A Bistro For Traditional Thai Cuisine
Saint Petersburg, Florida USA
Cuisine Style: Thai
Average Price: $
Overall Rating: 3/5
Dined in: December 2018
By Sean Overpeck (CFE)
**A full article and index glossary of restaurants, wines, recipes and travel for
Wine Dine and Play are in the pages section above, or by following these links:
Sila Thai Zomato rating:
Sila Thai Restaurant sits inside an older brick and mortar single story building painted in white with a green roof portion below an entire front side of windows, and a decorated dining room of accolades and newspaper articles, plus traditional Thai artwork and Buddhist statues, about fifteen tables with blue clothed chairs. From the outside, it doesn’t catch or appeal to a person passing by to stop in unless they are in the mood to eat Thai food. The inside dining room was nothing on the exotic or eclectic side, but it did represent the Thai culture through artwork, paintings, and Buddhas.
The restaurant offers both general and authentic Thai dishes. They can alter the spices to suit your taste: Medium, Hot or Thai Hot! I had just finished watching an episode of Chef’s Table on Netflix on Chef Bo Songvisava and how she was frustrated by what she called the death of authentic Thai cuisine to satisfy the lighter palette of westerners, and how through her restaurant Bo.lan she attempts to revive the bold and complex flavors of local areas that are also more sustainable than in the past. She also comments that the best Thai restaurants should be found In Thailand. Knowing that Sila Thai is far from Bangkok, it is trying to do the same as Chef Bo Songvisava, and that was a nice change compared to other Thai restaurants I had dined at.
I was also very impressed with the size and variety of the menu compared to other Thai restaurants I had been to and written about here on Wine Dine and Play. They have curries, four variations of French style frog legs, duck specials, eight fried rice entree size plates, and eight noodle dishes with a choice of meat.
Sila Thai Menu:
- Specials of the Day
- Appetizers
- Authentic Thai Dishes
- Salads
- Soups
- Fried Rice
- Noodles
- Curries
- House Specials
- Duck
- Frog Legs
- Scallops
- Pan Fried Dishes
- Vegetarian Dishes
- Desserts
We started by ordering two appetizers beginning with some gyoza six pieces to the order filled with chicken and vegetables. Taking the first bite the aroma and texture filled me with delight to taste how juicy it was on the inside, crispy and golden brown on the outside, told me that the cooks in the kitchen take their time to make the dish correctly. Not bad for a Thai restaurant serving Japanese pan-fried dumplings.
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| Sila Thai / gyoza dumplings |
The second appetizer order was five pieces of crispy crab rangoon wonton skin filled with cream cheese and crabmeat that had a hint of curry flavor, and unfortunately the taste of imitation crab, though the cream cheese did camouflage it. Rangoon is also called crab puffs, or cheese wontons that began as basic appetizers served in American Chinese restaurants and now more recently, Thai restaurants as well. One thing about a specific cuisine style is that you have to cater to your client base, and based on menus of restaurants in Bangkok, good luck finding crab rangoon or gyoza.
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| Sila Thai / crab rangoon |
Next came a rice soup with chicken seasoned with lemongrass, galangal, chili, lime juice, and scallions. This dish was served as a starter to the entrees and did not have to be ordered at an extra charge. My wife's dish came with a choice of spring rolls with choice of shrimp, ground pork, dry mushrooms, carrots, onions and scallions wrapped in rice paper, served with Thai sweet chili sauce, or some egg rolls with cabbage, bean thread and carrots wrapped in egg roll skin and fried to a crisp brown. My wife chose the spring rolls with shrimp. The soup had like the appetizers a basic presentation that did not win points but would get awards for flavor. It was very aromatic and the seasoning of lemongrass came out in the taste nicely.
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| Sila Thai / Chicken Rice soup |
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| Sila Thai / spring rolls |
There are sixteen items under the house specials list from Volcano chicken to soft shell crab. My wife chose the chicken teriyaki dish with grilled chicken chopped up then covered in a broth of teriyaki sauce and curry with red onion and scallions served with a plate of rice on the side. The flavors were sweet with a hint of Thai spice, with my wife ordering it on the milder side.
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| Sila Thai / chicken teriyaki |
Finally, there are six ducks on the menu from crispy duck, duck with basil, duck panang, sweet and sour duck, green curry duck, and Siam duck. I had the crispy duck with light Thai seasoning, deep-fried and served over vegetables like broccoli, celery, zucchini, peas, and carrots in a house sauce. When asked the scale of hot spice I wanted, I ordered Thai hot, which opened my sinuses and cleared me up fast. The duck had an excellent flavor, and oozed with natural jus and not dried out like some frying can do. I will be returning here in the future to try more dishes, and am happy to see a good mom and pop restaurant that does cater to the westerner but is not afraid to escape tradition just like Chef Bo Songvisava.
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| Sila Thai / Crispy duck |
For those who are vegetarians, there is also a place on the menu for you with nine options ranging from seven tofu and two eggplant dishes.
Dessert:
We did not have dessert during this visit, but some of the seven items on the menu of interest included banana wrapped in rice paper served with coconut ice cream, lychee nuts, Thai donuts, and fried ice cream.
Please see these guidelines for Tipping in Restaurants and on following proper etiquette, customs, cultures, and avoiding assumptions when you dine out.
Other noteworthy Thai articles and restaurants similar to Sila Thai:
Thai cuisine (อาหารไทย) is a balance detailed variety of lightly prepared dishes with strong aromatic components and a spicy edge. Its interplays at least three and up to four or five fundamental taste senses in each dish or the overall meal: sour, sweet, salty, bitter, and spicy. In 2011, seven of Thailand's most popular dishes appeared on the list of the "World's 50 Most Delicious Foods (Readers' Pick)"
Basil Asian Bistro Pan-Asian favorites from China to Vietnam with sushi specials in Canton, Ohio
Junsui An eclectic taste of Asia with buffets at the Burj Al Arab Hotel, Dubai, UAE
Morimoto Asia Japanese and upscale pan-Asian fare with sushi at Disney Springs Orlando, Florida
Nitally’s A Fusion of Thai and Mexican Cuisine from a husband and wife team in St. Petersburg, Florida
Osaka Sushi and Thai Restaurant Thai and Japanese fare including sushi in Seminole, Florida
Saké 23 Formally Souzou with a new name and same great vision in St. Petersburg, Florida
Souzou (Now Saké 23) An Asian-Fusion Gastro Pub with a twist on Izakaya style dining in St Petersburg, Florida
The Lemon Grass Casual fusion of Thai and Japanese with tapas portions in St Petersburg, Florida
Wat Mongkolratanaram A Thai / Asian market eatery and a Buddhist temple on the banks of the Palm River in Tampa, Florida
See the whole list by visiting “The Wine Dine and Play Article Glossary”
Other Saint Petersburg restaurants, and articles on Wine Dine and Play:
|
Cal-Italian Cuisine, at the Sundial
St. Petersburg, Florida, USA
|
Casual LGBT bar and burger joint
St. Petersburg, Florida, USA
|
Organic Farmers Market in Pioneer Park
St. Petersburg, Florida, USA
|
A few Florida restaurant favorites:
|
Casual Floribbean and American pub chain
Brandon, Florida USA
|
Third-floor terrace seafood-centric New American dining
Bradenton Beach, Florida, USA
|
A Star Trek Music Experience with dinner
Clearwater / Beach, Florida USA
|
See the whole list by visiting “The Wine Dine and Play Article Glossary by country”
Final notes, review basics, observations, and more pictures:
Most reviews are subjective, depending on the writer; but they should also be responsible, and respectfully written, upholding the truth, and accurately conveying the experience to the best of the writer's knowledge, even if it includes metaphors the restaurant may not like to read about. My ratings are by the stars I award (from 0 to 5). The rating is calculated on a point accumulation of six separate factors based on individual experience. They include wine and other beverage selections, plate presentation, customer service, restaurant or café ambiance, food quality, and wow factor. To see more details of this rating list, read this article:
Overall from this experience and the score factors outlined in the ‘about page’ section, based on my individual experience and rating, I give Sila Thai a 3 out of 5 stars, meaning that they exceeded my expectations and were far above the average dining experience of most restaurants.
Scores are detailed in the factor chart below:
Formula Factor Conclusions and Overall Ratings for Sila Thai
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Max Points Possible:
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Total Points Awarded:
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Total Points deducted:
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Ambiance
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11
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11
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0
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Food quality
|
11
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10
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1
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Plate presentation
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11
|
8
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3
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Customer service
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10
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7
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3
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Alcohol and other beverages
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6
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4
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2
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Total regular points awarded
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49
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40
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9
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Total percentage — less the Bonus
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0.816326530612245
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“Wow” factor BONUS
|
5
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0
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0
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Total bonus percentage
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0
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Total percentage and bonus for a final star rating
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0.816326530612245
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Stars Awarded (see chart below)
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0 - 5
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3
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**A full break down and explanation of the observations and point disbursement is available in the linked article above. To receive a detailed copy of your score, feel free to contact me at any time and I will provide it to you.**
***
Overall Star Rating:
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3 of 5 Stars:
82% Rating with a 0 point “wow” bonus
Exceed All My Expectations In Dining Experience
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Corkage fees:
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Sila Thai does not list any corkage fee’s however, most American restaurants charge $25.00 per bottle
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Restaurant style:
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Casual dining
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Cuisine Style at Sila Thai:
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Thai
Allergen or dietary accommodations:
Gluten-free choices, Low Carb Choices, Pescatarian, and Vegetarian Options
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Reservations:
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Not Required
Walk-Ins:
Accepted, but not guaranteed
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Dress code:
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Casual attire
It’s Florida, everybody wear’s flip-flops!
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Child policy:
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The Restaurants reviewed on this site may have a kids menu or cater to them; however, for full enjoyment of food and wine, it is recommended that kids not to be in attendance, unless they have been trained in proper etiquette.
If not then:
Hire a Babysitter!
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Sila Thai Experiences:
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Place for foodies, Rustic, Hole-in-the-wall, and a Neighborhood Gem.
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Payments:
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Cash, Visa, MasterCard, Discover, American Express
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Parking:
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Sila Thai has a private lot
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Wifi
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The restaurants reviewed on this site may have Wi-Fi, but do not require you to go online, because the excitement of the food and wine alone will keep you too entertained instead of checking your social media and emails.
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Noise level:
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Low
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Smoking:
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Sila Thai is a non-smoking restaurant
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Patio or terrace:
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No
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Food Prices
(excludes, alcohol, taxes & 20% gratuity’s)
$£€¥ - Under 50.00 (inexpensive)
$£€¥ x 2 - 51.00- 99.00 (moderate)
$£€¥ x 3 - Over 100.00 (pricey)
$£€¥ x 4 - Over 200.00 (expensive)
$£€¥ x 5 - Over 400.00 (very expensive)
**Currencies reflect the world’s major travelers, restaurant, or wine connoisseur’s**
Currency:
|
Price
|
United States Dollar (USD)
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$
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Great Britain Pound Sterling (GBP)
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£
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Canadian Dollar (CAN)
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$$
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Chinese Yuan (CNY)
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¥¥¥
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European Union (EUR)
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€
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Alcohol prices:
$9.00 USD
Sila Thai Restaurant:
3828 49th Street North
Saint Petersburg, FL 33709
Contact Information:
Restaurant website:
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Maître d or host:
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+1 (727) 498-8560
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Serving hours:
Eastern Standard Time
(GMT, Zulu, or UTC - 5:00)
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Lunch: Mon - Fri
11:30 am - 3:00 pm
Dinner: Daily
4:00 pm - 10:00 pm
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Social Media
And
Accolades for
Sila Thai:
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****
The worlds best restaurants is a subjective list of who is writing it and changes on a regular basis. The Wine Dine and Play best experiences are based on my highest rated stared restaurants, meaning that the visit was an outstanding or extraordinary experience. From cafés, chains, mom + pops, hole in the walls, to fine dining including a few Michelin spots. Visit the Top 100 page to see the entire list.
A few to tease you with…
|
Hip burger chain with space-age decor
Midtown, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
|
Colonial Portuguese Fusion with tapas
St. Petersburg, Florida, USA
|
Posh and artful French cuisine + culinary experimentalism at Intercontinental Hotel
Festival City, Dubai, UAE
|
Other Sila Thai Pictures:
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| Sila Thai / logo |
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| Sila Thai / Singha beer |
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| Sila Thai / Thai spices |
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| Sila Thai / dining room |
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| Sila Thai / Thai art |
“Culinary perfection consists not in doing extraordinary things,
But in doing ordinary things extraordinarily well.”
-Angelique Arnauld (1591-1661)
Who is John Galt?
TTFN
