I have a thing for planning a date night out, maybe it’s passed down from my father, who’s superb at planning anniversaries, birthdays and even corporate dinners for his company. While planning my date last month, I stumbled upon Pai Thai on my Instagram page and quickly decided I’d give it a try.

Pai Thai, a Thai hidden gem located in Madinet Jumeirah with a breathtaking view of the lake and  next to Al Qasr hotel.

You can leave your car in Al Qasr Hotel, and take the floating abra from the hotel to the restaurant. Tip: Ask the captain to take a picture of you and your date on the abra while your background is Burj Al Arab 🙂

My experience:

Once we arrived to the restaurant, we were greeted by the staff who picked the best table for us, away from children and right on the lake. The outdoor area consists of several tables by the lake, and a few near the reception. The rest is inside. But sitting indoors won’t let you get the full experience and you would be missing out on the great view.

Before starting our dinner, there was traditional Thai performance taking place and setting the atmosphere for us.

Because it was a late night dinner, we skipped the starters and went straight to the main courses. We opted for:

“Nuea Yang Pai Thai”: grilled beef marinated in garlic, coriander Thai chilli sauce, with a side of sticky rice. The sauce was perfect and the beef melts in your mouth.

“Khao Phad Gai”: Chicken fried rice, egg, tomato, spring onion, soya sauce. This was my second favorite after the grilled beef dish. The toppings were pairing perfectly with the chicken. Tip: ask for chili chops with soy sauce and add it on the dish, only if you like spicy food.

“Khao Phad Tom Yam Goong”: Fried rice, prawns, egg, cherry tomatoes, thai broccoli, Galangal, lemongrass, lime leaf and thai chilli paste. The combination of the vegetables gave this dish a special taste, and the prawns were perfectly cooked.

Unfortunately, we did not have a room left for dessert, but promised ourselves to go back again and try more things from the menu.