Ta-Khrai Thai Cafe
A Thai Staple in Morgantown
A Thai staple that seems like it’s been tucked away in its little corner of Morgantown forever, Ta-Khrai Thai Cafe opened its doors in early 2017. I took my first trip to the restaurant this week to give you a little glimpse of all there is to offer (and there is a lot - the portions are huge!).
Don’t fear the parking situation, there are a few lucky spots immediately out front, but you will find something nearby. Once inside, the atmosphere and decor is casual, and the service was quick and friendly. This is your neighborhood Thai place, where I noticed all sorts of meet-ups ranging from date night, a business meeting, and a group of friends all gathering. We spent about 2 hours at our table, enjoying our meals and talking.
I will be the first to admit that my palette tends to lean toward American and Italian fare, especially when reviewing the majority of the restaurants around Morgantown. But this time, I was craving something different and Ta-Khrai delivered. We tasted a variety of popular - and quite beautiful - dishes including:
Tom Ka Gai - A tangy Thai soup with mushrooms and tomatoes cooked in a broth of lemongrass, kaffir lime, and galanga (a spice related to ginger) with cilantro and lime juice. It has a slight sweetness to it, with chicken and a touch of coconut milk added to the bowl.
Pad Thai - This classic dish had to be ordered. You will find a bed of thin rice noodles topped with tender chicken, egg, bean sprouts, scallions, and crushed peanuts in a tamarind sauce. My partner came home last night, dug into leftovers, and mentioned to me this morning that it was great! So, Ta-Khrai leftovers are a win.
Shrimp and Pineapple Fried Rice - Jasmine rice with pineapple, egg, onion, carrots, pea, tomatoes, cashews, and raisins sauteed in a special sauce. The shrimp tasted great and was placed on the side. My son loved finding sweet pineapple bites in this huge serving of fried rice.
Pad See Iew - This was my favorite bite of the night. A large plate of stir-fried wide, flat rice noodles with chicken, egg, broccoli, carrots, and cabbage in a sweet Thai soy sauce.
Panang Curry with Tofu - I thought I did not like curry from the few times I’ve tried it, but this one changed my mind. Typically milder and sweeter than other curries, this is Thai curry is made with peanuts and coconut milk which makes it rich and creamy. Eat served over rice, and originally served with chicken, we subbed tofu.
Any of the dishes mentioned above I would recommend, particularly if you have been hesitant to try Ta-Khrai or are new to Thai food. But there is plenty more on the menu to try and it outlines the description for each dish. There is an entire vegetarian section available and they can make noodle dishes gluten-free. We had requested the Pad See Iew be gluten-free and they had no issue doing so.
It’s a 10/10 from The Morgantown Dish. Everything I tried was flavorful and I really enjoyed my time there. My family and I have picked our favorites already!
Make sure to note their hours, 11 am - 3 pm for lunch and 4 pm - 8 pm for dinner service, Tuesday to Sunday.
*The Morgantown Dish originally wrote this article for the Dominion Post. It has been repurposed digitally for the blog.