Monday, December 15, 2014

Royal Palace Thai – Tampa, FL



 

The Royal Palace Thai is right down the street from where I grew up.  It is owned by the Damrongwatanasuk family – four sisters who were raised on authentic Thai cuisine in Thailand.  They’ve been in that location since 1999. 
 

When I was younger, I was told I could pick my choice of restaurant for my birthday dinners.  I definitely remember picking the Royal Palace Thai for a birthday or two.  I especially loved the chicken satay since it is served with a mini firepit to warm the skewers of meat. 

A few nights ago, I wanted to try out the new restaurant, Ava, with my cousin Jenn.  On our way there, we called to see what the wait was like, but found out they were booked for several more days (We’re actually trying Ava out tonight with my grandmother now that we got a reservation!)


Instead, Jenn and I headed to the Royal Palace Thai right down the street.  The parking can be a bit tight, so if you go with a group, try to carpool.  We were greeted and seated immediately.  
 

We split an appetizer of Asian Pork sliders (which are a fairly new addition to the menu).  They were amazing! I also ordered my usual satay (although I tried the beef this time) along with the Tom Khar Chicken soup.  Jenn had Chicken Pad Thai.
 

My satay was as good as always – the peanut dipping sauce is so good you’ll want to lick the bowl clean.  It also comes with a small cucumber salad that is light and refreshing. 
 
 

The soup was perfect for the slightly chilly evening – it is a combination of coconut milk, galangal, lemongrass, mushrooms, onions, and lime juice.  Next time I’m sick (which will hopefully be awhile from now), I want a bowl of this. 

Jenn enjoyed her pad thai as well – she got it with a number 0 spice level.  Just a warning, even a 1 spice will have a bit of kick to it, so if you aren’t a fan of spicy food, stay away from the higher numbers.



This is by far my favorite Thai restaurant.  If you haven’t been, I guarantee you’ll enjoy it. 

 

Royal Palace Thai is located at 811 South Howard Avenue, Tampa, FL 33606 and is open Tuesday through Sunday 11:30am – 2:30pm and 4:30pm – 10pm.  They are closed on Mondays. 



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