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Dharma Garden Thai |
 3109 W. Irving Park Rd., Chicago
Tel: (773) 588-9140
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7 Review(s) Total
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throwdown says:
On Thursday 6/12/08 1:05 PM
Dharma Garden hands down, has great food, but this is what you will get: slow service, sometimes your food will come out at different times, etc. Remember some populations culturally move slower and do things at a different pace that the rush USA. If you go often enough the cute little old lady behind the calculator will remember you and often chit chat with you to make you feel at home. I've never been disappointed with anything I have ordered from there and things have change...they do have meat.
Mark says:
On Tuesday 1/1/08 9:39 PM
I went tonight looking forward to a great meal. My partner and I entered and had to wait for the staff to clear tables with dirty dishes. There was seating for nine tables, and four were dirty. After being seated we ordered our food - Dharma Garden Spring Rolls as an appetizer, my partner ordered Long Life Noodles and I ordered Pad See Ew. Their website says they hope the customers are patient waiting for their food. The appetizer took a half hour to arrive. Then about 15 minutes later the Long Life Noodles arrived. I asked my partner to eat, but he said he would wait for my order to arrive. Then over five minutes later, a dish came for me. It was sweet and sour chicken, not what I ordered. My partner's food was already getting cold, and all indications were that it would be another half hour before my correct entree would arrive. At that point we told the wait person that we could wait no longer, and would be leaving. We left cash for the appetizer which we had eaten. The staff did not seem concerned at all that we were dissatisfied. The person managing the restaurant went back to her calculator and ignored us as we left. Again, I was looking forward to a great meal, and one never came. Initially, I was patient waiting for my food, but was troubled that they felt no remorse for making a mistake and did not offer in any way to compensate for their mistake.
Rohan de Silva says:
On Tuesday 6/7/05 2:58 AM
I went to Dharma Garden assuming it would be a Thai restaurant, and thus I was severely disappointed. It's more accurately a Thai-influened or Thai inspired health food restaurant. You won't find many real Buddhists, Asians, or Americans who spent a lot of time in Thailand here, because there's little authenticity. They even affect a weird Westernized Pseudo-Buddhism that's a little insulting if you were born and raised Theravada. The food is too mild, with some peculiar vegetable substutions (instead of real Thai vegetables) and to add insult to disappointment, they don't even serve Thai white rice but instead give you a little bowl of...brown rice. I'm sure I would have enjoyed the food more if I was in the frame of mind for a White-American health food Vegan restaurant, and all that entails, but as someone who's been to Bangkok, I'd say you're better off going to nearby Thai Aree (3592 N. Milwaukee), where once they get to know you, they'll even serve their authentic Thai food, authentically Thai HOT.
melanie silver says:
On Sunday 12/19/04 2:35 AM
the food from dharma garden is wonderful. fresh, full of flavor and full of great ingrediance. everything i tried was different than the typical thai food in that the combination of things such as raisins in the rice dish or a vegitable pancake that wasnt greasy but crisp makes this place a real treat for thai lovers
Synara says:
On Sunday 9/26/04 8:04 PM
The food was great. I've had never had such great Thai food before. The Veg Spring Rolls were great, and the veggies with red curry was amazing. They made it hot enough for me too, and no other place has been able to do that yet!
Max Pilone says:
On Wednesday 7/21/04 7:33 PM
i thought the resturant was wonderful it had exxcellent food ans and great service the inside was beautifully decorated
NOT!!!!! j/p no really it was great
Joe Winston says:
On Monday 7/12/04 8:51 PM
This city bristles with Thai noodle shops - I think there are two dozen in my neighborhood alone - but Dharma Garden is very different and truly special. My financee, Laura, and I have gotten friendly with the owner, Surintorn Suanthont, who we know simply as "Ning."
The cuisine is much more authentic and imaginative than we Americans are used to. With her eye for fresh, seasonal produce, Ning uses such unexpected items as pumpkin and serves her curries in a coconut (which is part of the dish.)
No meat is served, only fish and seafood, and Ning's got a philosophy behind the dietary choices, including all manner of fruit juices and teas. A professional herbalist/nutritionalist, she'll brew up a tonic for what ails you (and if that doesn't work, the joint is BYOB with no corkage fee.)
The restaurant itself is convivial and festive, with tropical decorations and an adjacent gift shop for that missing item for your shrine. Sometimes Ning brings in Thai cultural performances on special occasions, like her recent one-year anniversary.
But mostly, the food is great, plentiful and cheap, dished up with great friendliness and panache. Usually Ning will throw in something extra that "you must try." Every time I eat there, I learn something new. One word of caution: when the menu classifies a dish as "spicy," she really means it.
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NOTICE: This is NOT the OFFICIAL Dharma Garden Thai website. These reviews are a forum for opinions about the venue that other Centerstage Chicago users may want to know, not to order merchandise, apply for a job, etc.
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