Baan Thai

After eating so much Azeri and Turkish food since coming to Baku and having a conversation with fellow Travbuddy Mel about a great Thai restaurant in Vegas, I got a hankering for some Pad Thai. While there are three Thai diners that I know of in Baku, I decided to go to Baan Thai as it was closer to where I live.

Baan Thai is on the 17th floor of the ISR Plaza, which is also home to the Radisson Hotel, and is very close to Fountain Square. It connects with a bar called City Lights. Both the pub and the restaurant offer some incredible views of Baku. There is a deck that patrons are allowed to access. While I was waiting for my grub, I walked around the deck.

I ordered the Pad Thai and the Chicken Satay. Both were not bad, but at the same time a little bland. I have eaten here before when I was in Baku in January and the food was much better then. The service was excellent. I did not have wait on anything aside from my food to prepared. They had Carlsberg on draft and being a very hot day, I partook in a few.

Baan Thai reminded me of Top of the World, the restaurant at the top of the Stratosphere in Las Vegas. Both offer great views of the city, but the food is merely ok. Granted, Top of the World is extremely expensive in the comparison of the two.

If you want a great view of Baku, you should by all means get a meal at Baan Thai or partake in a beverage at City Lights. If you are looking for really good Thai food in Baku, I suggest Pai Thai. It is more authentic and much tastier. The other Thai restaurant in town is called the Pink Elephant. I have heard good things about it, but I have yet to eat there.