Aqua

[KatieLoeb]

Phila-Foodie:

Let me add my welcome to the pile. Hope to hear much more from you. Love your blog!

Hopefully you can join us for some of our outings and document them here and on your blog as well.

[serpentine]

Mango Chicken has always been a crowd-pleaser at Penang and Banana Leaf.

I've had Aqua's mango beef. It was excellent, and will likely win converts among the not-so-foodie colleagues.

I agree that the Tom Kha was bland -- I wouldn't recommend it.

[Phila-Foodie]

Phila-Foodie:

Let me add my welcome to the pile.  Hope to hear much more from you.  Love your blog!

Hopefully you can join us for some of our outings and document them here and on your blog as well.

←

Katie:

Thanks. Joining everyone on an outing sounds like a blast. Let me know when/where and I'll bring my camera.

-Phila-Foodie

[Jeff L]

Katie:

Thanks.  Joining everyone on an outing sounds like a blast.  Let me know when/where and I'll bring my camera.

-Phila-Foodie

←

I can just see it now, smackdown between Philadining and Philafoodie. Who can take the most shots of the most beautiful food porn? Forget Bobby Flay vs Tony Luke, this is the real deal!!

[KatieLoeb]

A nice review by Kirsten Henri in this week's Philadelphia Weekly.

Thai of the Tiger

[chowfun]

I want to report back on our ladies night out dinner. It was a great success. The private room upstairs is beautiful, tall ceilings, hardwood floors, with a wall of windows looking out onto Chestnut Street. They had a karoake machine in the room that they offered to turn on, but this wasnt the right crowd for it. The only negative about the room is that it got quite noisy in there.

I didnt know ahead of time that we had a couple of vegetarians in the crowd and someone who couldnt eat shrimp. I had ordered ahead, but the server and the kitchen quickly adjusted some of the platters to not include meat or shrimp. For example we had 4 pad thais served and they made one platter a vegetarian version.

Their food is not too challenging but tasty, perfect for a large group with varying tastes. They presented the food beautifully. The pineapple fried rice was served in a hollowed out pineapple , the mango chicken in two half mango skins. One of the dishes came in a mini wok.

The cost of the meal was very reasonable. It came out to be about 19 dollars per person including the tip that they added on to the bill. We each chipped in two extra dollars and left a much nicer tip for the excellent service.

I think I might try to take my office staff there for a dinner. They love karoake, and they expressed a willingness to try Thai food (they are generally very limited eaters).

[phungi]

I had an unexpected visit to Aqua the other night, meeting up wtih some friends and walking from the Queen Villiage area to "a new Thai place." I didn't really care where, since I had been home with the kids and new puppy for about 10 days, but was happy when we turned the corner on 7th and Chestnut and we were facing Aqua.

We were seated in the small semi-private room in the back of the first floor, so we were on the other side of the waterfall/glass... this is a GREAT room/table for a party of 5 or 6.

I don't have much to add that hasn't been said, other than recommending the red curry chicken... it may be a "meat and potatoes" thing, but I always like to try the red curry chicken when I go to a Thai place and theirs is excellent: huge bowl, lots of white meat chicken in flat strips, crispy greens.

After the apps and entrees I was stuffed, but nearly everyone else ordered desserts which were big enough for two. Sorry no pics, but definitely eat there if you like Thai.

[brescd01]

I got take-out from Aqua and I found it disappointing. Either I just ordered the wrong dishes, they were on an off night, or they just "dumb" the menu down for American taste. I cannot remember whether I got Malaysian, Thai or both styles.

I contend that there is no decent Thai in Philadelphia except Erawan, and then only if you specially request authentic Thai food, some of which you have to order in advance.

[Andrew Fenton]

I got take-out from Aqua and I found it disappointing. Either I just ordered the wrong dishes, they were on an off night, or they just "dumb" the menu down for American taste. I cannot remember whether I got Malaysian, Thai or both styles.

I contend that there is no decent Thai in Philadelphia except Erawan, and then only if you specially request authentic Thai food, some of which you have to order in advance.

I agree that the Thai at Aqua is no great shakes-- though as I've written earlier, the Malaysian side of things is pretty darn good. Which makes sense, as it's the real focus there. Do you remember what you ordered? I don't get the sense that the belacan fish or some of the other really shrimp paste-y dishes are watered down.

I also agree that I've never had really first-rate Thai food in Philadelphia. One of these days, I'll have to try the super sekret Erawan dinner, though...