We clock in at Time 4 Thai

[Robin Garr]

We clock in at Time 4 Thai

LEO's Eats with Robin Garr

Time 4 Thai’s Pad Thai.


What’s my favorite national fare? How about “Whatever I had last”?

If you press me, though, I’m a big fan of all the cuisines of Asia, from the Levant through Iran, all the ‘stans and India, across Southeast Asia to China, Korea and Japan. I love the tastebud-tantalizing complex aromas and flavors of just about all Asian fare, but there’s a special place in my heart for India, with its exotic, spicy curries; and for China, with the colorful mix of textures and flavors that inform its many regional cuisines.

And then there’s Thailand. Perched midway between India and China, it picks up subtle influences from both. Flanked by warm oceans and reaching up to mountainous rain forests, its near-equatorial heat is matched by its striking use of fiery chilies. Mmm. Yes. Maybe if you push me I’ll admit to liking Thai food best of all. Today, anyway, since that was the last thing I ate.

What’s more, I’m delighted to report that I enjoyed that meal at the city’s newest Thai Restaurant, Time 4 Thai. This charming little eatery opened in mid-July in the Frankfort Avenue quarters that has housed a surprising string of eateries, from several recent short-lived Cuban and Mexican places back to the stylish Danielle’s and, earlier, a Korean place, a Jamaican place, and even the original Lynn’s Paradise Cafe.

I can’t explain all that turnover, but right now, happy about first-rate Thai food, I hope Time 4 Thai can break the curse.

Decor is simple but pleasant, with off-white walls and quarry-tile floors, a large brass Buddha head and, in keeping with the clock logo that reflects the restaurant’s name, Time 4 Thai, there are lots of clocks that all show different times, none of them correct.

The menu offers a good overview of Thai cuisine, with 15 appetizers and about 65 entrees divided by category, including rice and noodle dishes, curries, dinner-size soup and salad courses and more, ranging in price from about $10 to $18. Apps are $5 to $8.

We dropped in for dinner and came back for lunch another day, and were happy both times. Service was well intentioned and will likely benefit from experience as time goes by. One tip: Until they learn to ask the level of heat you desire, speak up if you want your dish medium, very hot, or, if you dare, Thai hot. On our first visit we didn’t ask, and got no heat at all. On the return trip I requested just-plain hot (three stars out of five) and got just about the heat I wanted.
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Read the full review on LouisvilleHotBytes,
http://www.louisvillehotbytes.com/?p=5651

See this column also in LEO Weekly:
http://www.leoweekly.com/2016/07/clock- ... thai-like/

Time 4 Thai
2206 Frankfort Ave.
996-7899
Robin Garr's rating: 85 points

As I commented on Facebook, we really like this place and hope that they are successful. The owner/chef is awesome and the food is top-notch. Glad to have them on Frankfort Avenue.

We tried it tonight. It was fantastic. The vegetable dumplings were so light, they melted in your mouth I had the cashew and vegetables with mixed seafood, level one. So fresh, and the sauce was just delicious. My husband made as much noise as me over his Massaman Beef Curry. My daughter had vegetarian pad kee mow, very good. The menu is extensive. We saw the flaming volcanic Cornish hens, which looked yummy! I will be back soon for sure.

My brother and I tried them for lunch today. He is a fan of Simply Thai so ordered his "go-to" Pad Thai with Tofu, medium heat, as a point of comparison. He pronounced it the equal of Simply Thai. I tried the Panang Curry with Tofu, medium heat, and it was excellent. Lunch tab with one Thai Iced Tea was an even $20.00.

Service was attentive and friendly. The chef/owner stopped by as we were getting ready to leave and asked how we liked her food.

This place is now definitely in our rotation.

[Robin Garr]

Thai Iced Tea

Did it come with whipped cream (apparently from a can) on top, Mike? My Thai Iced Coffee did, and it was kind of a downer. Condensed milk, not Reddi-Wip. dagnabbit!

Also, does service seem to be getting a little more polished? In our early visits, the food was really good, but the servers needed help. Nice young people, but lacking cluefulness.

Thai Iced Tea

Did it come with whipped cream (apparently from a can) on top, Mike? My Thai Iced Coffee did, and it was kind of a downer. Condensed milk, not Reddi-Wip. dagnabbit!

Also, does service seem to be getting a little more polished? In our early visits, the food was really good, but the servers needed help. Nice young people, but lacking cluefulness.

The Thai Iced Tea did come with whipped cream on top. I ordered it on our first visit and, even though I know it's not the traditional preparation, I liked it enough to order it again.

The service was attentive and OK, best as I can recall. We got there early (before noon) and they were not yet busy.

My friend saw my review on Yelp and visited tonight. He is quite the foodie and he loved it and also noted how the owners are involved and visit the table. I think the menu is Thai/ Cantonese somewhat. It is definitely more extensive than other Thai places, but has many dishes I've not seen at Thai restaurants all over the world.

We made it for lunch today. We had prompt, friendly service. Diane's pad see ew & my tofu pad thai were quick & tasty. There's a notice posted that they have an ABC permit now.

I can't stop praising this place. I went tonight and asked the server to suggest something other than my Thai standards - Pad Thai and either Pineapple or Panang Curry. She suggested the Pad Kee Mow, which I ordered with tofu. I took a risk and ordered it "Very Hot" (in between "Hot" and "Thai Hot") and really enjoyed it that way.

I have always found the service to be sufficiently attentive and knowledgeable but it has become more polished over their first three weeks. Although during each of my last two visits the busboy was a bit too quick in trying to remove a plate that hadn't yet been licked clean.

There were seven tables seated when I got there tonight at about 7:45. I think that's pretty good for a summer Sunday evening.

I think this place has a real chance at ending the "curse" at this Frankfort Avenue location.

[Robin Garr]

Thanks for the report, Mike. I really hope Time 4 Thai is the one that breaks the curse, and I'm particularly happy to hear that service is shaping up. The folks in there early on were nice as could be, but they seemed awfully inexperienced.

I promise this will be my last post about this place for a while.

But, I've gotta tell you....my wife (aka the cook) is not home tonight so I went back and tried the Mussaman Curry (with crispy tofu substituted for chicken). It was unquestionably the best Thai dish I've ever eaten.

Had lunch there on Saturday. Everyone was very happy. I thought the Pad Kee Mow was a bit salty - and I like salt. Also a bit sweet, but I still liked it and would order it again. Our server did not ask about heat levels and we did not specify. We will absolutely go back and work our way through the menu.

[Robin Garr]

Our server did not ask about heat levels and we did not specify.

Sounds like my comment in the original post still applies: "One tip: Until they learn to ask the level of heat you desire, speak up if you want your dish medium, very hot, or, if you dare, Thai hot. On our first visit we didn’t ask, and got no heat at all. On the return trip I requested just-plain hot (three stars out of five) and got just about the heat I wanted."

Our server did not ask about heat levels and we did not specify.

Sounds like my comment in the original post still applies: "One tip: Until they learn to ask the level of heat you desire, speak up if you want your dish medium, very hot, or, if you dare, Thai hot. On our first visit we didn’t ask, and got no heat at all. On the return trip I requested just-plain hot (three stars out of five) and got just about the heat I wanted."

I went there again tonight (yeah, I know...but the cook is still out of town) and a woman at the table next to me commented to her tablemates that her dish was great but needed more heat. She asked the busboy for hot sauce and he brought a bowl of siracha. When my wife and I went there the week that they opened her Pad Thai was devoid of heat (she failed to specify) and in that case when the owner/chef (whom I did not see tonight) asked how we liked the food, she took the plate back to the kitchen and returned a few minutes later with a dish that was spiced to perfection.

So you definitely need to ask/specify about heat level.

We've been once. Very nice people. A large box fan propped up in the booth next to us was loud and slightly annoying, but I guess they needed it for cooling purposes so we didn't complain.

I ordered my pad Thai "Thai Spicy". Instead it was very sweet, almost sugary, and was swimming in sauce. I'm used to pad Thai being a bit more dry I guess. There was no discernible heat whatsoever. My wife loved her curry.

We will be back. Maybe my pad Thai was just a one-off mistake?

Also, very nice and attentive service.