You're reading: Food Critic: Savory Thai food offered at hot new joint in Kyiv

The appetizing balance between sweet, spicy and salty is one of the main reasons why Thai food is so special. Until quite recently, however, this perfectly balanced cuisine was a rare find in Kyiv.

One had to pay a fortune to travel to Thailand to try some of the authentic specialties.

My latest trip to Thailand neither cost me a lot of money nor took me a lot of time. Moreover, I didn’t actually have to leave Ukraine — I found a small island of cuisine crammed with Thai food and culture in the heart of Kyiv.

Taiskyi Privet (Thai hello in English) is the name of the new restaurant that opened in the capital in November. Only a week after its opening, the eatery has become a must-visit place for fans of Thai cuisine.

Located in Kyiv’s central, historic area, a 15-minute walk from Zoloti Vorota metro station, the restaurant stands out with its unusual, minimalist exterior design and attracts passersby from the quiet Chekhovskyi Lane.

It is the latest venue opened by restaurateurs Misha Katsurin and Dasha Katsurinа, who also own Vietnamskyi Privet (Vietnamese hello) and Kytaiskyi Privet (Chinese hello).

“To create Taiskyi Privet, we traveled in Thailand from Chiang Rai to Phangan, conducted a dozen interviews with Thai chefs, bought, begged, exchanged a hundred recipes from roadside street food vans, restaurants, and markets,” the restaurant’s Facebook page reads.

I chose Taiskyi Privet for a weekday afternoon lunch. As soon as the venue’s door opened I felt like I was at a loud market in Thailand — a crowded place with a variety of spicy smells that amazed me right at the entrance.

There is a sign outside with the restaurant’s name written in Russian. Inside, Taiskyi Privet has one floor and lots of seating.

Everything here reminds of either the busy streets of Bangkok with its heavy traffic, markets and commotion or the charming calm of Thailand’s ancient capital, Ayutthaya.

White-washed walls and huge windows make the premises feel spacious, while its open kitchen adds to the “Thai market” atmosphere.

But what really makes the venue special is the decor and greenery, which seem to be everywhere at Taiskyi Privet: on the ceiling, in vases and pots and also on the plates. One may even feel as if they are wandering the tropical forests of the Gulf at Taiskyi Privet.

According to the restaurant’s staff, many decorative elements at the venue were brought from Thailand, including a giant statue of a tiger that greets visitors at the entrance.

However, it’s not only the decor that the restaurateurs have brought from Thailand. One of the Taiskyi Privet’s chefs is from Thailand too.

Although the restaurant opened only a week before I visited, all the tables were taken. I could not imagine the recently-opened place being fully crowded on a weekday, so I didn’t think of booking a table in advance and had to sit at the bar, enjoying the company of pleasant bartenders and some foreigners also looking for authentic Thai food.

Taiskyi Privet does not have a wardrobe, so all coats are hung in the restaurant’s hall. The staff provides visitors with boxes made of fabric to store their coats or bags.

While the waitress promised to move me to a table as soon as one became free, that didn’t happen. But soon, I didn’t care.

I was at Taiskyi Privet for the gastronomical experience — traditional Thai hot and sour soup, Tom yum, and the rice noodle stir-fry called Pad Thai, Thailand’s de-facto national dish.

The server, Maryna, kindly answered all my questions regarding the ingredients and cooking methods and recommended the original Tom yum soup with hot chili paste.

“Prepared the way people in Thailand do it at home,” she said.

Taiskyi Privet (Thai hello in English) is the name of the new restaurant that opened in the capital in November. Only a week after its opening, the eatery has become a must-visit place for fans of Thai cuisine.
Photo by Kostyantyn Chernichkin
Visitors of Kyiv’s new eatery Taiskyi Privet enjoy their meals on Nov. 20, 2019.
Photo by Kostyantyn Chernichkin
People enjoy Thai food at Taiskyi Privet restaurant in Kyiv on Nov. 20, 2019
Photo by Kostyantyn Chernichkin
Taiskyi Privet opened in the capital on Nov. 13, 2019. It offers traditional Thai food and drinks.
Photo by Kostyantyn Chernichkin
A waiter serves food at Taiskyi Privet restaurant in Kyiv on Nov. 20, 2019.
Photo by Kostyantyn Chernichkin
People get Thai massage at Taiskyi Privet restaurant in Kyiv on Nov. 20, 2019.
Photo by Kostyantyn Chernichkin

The other version of Tom yum the restaurant offers is prepared with coconut milk and less spicy and sour. “Tom yum for tourists,” according to the waiter. I decided to go with the original one.

Apart from Thai soups, Taiskyi Privet offers a variety of rice, noodles, salads and seafood. According to the waitress, one of their best dishes is Thai fried rice with chicken or shrimp and green curry with chicken and rice. Visitors can also find Thai breakfasts served all day long, including a Thai omelet with crab meat for Hr 270 ($11) or rice with ginger and meatballs for Hr 95 (almost $4).

My Tom yum arrived some nine minutes after I placed the order, and the Pad Thai came in another five. The waitress said they bring the food whenever it’s ready, so I had to finish the soup quickly so as to not eat cold noodles.

Served in a medium-sized aluminum bowl, my Tom yum was extremely hot and sour but still mouthwatering with shrimp, mushrooms, onions and spices. The soup was, however, a little overpriced at Hr 245 ($10) for 350 grams.

The Pad Thai was also served on an aluminum plate, with bright pink chopsticks. Made with rice noodles, stir-fried with eggs, chopped firm tofu, fried chicken, shrimps and bean sprouts, the Pad Thai was served with red chili pepper, sugar, a piece of lime and chopped roasted peanuts.

With its diverse flavors and ample portion, this Pad Thai for Hr 135 (over $5) was close to being a full and delicious meal by itself.

On the drinks menu, Taiskyi Privet serves a variety of dry and sparkling wines, alcoholic cocktails and strong alcohols as well as wild teas, matcha, beer and cider from Thailand and smoothies for those who stick to a healthy diet.

I ordered some amazingly refreshing wild green Thai tea for Hr 75 ($3).

Although I was no longer hungry, to sweeten the pot I decided to try the recommended dessert — their homemade coconut ice cream with chopped pieces of coconut. The dessert costs Hr 105 ($4.30) and turned out to be my favorite dish at Taiskyi Privet. I felt “the taste of paradise” (as if I was at the shooting of a Bounty chocolate bar commercial).

I found each of the dishes tasty enough to make me want to come back and try more.

And while I was enjoying my meal, the waitress kept asking me about the food, whether I liked it or not. She was not bothering me, but on the contrary, I felt pleased that she cared.

The staff is the heart of Taiskyi Privet. I rarely find a venue’s personnel so polite, welcoming and nice. Apart from the English-language menu, waiters at Taiskyi Privet also speak English and are ready to recommend something on the menu.

Taiskyi Privet seems perfect for any occasion: some tables were occupied by couples having a romantic date while a woman came to the venue with her giant St. Bernard dog, which was not a problem for the staff.

I also noticed many customers with their kids ordering mango with sticky rice, another well-known Thai dessert. And since the restaurant was all booked, there were also lots of people ordering Thai food to go.

Kyiv’s new restaurant Taiskyi Privet serves traditional Thai food, including hot and sour soup, Tom yum, and the rice noodle stir-fry called Pad Thai.
Photo by Kostyantyn Chernichkin
Taiskyi Privet opened in the capital on Nov. 13, 2019. It offers traditional Thai food and drinks
Photo by Kostyantyn Chernichkin
A chef at Taiskyi Privet restaurant prepares food at the venues open kitchen on Nov. 20, 2019.
Photo by Kostyantyn Chernichkin
Kyiv’s new restaurant Taiskyi Privet serves traditional Thai food, including hot and sour soup, Tom yum, and the rice noodle stir-fry called Pad Thai.
Photo by Kostyantyn Chernichkin

But what distinguishes Taiskyi Privet from other Kyiv restaurants is the possibility to get a real Thai massage – a regular thing for Thailand but a rarity in Kyiv. The two masseuses working at Taiskyi Privet are Cholanda and Khornjit. Both have certificates and offer various neck and foot massages at the venue for Hr 150-400 (nearly $6-16).

What added to my pleasant experience at Taiskyi Privet was the bill. I got a 20% discount for the meal due to the restaurant’s lunchtime pricing. So instead of the full cost of Hr 560 (about $23), I paid Hr 460 ($19) for the three-course meal and tea, which is a great deal.

And when I was leaving the eatery, I was bid goodbye by at least four waiters – a clear indicator of good service.

Taiskyi Privet is definitely worth a visit. Not only did I try some authentic Thai food, I also found my new favorite spot in Kyiv.

“We hope to see you soon again,” one of the waiters’ said.

I went out smiling. At that point, I already knew I would come back.

Taiskyi Privet. 2/48 Chekhovskyi Ln. Mon-Sun — 1-11 p.m. +38050 845 5505