Never ever judge a book by its cover. It may look like a student diner, especially given much of its patronage, but Tai Li Tai is the real deal.
Somewhat hidden away in the labyrinth of takeout prep kitchens, repair shops and mobile phone accessory vendors that flank the now famed Tuolejia Commercial Street with its trappings of street food, this joint qualifies as The Nanjinger’s find of 2024 so far.
Tai Li Tai qualifies too for guts and determination, having been brave enough to open up when we were all in the final months of COVID thinking life would never return to normal. But it did, bringing with it a more or less genuine taste of Thailand.
Devoid of decoration for other than a few posters, presumably because they were in a queue for a COVID test, Tai Li Tai puts faith in pine, virtually throughout, and a slap of green paint.
So how did we indulge? Fried shrimp crackers (¥10), stir-fried pork (¥38), chicken curry (¥45), Thai fried eggs (¥18), Thai fried chicken rolls (¥22), that most popular of Thai desserts, mango sticky rice (¥30), and a Thai green milk tea (¥16). We would have had a Chang or Singha beer too, but they were both out of stock, as they were on our first visit to Tai Li Tai by way of a test a month or 2 ago.
As for authenticity, Tai Li Tai ticked the boxes for this correspondent, who admittedly hasn’t been to to good-old Siam for 20 years. The other member of our dining party who has, however, much more recently, put it at 70-80 percent of the real thing. Not bad for a place with the ambience of a truck stop.
Their dining experience in Thailand had been at times somewhat rustic, so the comparison is a fair one. Hence, back here in Nanjing at Tai Li Tai, is there are hygiene issue? Maybe. Is there are toilet? No. But there is just down the corridor of the mall. And boy, are we stretching it when say “the mall”.
Great value, great quality and speedy service from the boss himself are the hallmarks of Tai Li Tai which are to be had a skip and a jump from another hostelry reviewed on these pages not so long ago. That would the Old Fish Elite Brewing Fresh Beer Workshop, perfect for a take-out pint to go with your curry!
Tai Li Tai is located in Unit 131, Building 2, Tolejia Garden West, 9 Jiangjun Avenue 将军大道9号托乐嘉花园西2幢131室. Tel 18951710695
