Talay

Talay (https://www.talayorlando.com/) is one of the newer and more upscale Thai restaurants in Orlando, located in the “North Quarter” on 861 Orange Avenue, right before you cross East Colonial Drive into downtown Orlando.  I took my wife there for lunch a few weeks ago, and we had a nice meal in the spacious dining room, which was surprisingly empty.  I’m sure it gets crazy crowded later on, though.  Everything is light wood and creamy colors, making the space feel modern and elegant.  There are some booths inside, and there is even more seating outside, on an inviting covered patio.

As usual, my wife started her with a creamy and refreshing Thai iced tea:

We ordered four different things, intending to share most of them and end up with leftovers.  A few were relatively small portions, so it all worked out.

This was salmon chae nam pla, an appetizer with thin slices of raw salmon (each garnished by a paper-thin slice of pickled garlic), two little clusters of salmon roe, and mint leaves, all displayed on a sea of spicy cilantro chili-lime dressing.  The dressing was too spicy for my wife, so I ended up eating most of these.  I must be part bear (I definitely look like a bear), because I never tire of devouring raw salmon.   

We also shared goong ob woon sen, a dish neither of us had ever tried before, or even noticed on any other Thai menus before.  It included plump shrimp served with their tails on, glass noodles (traditionally made from mung bean or sweet potato starch, which turn translucent), thin slices of bacon, black pepper, sesame oil, celery, ginger, “Talay’s signature wok sauce,” and cilantro chili relish served on the side.  Those leaves in the middle are a tiny celery stick garnish sticking out.   

You wanted a noodle pull?  Well here’s a noodle pull! This was a good dish, and the noodles had a nice chew to them.  I didn’t pick this one, and I didn’t know what to expect (other than “bacon is always good”), but it all came together.

I finally got my wife into my favorite Thai dish that I used to order all the time as a benchmark of any new Thai restaurant, pad kee mao (sometimes spelled pad kee mow, and also known as drunken noodles).  As long as she orders it mild, she loves it as much as she loves her old go-to, pad Thai.  This was Talay’s pad kee mao, a stir-fried sensation with flat rice noodles (always so nice and chewy), green and red bell peppers, Thai basil, chili, and Talay’s spicy wok sauce, which they surely toned down for her.  She chose crispy duck as the protein (for a small upcharge), and the duck was wonderful — tender, juicy, battered and fried to perfection.  We are both big duck fans.   

And as for me, I panicked.  So many things sounded good, and I know for a fact I won’t make it back to this spot very often.  Instead of going with a familiar favorite, I wanted to try something more unique off Talay’s Signature menu, since they have so many elevated dishes you can’t find just anywhere.  I decided to go with something I always love on any menu, whether it’s a seafood shack or a Thai restaurant, soft shell crab.  This was pu nim tod kra tiam, crispy soft-shell crab served with garlic, pepper, and a savory brown sauce.  It ended up being a new twist on an old classic, and it was much less heavy than it looks here.   

It came with white rice on the side, which I mixed in to gather all the sauce under the crab, and I asked to try the roasted chili relish, which costs $3 extra.  All I got was the little ramekin on the right, and it was interesting.  It definitely had some sweetness and funky umami, maybe from fish sauce.

Due to the location, I don’t expect we will become regulars at Talay, especially since I bring home takeout much more often than we dine out.  But Talay is definitely one of the nicer Thai restaurants in Orlando, and it would be a fantastic place for a date or a big night out.  It reminded me of Lim Ros Thai Cuisine that way, another Thai restaurant that is a little more elegant and elevated than usual.  Both feature lush, sexy vibes, rather than the “hominess” of the more old-school Thai restaurants we honestly end up at more often (like Thailicious in Longwood).  But I can’t say anything bad about either of them, and if you already know Talay, I’m sure you can’t think of anything negative about it either.  If I ever do make it back, what should I order next time?  I’m always happy to try anything new!