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Re: Sawadee Thai Restaurant
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Newbie
 
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I love this place....some of the best Thai around, a great addition to downtown.
My addictions are the spicy chicken wings and the fried flounder with ginger sauce....just sublime. The first time I went the service was ok....but since I've been back a few times and they "know me' they are a bit friendlier. The wine list could be better. over all this one is a winner!
Posted on: 2008/3/14 11:35
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Re: Sawadee Thai Restaurant
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Home away from home
 
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Yes !!! It's the exact same thing, only cheaper by $6 !!! maybe the portion is smaller?
Posted on: 2008/3/13 19:42
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Re: Sawadee Thai Restaurant
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Home away from home
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The duck dinner special they were running for a while was amazing. Is that the same as the lunch special?
Posted on: 2008/3/13 14:41
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Re: Say hello to tangy Thai cuisine at Sawadee on Downtown Newark Avenue
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Home away from home
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we ordered delivery from there the other night, it took one hour and 10 minutes to get here, and the delivery person was really curt (maybe it was a bad night...)
food was just OK (i.e. not horrid like Wild Fusion)
Posted on: 2008/3/13 14:39
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"Someday a book will be written on how this city can be broke in the midst of all this development." ---Brewster
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Re: Say hello to tangy Thai cuisine at Sawadee on Downtown Newark Avenue
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Home away from home
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Just have to pose my rave review of Sawadee:
Had lunch with my wife, and the Crispy Duck Tamarind lunch special was awesome. The skin was crisp, meat was tender and sauce was perfect. Presentation was excellent, and great service. She had the shrimp lunch special, also very good (forgot what it's called). Seems the cooking and presentation has improved over time.
Posted on: 2008/3/6 13:29
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Re: Say hello to tangy Thai cuisine at Sawadee on Downtown Newark Avenue
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Quite a regular
 
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this is one of the better restaurants in jersey city.
it is clean,has good service,good food and nice decor. we had a party of 4 and had a great time.
Posted on: 2008/2/8 20:00
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Say hello to tangy Thai cuisine at Sawadee on Downtown Newark Avenue
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Home away from home
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Say hello to tangy Thai cuisine at Sawadee
Attractive Thai eatery delivers satisfying blast of heat in Jersey City Friday, February 08, 2008 BY PETE GENOVESE Star-Ledger Staff What is it with Thai food in this country? The red chilis used as spicy-food menu indicators might as well be red herrings. Two chilis? You'll barely feel it. Three chilis? Not to worry. But Sawadee, open since last June, brings the heat. The tom yum hot pot, a terrific blend of shrimp, squid, mussels, and scallops in a lemongrass broth ($16), is hot enough to get your attention but not so hot you'll scream in pain. Late last year, I spent 10 days in Thailand, where chilis on the menu mean business. A mere two-alarm chicken and herb soup at a Chiang Mai restaurant was not only one of the best soups ever but so fiery I thought about ordering a bucket of water and dunking my head in it. Nothing on Sawadee's menu approaches the Big Heat produced by Thai food in Thailand, but at least this gorgeously appointed restaurant doesn't automatically assume non-Thais can't take it. "Some people ask us, not too spicy; others say make it spicier," said manager Yennie Shim. On my second visit, what the waiter described as "four alarm" jungle curry was significantly milder than the "three-alarm" tom yum hot pot. How could that be? Two cooks in the kitchen with their own ideas of hot, the waiter explained. Sawadee (which means "hello" in Thai), is one of Jersey City's more striking spaces, with muted lighting, fresh orchids at every table, Buddhas in backlit niches and local artwork on display (kind of Cubist-Surrealist one week, Monet-ish the next). That this was formerly a shoe store makes you think this was a makeover worthy of a TV show. There were no real downers on either visit. The papaya salad ($7), with papaya, ground peanut, chili and lime, is a fresh, not-filling starter. The seafood spring rolls, with shrimp and crab meat ($6), are a crispy, golden delight. Steamed Thai dumplings ($5) were squishy-good, and the coconut shrimp ($7) perfectly crispy. Spicy lemongrass with onions, bamboo shoots, string beans, bell peppers and choice of meat or fish (we chose squid, $14) was a sizzling stunner. My dining companion and I practically fought over who would take the tom yum hot pot home. I settled for the jungle curry with chicken ($12), she ended up with the soup. The only dish that didn't delight, interestingly, was tom yum gai, the traditional Thai soup of chicken, mushroom, lime juice and lemongrass ($4 small, $8 large). It was perfectly fine, but nowhere on the level of the jungle curry, tom yum hot pot or the Crying Tiger, a spicy beef salad enlivened with sesame, onions, bamboo shoot, tomatoes and scallions. I kept picking at it well past the point of stuffed. Other dishes include the Sawadee Trio (chicken, beef and shrimp saut?ed with Thai spicy sweet soy sauce, $15); Pla Muk or spicy chili squid (saut?ed with chili, bell pepper, onion and Thai chili paste, $13); and chicken lad prig (deep-fried chicken topped with spicy chili lime sauce, $13). There are lunch and nightly specials. Add a bottle of Singha beer from the bar, and you have all the ingredients for a memorable Thai night out. Where should Pete eat next? Call him at (973) 392-1765 or e-mail to pgenovese@starledger.com
Posted on: 2008/2/8 13:42
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Re: Sawadee Thai Restaurant
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Quite a regular
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My boyfriend and I went here the other night and loved it. The food was great, the service was excellent and the atmosphere was very nice. I highly recommend it!
Posted on: 2007/12/4 14:22
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Re: Sawadee Thai Restaurant
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Just can't stay away
 
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2005/4/24 21:47 Last Login : 2013/2/14 14:12 From Hamilton Park
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Hey, I like Sawadee very much myself, but that's one awfully written review. It's like the restaurant equivalent of a real estate tout.
"Many of their drinks are infused with fresh fruits and ingredients" Yeah, I hate those ingredient-less drinks.
Posted on: 2007/11/15 13:46
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Re: Sawadee Thai Restaurant
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Home away from home
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Click for Link
Sawadee Thai cuisine in JC Aromatic food, elegant dining By: Diana Schwaeble Managing Editor Hudson Current 11/14/2007 ESCAPE ? Sawadee, a new Thai restaurant, located in downtown Jersey City offers elegant dining at affordable prices. The basil fried rice and the pineapple duck are two dishes that are bound to please. Both are rich with flavors and spices. The rich mousse cake has layers of chocolate flavors and textures. It is a delicious finish to any meal. Locals in downtown Jersey City now have one more option with the new restaurant Sawadee at 137 Newark Ave. This Thai restaurant brings the flavors of the Orient to the table with inspired cuisine that looks as good as it tastes. Open for lunch and dinner, the elegant room is decorated in soothing shades of amber with dark wood accents. Eye appeal Walking into the restaurant is to step into quiet, with the subdued lighting and low music playing in the background. The eye immediately is drawn to the original and colorful artwork and a wall of different shaped vases that provide decoration. Large leafy plants and Asian inspired art complete the look of this place, which is perfect for a date or for long conversations with friends. The service goes a long way towards this goal by efficiently refilling water glasses and clearing away plates in an unobtrusive manner - all without making one feel rushed. On a recent Thursday evening, my companion and I stopped in to savor the food and sample the menu. We started with a taste of one of their signature cocktails, which includes everything from their house fruit punch and fresh strawberry-colada smoothie (both served with or without rum) to one of their specialty Martinis like the Lychee Martini. Many of their drinks are infused with fresh fruits and ingredients and include popular favorites. Our favorite was the Mango Martini, which tasted like the fruit yet wasn't overwhelmingly sweet. We partnered the Martinis with the papaya salad, which had a base of the fruit cut into slivers topped with peanuts, peppers, carrots, and tomatoes. It's a lovely presentation of colors and flavors that don't overwhelm the palate. The salad is big enough to split, but light enough for one person to finish. Other appetizers include: grilled beef or chicken satay, Thai dumplings, curry puffs, spring rolls, fried wonton, mussels, calamari, and much more. The appetizers are priced from $4 to $7. Other starters include a selection of soups and salads. Entrees For dinner we opted to try the holy basil fried rice and the pineapple duck curry. The rice was a heavenly blend of fluffy rice, chicken, chili peppers served in a steaming pile and topped with fresh basil. This dish was absolutely terrific and lost none of its taste when reheated the next day for lunch! Although I'm not usually a fan of the sweet taste of pineapple mixed with any sort of meat, I couldn't resist the tangy mix of sweet fruit with the rich duck. While some might say that duck tastes like the dark meat of a chicken - the meat on this duck dish is loaded with flavor and melts in the mouth. We loved this dish and stuffed ourselves even though we were full. Other entrees include: Tilapia flavored with curry and coconut milk, grilled pork chops, Pad Thai (shrimp, egg, and rice noodles), vegetable pasta flavored with coconut milk, garlic shrimp, and much more. Entrees are priced from $10 to $18. There is also a wide selection of rice, noodles, and vegetarian dishes (priced from $9 to $12). And... To cap off out meal we ended with their bold coffee and the decadent cappuccino mousse cake. The mousse cake had a layer of chocolate mousse that was topped with a layer of cream and swirls of chocolate sauce. It is a luscious chocolate lover's dream. Other desserts include: seasonal pumpkin custard, fried banana topped with ground peanuts, ice cream, mango sticky rice, tiramisu, and others. Coffee, espresso or cappuccino is available. The restaurant is open for lunch Monday to Thursday from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. and for dinner from 5 to 10 p.m. On Friday lunch is served from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. and dinner is served until 10:30 p.m. On Saturday lunch is served from 12:30 to 3 p.m. and dinner is served from 5 to 10:30 p.m. All major credit cards are accepted and reservations are recommended for large parties. Sawadee is located at 137 Newark Ave. in Jersey City. For more information, call (201) 433-0888.
Posted on: 2007/11/15 13:24
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Re: Sawadee Thai Restaurant
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Home away from home
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Took friends to Sawadee who are massive Thai food hounds. They loved it! I can recommend the green papaya salad among other things. I'm also a fan of Fusion. I don't see it as "one or the other." Enjoy both!
Posted on: 2007/9/6 12:53
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Re: Sawadee Thai Restaurant
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Quite a regular
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2007/8/27 19:49 Last Login : 2009/6/10 14:44 From Under the Turnpike
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Sawadee has good Thai food - well better than the food at most combo Asian take-out places. The ambiance is nice, the service is pretty good and the Duck Pad Thai is great...My only gripe is that the prices have dramatically increased in the 2 months they have been opened! I first went there the night of the steam pipe explosion - so the end of July? And then went again a week ago to pick up take out. I ordered the exact same things, and my total bill was $11 more than the first time we went there for only 3 items! Each item on the menu went up at least $2-3! I understand that when restaurants open they don't quite have things figured out menu/pricing-wise, but a price hike like that is bad enough to turn customers away before they come back for a second time!
Posted on: 2007/9/5 16:21
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Re: Sawadee Thai Restaurant
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Home away from home
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I like both Sawadee and Wild Fusion and will patronize both.
Posted on: 2007/8/13 20:50
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Re: Sawadee Thai Restaurant
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Newbie
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Definitely post of the year...I think Ox and Skinner's Loft are taking so long to open because they are afraid of the scathing reviews they are destined to receive on jclist.
Posted on: 2007/8/13 20:50
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Re: Sawadee Thai Restaurant
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Just can't stay away
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Uhh...no it's not a reasonable comparison, IMO. I think Sawadee blows WF away in all respects. Except for their non-existent sushi - which may actually be better than WF. It's more consistent, anyway. 
Posted on: 2007/8/13 19:47
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Re: Sawadee Thai Restaurant
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Just can't stay away
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please dont compare sawadee to WF. its like comparing taqueria and fresh tortillas, if you get my drift.
at the very least sawadee uses copious amounts of fresh lightly cooked veggies, in their dishes, not frozen overcooked lifeless wannabe veggies. and their pad thai is not a fake pink color like the crap from WF. no, sawadee isnt perfect, but for delivery and staying close to home, they get my vote!
Posted on: 2007/8/13 19:47
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Re: Sawadee Thai Restaurant
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Home away from home
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Went to Sawadee tonight. It was okay. Nice environment, but I can't say the Green Curry with chicken was much better than Wild Fusion. And my wife's Pad Thai was, well, Pad Thai. Of course, Fusion has sushi, so that might give them an edge. All in all, it's nice to have another restaurant in the area. Unfortunately, you have to wade knee-deep into the local lowlifes to get there. Maybe I should just bite the bullet and move to Newport. Nice homogenized, Newport Was hoping to at least try this place, but you unfavorable comparison to Wild Fusion just scared me away. Is this a reasonable comparison? Would love to hear some opinions, because my experience with WF is that a lot of their food is borderline inedible. Tough break on having to actually see "undesirables", Peabody... what a wonderful world it would be if simply none existed, huh?
Posted on: 2007/8/13 19:37
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Re: Sawadee Thai Restaurant
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Newbie
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Went to Sawadee tonight. It was okay. Nice environment, but I can't say the Green Curry with chicken was much better than Wild Fusion. And my wife's Pad Thai was, well, Pad Thai. Of course, Fusion has sushi, so that might give them an edge. All in all, it's nice to have another restaurant in the area. Unfortunately, you have to wade knee-deep into the local lowlifes to get there. Maybe I should just bite the bullet and move to Newport. Nice homogenized, Newport.
Posted on: 2007/8/12 6:20
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Re: Sawadee Thai Restaurant
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Not too shy to talk
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I'm always right. That's the problem.
Posted on: 2007/8/12 6:08
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Re: Sawadee Thai Restaurant
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Just can't stay away
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You left out my favorite: It's not authentic -i.e. it doesn't taste like my grannies or the vegetables were not fertilized with night soil like they are in ...... Thanks for the post - made for my first laugh of the morning
Posted on: 2007/8/11 13:11
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Re: Sawadee Thai Restaurant
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Home away from home
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If the Thai place can serve up a burger like this, then I'm there every week-end!
Posted on: 2007/8/11 11:53
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My humor is for the silent blue collar majority - If my posts offend, slander or you deem inappropriate and seek deletion, contact the webmaster for jurisdiction.
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Re: Sawadee Thai Restaurant
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Quite a regular
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Post of the year easily. Funny and sad at the same time, but 100% true.
Posted on: 2007/8/11 3:54
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Re: Sawadee Thai Restaurant
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Home away from home
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based on the most recent comments, it appears molly is right...........
This is every new JC restaurant thread: "I heard this place is opening." "Can't wait." "What's the menu going to be?" "Anyone know?" "Went there last night. AMAZING!" "Such a great addition to the neighborhood!" "Where is this place?" "Oh my God I'm going tomorrow!" "What are the hours?" "This place is so tasty. WE haven't had this since the last time WE were in (fill in blank)." "Oh my God I can't wait to try it!" "Where is this place?" "Tried it. A little expensive." "WE tried it last nite. Delivery. A little slow. And cold." "A little expensive." "Ordered delivery. Who are they trying to fool?" "This isn't food." "Service slow." "THERE'S NO ROOM FOR KIDS OR STROLLERS!" "Very expensive." "This place blows." "I heard this place closed." "Why?"
Posted on: 2007/8/11 3:33
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Re: Sawadee Thai Restaurant
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Not too shy to talk
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I went last night with my family and we all loved it. The menu offers something for everyone and the food is very fresh, plentiful and well prepared. I had the mango & avacado salad and it was awesome.
Posted on: 2007/8/10 14:43
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Re: Sawadee Thai Restaurant
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Home away from home
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I've practically lived in Bangkok in the early 90's, and if you are referring to Thai Street Food - you're better off going to Sri Thai in Hoboken. That's real Thai Street food. This is more of an "updated" or modern (read: Luxury Hotel Restaurant) type food.
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Posted on: 2007/7/24 17:57
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Re: Sawadee Thai Restaurant
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Home away from home
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Our last experience was not good either - I had some gross, overly fried chicken dish and in spite of my asking for "extra spicy" it was completely bland. Everything is overpriced too - these same dishes would be $3-$5 cheaper in most Brooklyn or Queens Thai places, and they'd also probably be better..
Posted on: 2007/7/24 15:50
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Re: Sawadee Thai Restaurant
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I tired this place last night because it seems to get fairly good reviews. It was awful, I would have been better off getting take out Chinese.
I ordered fried red snapper and a side of mixed vegetables. I ordered both SPICY. First off let me say I have been to Thailand and I work for a Thai company. This food was NOT Thai. The fish was not even fried! It was simply defrosted and covered in a slimy bland sauce and not even a tiny spicy. The veggies were the typical side of steamed veggies covered in the same slimy oily goo. Take out Chinese style. Again NO SPICE. When I told the waitress this was not Thai food, she said "Not everything on the menu was Thai, but the basil chicken was" What!!! It is a Thai restaurant! Both the dishes had not even a hint of fried chilies, cilantro, garlic, lemon grass or tamarind. This is crap and I can't believe that just because they have cloth table clothes people eat here. I am so mad!! Thai food is super crisp clean and refreshing, with a mix of lime, green apples, cilantro and chilies. Do not let them fool you.
Posted on: 2007/7/24 15:31
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Re: Sawadee Thai Restaurant
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Just can't stay away
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We TRIED to go to this place.
The sign on the door posted their hours, which we were well within at 3:30pm, and they had an open sign in the door, and we were greeted and told they were closed and if we wanted we could come back after 5pm, even though there were two other tables eating in there. I won't ever go back. Suck it Sawadee. We went to Sushi Tango instead and had a really great meal.
Posted on: 2007/7/22 23:45
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Re: Sawadee Thai Restaurant
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Not too shy to talk
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Went there for the first time last night. I was very impressed with the food, service, and decor. It's a VERY welcome addition to Newark Ave. Slowly but surely, Newark is becoming what folks have been envisioning for years.
Two people, two appetizers, two entres, four glasses of wine...$54 bucks pre-tip. Well worth it.
Posted on: 2007/7/21 21:09
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Re: Sawadee Thai Restaurant
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Home away from home
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Yeah, kabayan, it really was delicious. comparable to a good palabok.
I also tried the martini specials - what's the deal with these "new" martinis - they've no kick at all... they supposed to be for the alcohol-challenged? Quote:
Posted on: 2007/7/18 18:45
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