Restaurant Review: Meechai Thai Cuisine in the Midway

Restaurant Review

Meechai Thai Cuisine
3960 W. Point Loma Blvd. #4
(Midway Town Center at Sports Arena)
San Diego, CA 92110
619-224-4871

On the one day of the week that the weather changed from 80 degrees to 68 degrees, windy, and wet, was the one day that the Widows were getting together for lunch.  We had talked about going to the OB Brewery, and in spite of the fact that none of us drink beer, we had heard that the food was so good we should go and check it out.  Except when we drove by to park the car, we saw that the umbrellas were not unfurled; it was wet outside, and, very breezy.  We decided to try it another time.

Our next stop was at the OB Noodle Café.  After all, we reasoned, it was only 11:15am and wouldn’t be too crowded.  Wrong.  It was packed.  So it was left up to me to find a place and I remembered going to the Meechai 25  years ago.  I wondered how much it had changed over the years.

I was pleasantly surprised to find that not much has changed.

The ambiance was inviting; the seating was cozy; and Janet, the server, was the same server from many years ago.  What probably has changed was the menu.

The spicy soup. All photos by Judi Curry.

To begin with there was a lunch menu board on the outside of the restaurant stating that “prices start from $6.95.” The menu itself was over 7 pages and included a lunch special page, dinner specials, soups, salads, Appetizers, curries, Wok specials, rice noodles and Rice as well as House Specials and Seafood.  As if that isn’t enough, there was a long list of “Side Orders” as well, and a list of beverages that were available.

Prices varied from the $6.95 special for a Mixed Vegetable entrée and twenty (?) different ways to have it served.  Many of the items are marked as “spicy”; but there were many that were not marked with the Chili at all.  The Appetizers ranged in price from $5.95 –  to a combination of items for $15.95.

After checking the menu, we decided to order off of the Lunch Specials, and it is quite a bargain.  In addition to the entrée, the meal comes with the soup of the day; a tossed green salad; fried wonton, a fried spring roll and steamed white rice.  There are too many items to mention here, but suffice it to say there is something for everyone.

Scallops

Candy ordered first, and ordered the scallops ($9.95) with broccoli and mushrooms.  She originally ordered the baby corn and mushrooms, but Janet told her they were out of the baby corn.  She suggested the broccoli instead, and Candy thought that would be ok.

Irene ordered the chicken (white meat) for $7.95 and had it with  Sweet and Sour sauce.  (The sauce included pineapple, tomato, cucumber and onion.  Irene asked if it could be made without the onion and there was no problem with the request.)

I ordered the Mixed Seafood – Shrimp, Calamari, Scallop and Green Mussels for $11.95.  I ordered it with the Royal Mixed Vegetables, an assortment of well seasoned, crispy vegetables.

Chicken

We were served the soup of the day, and, unfortunately, it was too spicy for the three of us.  What I ate was very tasty, but after a few bites decided to wait for the entrée.

All three of the plates were presented beautifully.  There were small mounds of rice running the length of the plate, with the entrée on one side, the egg roll and wonton and a dipping sauce on the other side. None of us had any complaints about our meal.  They were, for the most part, served hot, and decidedly cooked to our order.  There was a great deal of food, and Irene and I both took home over half of our order for a second meal.

There was a funny episode however.  (Funny now – maybe not then.) Irene and I had asked for boxes for our leftovers, which, by the way was filled by Janet.  Candy was still eating.  However, without asking her if she was finished – she wasn’t – Janet took the plate off the table.  Candy was so surprised that she didn’t say anything, and as we talked about it and asked her if she was finished, her first response was “I was not sure.”  Only as she thought about it did she realize that she was NOT finished; would have liked to have those last few bites.

Mixed shell fish

All in all, however, it was a very enjoyable meal; it was quiet, and even though there was music playing it was not overwhelming.  There were people that came in to pick up carry out orders; and there were several tables occupied while we were there.  Janet kept saying, in a joking way, that we should come back every week.

Both Irene and Candy only had water to drink; I had Thai Iced Tea that was very good. The temperature of the tea was just right, and I enjoyed the flavor.

Candy’s bill, without tip, came to $10.75; Irene’s was $8.60, and mine came to $16.50.  We asked for separate checks and Janet said that was okay, but when the bill came it was “separate” but all on the same sheet of paper.  Janet told us how much it was but we never saw the bill.  (There is no doubt that it was correct; it would have been nice to see it because when she brought us back the change, each one was in a different “sleeve.”)

We won’t be back next week, Janet, but we will be back.