Thai Pearl sits in a shotgun-style hall of a building on Haywood Road in West Asheville. If you blink when you pass by, you’ll definitely miss it. This several-year-old establishment was new to me until this week. I was craving some curry and needed to try something different.
It was very busy, so they seated us at the bar facing the kitchen, which is something I’m always fond of. Again, as I mention so often in my reviews, I love feeling like I’m in a big city.
The decor is nice. Over us hung strands of dried chili peppers and garlic looped together like stalks, dancing together most pleasantly.
The bubbly server brought our beverages quickly. I had the can of Sapporo, which, given the option, is forever my go-to with any Asian cuisine. She had a very dry cider.
We started with fresh rolls, rice paper filled with cabbage, basil, mint, red onion, romaine, shrimp and carrots, served with a hoisin sauce topped with crumbled peanuts. This simple pleasure is rarely disappointing. We also tried the Thai fried onion rings with spicy mayo. It was quite the misnomer to call these “Thai”, but they were as tasty as those from the county fair.
We shared the Tom kha, a soup of coconut milk, galangal, kaffir lime leaf, lemongrass, carrot, onion, cilantro and scallion, and it was pretty good.
For her entree, she went with the Pad See-Ew, which is wide rice noodles stir-fried in sweet black soy sauce with egg, onion, carrot, broccoli, cabbage and Asian greens. I wish I’d ordered that as well! It was absolutely delicious.
I chose the Massaman, a curry of tamarind, cumin, turmeric with coconut milk, mixed with carrots, onion and potato, topped with crushed peanuts and crispy onion. I often order this at Thai restaurants and this was very ordinary, even for an ordinary dish. Not bad, but not good either.
Overall, I see why this place has mixed reviews about the food. I will say we enjoyed the atmosphere and the service quite a bit. There are far better Thai spots in town, but if you’re hungry and you’re on the Westside, it’ll do.
Rating: 🍴🍴🍴
Editor’s Note: Fork & Dagger is 828newsNOW’s anonymous restaurant review series, written by our independent Grub Scout—no freebies, no press perks, no agenda. Grub Scout pays full price, visits unannounced, and takes notes on food, service, atmosphere, and value. Each review reflects a recent, honest experience rated on our 1‑to‑5 fork scale. We aim to help you discover standout dining spots—from casual diners to white‑tablecloth affairs—one bite at a time.
Thai Pearl sits in a shotgun-style hall of a building on Haywood Road in West Asheville. If you blink when you pass by, you’ll definitely miss it. This several-year-old establishment was new to me until this week. I was craving some curry and needed to try something different.
It was very busy, so they seated us at the bar facing the kitchen, which is something I’m always fond of. Again, as I mention so often in my reviews, I love feeling like I’m in a big city.
The decor is nice. Over us hung strands of dried chili peppers and garlic looped together like stalks, dancing together most pleasantly.
The bubbly server brought our beverages quickly. I had the can of Sapporo, which, given the option, is forever my go-to with any Asian cuisine. She had a very dry cider.
We started with fresh rolls, rice paper filled with cabbage, basil, mint, red onion, romaine, shrimp and carrots, served with a hoisin sauce topped with crumbled peanuts. This simple pleasure is rarely disappointing. We also tried the Thai fried onion rings with spicy mayo. It was quite the misnomer to call these “Thai”, but they were as tasty as those from the county fair.
We shared the Tom kha, a soup of coconut milk, galangal, kaffir lime leaf, lemongrass, carrot, onion, cilantro and scallion, and it was pretty good.
For her entree, she went with the Pad See-Ew, which is wide rice noodles stir-fried in sweet black soy sauce with egg, onion, carrot, broccoli, cabbage and Asian greens. I wish I’d ordered that as well! It was absolutely delicious.
I chose the Massaman, a curry of tamarind, cumin, turmeric with coconut milk, mixed with carrots, onion and potato, topped with crushed peanuts and crispy onion. I often order this at Thai restaurants and this was very ordinary, even for an ordinary dish. Not bad, but not good either.
Overall, I see why this place has mixed reviews about the food. I will say we enjoyed the atmosphere and the service quite a bit. There are far better Thai spots in town, but if you’re hungry and you’re on the Westside, it’ll do.
