Dara

There’s a Thai restaurant showdown going down on 11th and Walnut. Grandma’s has great signature dishes, but unreliable service. Chatayee has room for you and your 15-person White Lotus-obsessed group chat, but so-so food. And then there’s Dara, which is our pick for best Thai in the neighborhood—especially when you factor in their lunch deals. 

Dara means “star” in Thai, so it’s fitting that the restaurant has a celestial theme. We mean it—stars are everywhere. Turns out, all of that galaxy action makes for a lovely setting to eat some curry. The fragrant chicken puff, drunken noodles with unrepentant heat, and green curry with a crisp and tender duck smack dab in the center are all must-orders. They’re also huge. Each dish is probably good for 50 bites. Not everything will leave you speechless—the chive dumplings are downright bland—but where a little flavor is missing, Dara makes up for it with friendly service and execution. 

photo credit: NICOLE GUGLIELMO

video credit: NICOLE GUGLIELMO

photo credit: NICOLE GUGLIELMO

photo credit: NICOLE GUGLIELMO

photo credit: NICOLE GUGLIELMO

But it’s the lunch deal that really pushes Dara over the finish line from the other Thai spots nearby. For 16 bucks, you get a starter (go for the spring roll) and one of those mountainous mains. It’s perfect for busy daytime shufflers who walk in for lunch and leave with dinner covered, too. When it comes to the Midtown Village Thai face-off, we’ve found a small, starry winner.

Food Rundown

photo credit: NICOLE GUGLIELMO

Somtum

Tangy. Sour. Spicy. All of the classic papaya salad elements are here. And like most, it’s a refreshing mouthful that you’ll regret not ordering.

photo credit: CANDIS R. MCLEAN

Gui Chai

These thick, slightly chewy dumplings are nice to look at, but the chive flavor is so subtle that it tastes like the water in your glass. The three pouches come with a sweet soy sauce, but even a dip or three won’t save them.

photo credit: NICOLE GUGLIELMO

Chicken Puff

Attention—this is the starter to order before you even look at the menu. All of life's contradictions exist in these perfectly made pouches. Airy yet packed. Teeny but filling. Spicy yet sweet. The flaky pastry is filled with a fragrant mix of curry, ground juicy chicken, chilli peppers, and a lot of basil.

photo credit: NICOLE GUGLIELMO

Pad Kee Mao

A soy-laquered heap of rice noodles littered with chicken. It’s big enough for two and comes with rice, so ordering this dish would be a lesson in: How To Avoid Being Hungry Again For 12 Hours.

photo credit: NICOLE GUGLIELMO

Seafood Pineapple Fried Rice

Sometimes, this rice is served in a massive pineapple, and other times, it’s served on a plate. But a few things remain the same. The thumb-sized shrimp, scallops, and squid have a little singe on them from the grill. And toppings like toasted cashews, lumps of pineapple, and raisins take it to a whole new sweetness level without overdoing it.

photo credit: NICOLE GUGLIELMO

Pla Tod

A gigantic fried-until-golden branzino is served with a pickled mango salad and peppery sauce. Crisp. Tender. Perfection.

photo credit: NICOLE GUGLIELMO

Duck Green Curry

It’s our favorite main here. And if there was any justice in the world, this lightly fried duck and rich, coconut-heavy curry would be available every time we snapped our fingers. Order it for the table or when you’re solo as a form of self-care.