My Home Thai Bistro opened just a couple months ago at 1009 W Broad St, Falls Church. Since its opening, the restaurant has generated hype in the local area for its authentic Thai food and cozy atmosphere.
From the inside out, the restaurant looks sleek and modern, perfectly complemented by the warm wood decorations on interior walls. Inside the dining booths the walls are adorned with bamboo patterns forming beautiful nature scenes of animals and flowers that really add interest to the space. All the upholstery is a bold pink that beautifully ties in with the rest of the restaurant’s decor.
Aside from the overall looks of the restaurant, the service was also great. The servers checked in on us on several occasions to make sure the food was to our liking and replenished our waters well before we could ever finish them. They made conversation with us about the restaurant and what food was most popular, overall making a great impression on us prior to the food arriving.
Unfortunately, the food itself was very hit or miss, with some dishes blowing us away while others left more to be wanted.
Dumplings (Khanom Jeab) ($14) – 4.5/5
One of the food highlights of the night was the dumplings we got as an appetizer. A combination of shrimp, pork and carrot served with sweet black soy sauce, the dumplings were meaty but not overpowering. My only note would be they were a little bland: a little more seasoning and they would have been perfect.
Won Ka Bite ($14) – 5/5
The Won Ka Bite was the best thing we ordered all night. These were lightly fried crispy wonton wrappers with a creamy blend of premium crab sticks and seasoned creamed cheese, and they were absolutely phenomenal. They were super creamy on the inside, perfectly seasoned and had a slight crunch from the wonton wrapper. The only complaint I have was that there were not nearly enough of them. If I were to go back, I would probably order two plates so everyone could have a couple.
Kids Set: Mini Crispy Treats ($16) – 3/5
This was a slightly above par kids meal. The presentation was adorable with the jasmine rice in the shape of little bears. The shrimp cakes were nice and crispy as well as the wings, but everything could have used a little more flavor. While my little brother enjoyed it immensely, I think at least the wings could have had a sauce on them to add a little more dimension to the meal.
Homemade Satay Burger ($17) – 4.5/5
This was perhaps the most surprising dish of the night. Initially, I thought this would taste just like a classic chicken sandwich, but I was pleasantly surprised that it was actually pretty delicious and unique. The grilled sliced marinated chicken, tomato, red onion, and cucumber worked really well together and provided a really interesting flavor profile. The home fries and peanut mayo sauce that it was served with also were two hits at the table. Out of all the entrees we ordered, this was one of my top two.
Quack Quack Noodle Soup ($25) – 4.5/5
This is one of the most popular dishes at the restaurant and rightfully so. The crispy duck, thin rice noodles, homemade duck broth, bean sprouts, scallions, and cilantro all worked really well together in the dish. It was a very comforting meal to enjoy with a great appealing variety of textures.
Pad See Ew ($18) – 3.5/5
Pad See Ew is a classic in Thai cuisine, and this one was pretty good. While the texture of the pan fried wide rice noodles was not to my personal liking, Pad See Ew is traditionally prepared this way. Aside from my dislike of the texture, the flavor of the dish was a standout. The egg and chinese broccoli in the dish were delicious and the homemade sweetened soy sauce added great flavor to the entire meal. While I might not get this dish again, I would recommend it if you are a fan of Pad See Ew, because the flavor was impressive.
Pad Thai ($18) – 2/5
Perhaps one of the most iconic dishes in Thai cuisine, the Pad Thai was the least favorite dish we ordered. While the taste grew on you as you continued eating it, the flavor was not one I was fond of. The dish contained stir fried egg, bean sprout, green onion, sweet radish, red tofu, ground peanut and crispy wonton skin in addition to the noodles. For me, the flavors did not gel well together and needed more spice. Overall, not something I would order again.
All and all, My Home Thai Bistro offered up a great dinner outing with an inviting atmosphere, friendly service and decent food. The only recommendation I would make: when sorting through the various dishes the restaurant offers, ask the hostess which ones are most popular, because those dishes tended to be the best of those we tasted.
