Taipei boasts a vibrant culinary scene that embraces international flavours, with Thai cuisine a notable highlight. Among the city’s diverse offerings, Elephant Kitchen Thai stands out as a must-visit Thai restaurant in Taipei for authentic Thai dishes. Located near Taipei City Hall, this restaurant offers a spacious and well-lit dining environment that exudes cleanliness and comfort.
Elephant Kitchen Thai’s extensive menu features classic Thai favourites such as Green Papaya Salad, Pork Satay Skewers, and Crispy Fried Chicken, all prepared with a balance of flavours that capture the essence of Thai cuisine. Notably, their Shrimp Cake wows me with its generous thickness and juicy interior, complemented by a sweet dipping sauce. To round off the meal, the Coconut Cream Dessert offers a delightful blend of lychee and traditional Thai ingredients, providing a sweet and satisfying conclusion to the dining experience.
Table of Contents
The Menu at Elephant Kitchen Thai
This is put here more as a reference piece. However, the staff speak English and you are also provided with a picture-book menu to refer to, too. So don’t worry about ordering in Chinese here.
Green Papaya Salad
I always like ordering this in Thai restaurants. Although it may look a bit insipid in colour, the flavours usually deliver. You’re to expect salty, sour, spicy, crunchy, sweet, nutty flavours in every mouthful. The crunchy papaya is fresh, and the fish sauce-based tangy sauce that it is dressed with is tasty.
There’s only a mild space in this, so don’t worry about being overwhelmed with spice. It’s a refreshing way to begin your delicious Thai restaurant outing here.
Pork Satay skewers
Having had the real thing in Bangkok, I can say that the flavours of these satay skewers is pretty close to the counterpart in Thailand itself. If anything, you’re getting better value for money when compared to the many street food offerings in Thailand, with way more meat on these skewers for the price.
They’re juicy, the satay sauce is really good – probably the best I have had in Taiwan, actually – and the portion size is great for the price, too.
Top tip: You should get some rice, to settle the salty, sour and spicy flavours throughout the meal. But, you must absolutely try this secret tip I am about to give you. Order the satay and enjoy it for what it is, BUT, make sure you douse some of that peanutty curry onto your rice – you’re welcome in advance.
Crispy fried chicken
Yessss. If you’re into crispy chicken, spicy things, and loads of garlic, then this is a must. Expect spice in every mouthful, brought to your mouth with delicious crispy chicken. Not at all greasy due to the sauce and the way it is presented, it’s nicely flavoured and tastes fresh. You can’t go wrong ordering this at Elephant Kitchen Thai.
Shrimp cake
This is as thick as you will ever find at any other Thai restaurant on this island. In fact, I challenge you to find thicker.
However, it’s not just about thickness, here. It’s juicy, plenty of seafood flavour, and pairs perfectly with the spicy chilli sauce. This is probably the best dish at Elephant Kitchen Thai.
Stir-fried Cabbage
After all of the spicy, salty, and saucy goodness of Thai food, it’s nice to break it up with some crunchy stir-fried veggies.
The cabbage here is stir-fried in that quintessential fish sauce that makes Thai food one of my go-to’s for maximum flavour with minimal effort. When it’s right outside Taipei City Hall Station, it’s just too easy to not go here on a regular basis.
Stir-fried Basil Pork
Salty, spicy, plenty of basil flavour, and freshness coming from what could quite easily be too heavily flavoured and overpowering.
Best ordered with some fresh salad leaves and wrapped inside, this is one of my go-to orders. It is heavy on the basil flavour, which I love. It’s best eaten with rice as it’s quite salty.
Seafood Salad
A good seafood salad is something to behold. I am really fortunate to have eaten many seafood salads like this throughout my time in Taiwan. Whether that’s at delicious Thai restaurants like this, or at regular Taipei restaurants that offer a Taiwanese twist, I tend to always order it.
This one is abundant with seafood, interspersed with the fresh tomatoes and crinkle-cut cucumbers. The shrimp and squid are the seafood representatives here, and they’re both delicious.
The obligatory table spread before it all gets inhaled. Portion sizes are great here, especially for the price that you pay. But the real winner is the flavour and freshness of each dish.
Thai Milk Tea
Surely you can’t eat Thai food without either a Singha beer or a Thai milk tea? Or do you choose one of the incredible Thai coffees? I went for tea this time, and I was happy. Heavy tea flavours, slightly sweet, ice cold. Delicious.
Coconut cream dessert
Something sweet to finish on. Some lychee involved here, as well as a bunch of traditionally Thai dessert additions. The coconut cream is lovely, and the sago underneath is nice for a change, too. This is a solid way to finish your meal at Elephant Kitchen Thai.
Is it worth it? I can safely say that Elephant Kitchen Thai is worth every penny that you spend. I’ve never had a bad meal here, and I come regularly enough for that to be an impressive reflection on the restaurant.
What is the best dish? The shrimp cake is incredible here at Elephant Kitchen Thai. It has to be the best dish. It can often be a bit greasy and sometimes filled with very little. However, this shrimp cake is everything else. Juicy, crispy, thick, and has plenty of seafood flavour. I order it every time, and I will continue to do so.
Are there other places like this? Thai restaurants are popular in Taipei, but not many deliver the depth of flavour on offer here at Elephant Kitchen Thai.
Pingback: Taipei City – Woosan 韓式烤肉店 Korean BBQ – Eating in Taipei
Pingback: Taipei City – Off the beaten track – Eating in Taipei