dingy-looking eatery, even at five in the afternoon, not a soul in site and no one behind the counter, you start questioning your dinner decision. The red-shag carpet screams Restaurant Makeover and the man behind the till hands you a random paper bag with four large Styrofoam containers inside. But for some reason you trust your gut and take it home.
At New Tai Hu Chinese and Thai Restaurant, 1625 Dundas Street E, the comparisons end there.
Although the ambiance description is not an exaggeration, New Tai Hu is any student's perfect stop for a Chinese, Vietnamese, Cantonese or Thai fix. The food is dirt-cheap and the portions are enough for satisfy a midnight cram-session snack, as well as the following day's lunch and dinner.
For two people, my order included an order of vegetarian pad Thai noodles, chicken pad Thai noodles and four unexpectedly enormous Vietnamese fresh rolls.
Although the vegetarian option was not littered with an abundance of broccoli, celery, peas and other veggies — there was enough nuts and sauce to go around. The veg pad Thai also packs the heat when it comes to spice, so if you like it luke you better put in a special request.
On the other hand, the chicken noodle was scattered with meat, almost too much, if that is even possible. I even found myself picking around it to get to the noodles. The heat was a tad-milder than the veggie, but just enough to feel like you are accomplishing something.
As I mentioned before, one fresh roll was a meal in itself. Unlike the deep-fried cousin- AKA spring roll- the fresh roll was packed with shrimp and chicken, as well as rice and large mint leaves. I could have done with less mint and meat, but it was a nice change from the fried version.
Our meal didn't even touch the tip of the iceberg when to comes to options at New Tai Hu. They offer the standard Dinner for two, three, four, five and six, which include egg rolls, chow main, sweet and sour, fried rice, chicken balls and shrimp, but in all honesty you can get that at any Chinese joint.
Invest some time and thought and venture off the pre-selected menu. There are lemon-grass Vietnamese dishes that include chicken, pork or shrimp, Thai dished with green, yellow and green curry and a slew of garlic-infused meat and veggie options.
Still can't decide? New Tai Hu also has a list of “special suggestions,” where they name off some of their meals of expertise, like Tai Dop Voy and Cantonese Lo and Chow Mein.
Vegetarians should also order here, with the variety of tofu and veggie option to make you forget about the meatier dishes.
Although I did not try it, the restaurant also puts the effort into making Dim Sum on weekends from 11 am to 3 pm. It is open Tuesday to Thursdays from 11:30 am- 10pm, Friday and Saturday 11 am- 11 pm and 11pm to 9 pm on Sunday. Closed Monday. For take out orders call 519-451-9880.
New Tai Hu was actually a suggestion from a reader, so if you have a favourite place to munch, let us know and we will get out there and taste it for ourselves.
At New Tai Hu Chinese and Thai Restaurant, 1625 Dundas Street E, the comparisons end there.
Although the ambiance description is not an exaggeration, New Tai Hu is any student's perfect stop for a Chinese, Vietnamese, Cantonese or Thai fix. The food is dirt-cheap and the portions are enough for satisfy a midnight cram-session snack, as well as the following day's lunch and dinner.
For two people, my order included an order of vegetarian pad Thai noodles, chicken pad Thai noodles and four unexpectedly enormous Vietnamese fresh rolls.
Although the vegetarian option was not littered with an abundance of broccoli, celery, peas and other veggies — there was enough nuts and sauce to go around. The veg pad Thai also packs the heat when it comes to spice, so if you like it luke you better put in a special request.
On the other hand, the chicken noodle was scattered with meat, almost too much, if that is even possible. I even found myself picking around it to get to the noodles. The heat was a tad-milder than the veggie, but just enough to feel like you are accomplishing something.
As I mentioned before, one fresh roll was a meal in itself. Unlike the deep-fried cousin- AKA spring roll- the fresh roll was packed with shrimp and chicken, as well as rice and large mint leaves. I could have done with less mint and meat, but it was a nice change from the fried version.
Our meal didn't even touch the tip of the iceberg when to comes to options at New Tai Hu. They offer the standard Dinner for two, three, four, five and six, which include egg rolls, chow main, sweet and sour, fried rice, chicken balls and shrimp, but in all honesty you can get that at any Chinese joint.
Invest some time and thought and venture off the pre-selected menu. There are lemon-grass Vietnamese dishes that include chicken, pork or shrimp, Thai dished with green, yellow and green curry and a slew of garlic-infused meat and veggie options.
Still can't decide? New Tai Hu also has a list of “special suggestions,” where they name off some of their meals of expertise, like Tai Dop Voy and Cantonese Lo and Chow Mein.
Vegetarians should also order here, with the variety of tofu and veggie option to make you forget about the meatier dishes.
Although I did not try it, the restaurant also puts the effort into making Dim Sum on weekends from 11 am to 3 pm. It is open Tuesday to Thursdays from 11:30 am- 10pm, Friday and Saturday 11 am- 11 pm and 11pm to 9 pm on Sunday. Closed Monday. For take out orders call 519-451-9880.
New Tai Hu was actually a suggestion from a reader, so if you have a favourite place to munch, let us know and we will get out there and taste it for ourselves.
