Plainview Centre boasts the unique and exquisite Sawasdee Thai restaurant. With a slogan like “Not your neighborhood thai”, we knew this establishment would deliver an authentic array of thai cuisine. Upon walking through the glass doors, our eyes were captivated by both the elegant bar with a purple glow from below and the beautifully illustrated elephant design behind glass separating the Cocktail Lounge from the dinging room.
We immediately opened the menu and grew intrigued by the seemly endless choices of classic Thai specialties like pad Thai, chicken satay and even some unfamiliar options such as papaya salad. What enchanted us most was not only the gorgeous mural of a Thai palace painted on the wall, but also how the menu seemed to cater to anyone by offering your choice of beef, chicken, shrimp or tofu for most noodle and stir fry dishes.
We began with a papaya salad which was a divine assembly of thin sliced green papaya, bird-eye chillies, tomato and peanuts all bathing in a pool of palm sugar, fish sauce, garlic and lime. Each bite delivered a combination of crunch from the veggies with a refreshing yet spicy flavorful sauce. This appetizer was a rare yet delightful salad with many complex flavors of savory, sweet, spicy and a cooling sensation that seemed to dance on the tongue while the peanuts added some texture.
We decided to indulge in one more appetizer which was an order of handmade steamed Thai dumplings filled with a scrumptious trifecta of crab, shrimp and pork in a soybean vinaigrette. These adorably small dumplings really packed a punch of bold flavors in each juicy bite. The fried garlic on top really “elevated” the taste and texture of the dumplings while the sauce they lounged in consisted of soy, sugar and vinegar which created a tangy yet subtly sweet flavor.
Our entree was called drunken noodles which not only sparked our curiosity but managed to explain the dish perfectly in that it was a combination of flat rice noodles, egg, scallion, onion, and bell pepper intoxicated by a wonderful spicy basil and chilli sauce. The tender and broad noodles soaked up just the right amount sauce leaving an enjoyable warm finish with the perfect amount of heat. Between the gelatinous noodles and the subtle bite from the veggies, the textures were phenomenal. Pieces of basil were sautéed into the mixture and gave off that fresh, familiar aroma while adding a perfect amount of herb flavor to the complex dish. The appealing smell of stir fried onion and garlic were especially pronounced in this dish as well.
Our last entree was their shrimp pad Thai – one of the most popular and traditional dishes in Thai cuisine. A gorgeous mountain of lightly coated noodles and shrimp were placed on the table and got our attention right away as the beautiful aroma of garlic and soy drifted through the air. The display was even more beautiful as fat, juicy pieces of shrimp rested gently on the noodles, tofu and bean sprouts alongside a heaping pile of crushed peanuts offered as a optional topping.
The marinated shrimp was cooked to perfection, tender and flavorful. The textures of the soft, stringy noodles with the succulent shrimp was out of this world and the sprinkling of peanuts really added a subtle crunch. The nuttiness seemed to balance out the savory yet sweet soy sauce in such a way that brought all the ingredients together to create a memorable and traditional Thai dining experience.
395 South Oyster Bay Road
Plainview, NY 11803
516.261.9346
Chicken & Broccoli 
Seating 
Shrimp 
Salad 
Dumplings
