My last trip to Thailand was in 2015, and when I think of the amazing memories I made there, one part of the trip I miss the most is the amazing food! I am a Thai food lover through and through and was indulgent on the spicy papaya salad, the savory curries, the flavorful noodles, and the sweet, fruity desserts. Since that trip, I have been on the hunt for a restaurant that could deliver the same spicy kick, the same depth of flavor, and the same bliss I felt while walking through the streets of Bangkok, munching on a bowl of deliciousness from a vendor on the side of the road.

Although many Thai spots in the Bay Area offer dishes full of flavor that satisfy my cravings, one restaurant in the Sierra Nevada mountains takes the lead for best Thai food on the West Coast in my eyes. Strangely enough, my absolute favorite Thai restaurants is located in South Lake Tahoe, CA. Every time my family comes to visit our cabin, we absolutely HAVE to stop by My Thai – I demand it each time, and everyone happily obliges. Although the Lake Tahoe area doesn’t have a huge Asian population, the team at My Thai just gets it right… and not just from a “best option in the area” perspective. They truly just get it right – from atmosphere to flavor, everything is perfection.

Upon first glance, it is easy to dismiss this place. The sign up front uses a combo of Comic Sans and Lucida Calligraphy – a huge no-no in the eyes of my UX designer boyfriend, Derek. My mom always taught me to never judge a book by its cover, and boy, am I glad that we gave this place a chance years ago. The interior is welcoming, with the walls and ceiling all made of wood, giving a lovely Tahoe aesthetic. In the center of the restaurant is a lovely golden shrine, so ornate in contrast to the wooden surroundings. A beautiful, unique setting, an extraordinarily friendly and attentive staff, and drool-worthy, amazing food make this place a winner.

Although I love a good seafood Tom Yum, my favorite Thai soup is Tom Kha ($12.95 for a pot and $7.95 for a bowl). The coconut milk and lemongrass broth in My Thai’s version is so delicate and light, while still delivering soooooo much flavor. The warmth of the creamy broth just fills you up – absolutely perfect on a snowy Tahoe winter day. The soup is made with coconut milk, lemongrass, galanga (Thai ginger), tomato, mushroom, and cilantro. For a protein, I like to order chicken, making it a Tom Kha Gai. Ugh… I really could eat this soup for the rest of my life and never get sick of it. My mom likes it so much, she refuses to order anything else. In my book, this is a MUST order.

I love a good crab rangoon. I know it’s basic, but I don’t care. The creaminess of the cream cheese and the meaty crab really just does it for me. My Thai delivers these little pockets of goodness in a perfectly golden little pouch. The outside is crunchy and crispy, and when you bite in, you get an explosion of creaminess that really just hits the spot. I don’t order this every time, just when I’m in the mood. If you are a crab rangoon lover, you’ll really enjoy this!

One of Derek’s fave foods in the entire world is Thai Basil Chicken. When our waiter, Julius, said that their Spicy Basil (Ka Pow) dish ($10.95) was their #1, it was a no brainer – we had to get it. We were told to choose a spicy level between 1-5, and we opted for a 4. I mean, wow. I haven’t tasted anything like it since Thailand. It’s one of the most flavorful Thai dishes I have ever had! We LOVE spicy food, and the 4 spiciness had us sweating! The flavors were bold and strong, in all the best ways. The ground chicken is stir fried with fresh chili peppers, garlic, bell peppers, bamboo shoots, yellow onion, green beans, and of course, basil. Even though Derek’s mouth was on fire, he just couldn’t stop eating – it was just sooooo good!

Julius also recommended the Panang Curry ($10.95), one of my favorite types of curry! This peanutty curry is cooked with broccoli, lime leaves, coconut milk, and panang curry paste. For the protein, we opted for pork, although I’m sure the beef or tofu would be amazing as well! I also ordered the 4 spicy level, and although it had a kick, it surprisingly wasn’t as hot as the spicy basil. The flavors of the pork and the curry just worked… pour it on some rice and this dish is absolute perfection. YUM!

In the past, I have also ordered the Beef Pad See Ew ($10.95) and the Chicken Yellow Curry ($10.95). Just… yes. These popular Thai dishes are made to perfection and are definitely in my My Thai rotation. You simply can’t go wrong with these classics.

Although we were absolutely STUFFED, when the waiter asked if we wanted to try their young coconut cake ($7.95), we couldn’t say no! (We’re never too full for dessert here at GHF!) The young coconut cake is made fresh daily, and they offer a few different flavor options. We opted for the Banana Coconut Cake, which came with 4 slices. It was an incredibly moist banana bread roll with young coconut (or buko in Tagalog) rolled in as a type of jelly. The chunks of young coconut both in the jelly and on top of the cake brought a smile to each of our faces. Top each bite with a dollop of whipped cream and you are set!

Other things on the menu I’ve yet to try? Julius recommended the drunken noodles so I absolutely want to give that a shot next time I’m in town. I also still haven’t tried the tom yum soup and want to give that a go next time… although I don’t know if I can give up ordering the Tom Kha! On our way out, we also saw a Thai Tea Young Coconut cake. 100% going to be giving that a go at our next visit 🙂

All in all, My Thai holds such a special place in my heart. I wish I could Uber Eats a couple orders on the reg, but in the meantime, I’ll have to limit my visit to a few times a year when we visit the beautiful Lake Tahoe. If you are ever in the area, please pay them a visit! I would love to know what you think of their take on Thai.