Manaow

Either I'm getting too old and starting to appreciate flavors I didn't enjoy in the past, or this place simply makes amazing selections. As I passed by, I initially thought this location was a water shop, given the jugs on display as decorations and its proximity to a laundromat. However, this restaurant actually offers unique Northern and Southern Thai dishes. Even though we arrived before it got busy, the pace of our food coming out was fairly slow.What we ordered:PAPAYA SALAD (Green papaya, carrots, crushed toasted peanuts, green beans, fish sauce, fresh garlic chili, tomato, and lime juice) - Before trying their salad, I wasn't a big fan of papaya salad, as I don't usually enjoy the fishy dressing. However, I was pleasantly surprised--the dressing didn't overpower the dish, and I really liked the crunchy texture of the papaya shreds. We asked for MEDIUM spice, and it had a LINGERING heat from the jalapeño.GREEN CURRY WITH CHICKEN (Bamboo shoots, bell peppers, jalapeño, Thai basil, and coconut milk) - Green curry is one of my favorite Thai dishes, and this place did not disappoint. It's described as a spicy curry, but it wasn't as spicy as the salad. Instead, I loved the creamy basil and jalapeño-infused broth.Other notable items I need to try on the menu are the Northern Style Curried Noodles and Southern Style Curried Noodles. I'm interested in exploring different regional noodle dishes and discovering which one I like best.

We haven't been here much since we graduated from CSULB years ago -- so we were excited to be back.Unfortunately we had terrible service from a new waitress there, Paige T. She gave us our waters, but she sprayed Lysol in the direction of our table to clean the table right besides ours -- spraying quite close to the point where we saw some of the mist get in our waters. At least be mindful when you're spraying in the direction of your customers, especially if there's not much space in between tables -- But if you're not, not a big deal at all, especially if we can always ask for new waters and easily resolve the issue that way. But it's another thing to make us feel bad for asking for new waters. I was nervous to ask in a way to not come off rude, as asking for something like that can easily come off rude. So when my partner asked for us -- after the waiter gave us a weird look, I was relieved when he explained very tactfully, gently & politely why. After the waters were replaced, we were ready enjoy our first time back (and not let something so small ruin the night). However, since then, the waitress began rushing us, repeatedly asking "is that all" in a very passive-aggressive tone... didn't realize she was so pressed until 5-6 times in -- especially when she asked 2 separate times within less than 5 seconds with an annoyed & wide-eyed, fake smile that ruined our night. My partner is fine going back despite her unprofessionalism but this waitress' passive aggressive attitude & behavior ruined it for me.

Fantastic! Absolute favorite Thai restaurant! I grew up going to Thai classic and drove to the location in Long Beach and saw it was closed on Saturday morning. We found this hole on the wall and we struck gold! My boyfriend isn't a huge Thai food fanatic but Manaow made him convert! The young coconut is sweet and refreshing. My boyfriend ordered the lemonade and raved about it! I ordered the pad Thai with chicken but the winner was the pad see ew with beef. Absolutely mouth watering! We walked in for the lunch special and will be returning soon!

Just started trying "the taste of Thailand set menu"Delicious!!!!!!Today we tried the Central Thailand Bangkok Set: it come with Galanga soup with chickenThai omelette with ground chickenJasmine rice Cucumber relishAll items delicious and the flavor pairing is perfect. The sweetness of the cucumber relish really balances everything. The soup has amazing flavor similar to Tom YumThe servers are always very attentive/kindand the Manaow crowd is always a chill vibe.Can't wait to come back and try the rest of the Set Menu

Northern style curried noodles w chicken - chewy egg noodles in creamy coconut broth with tender-falling off the bone-chicken, there is a bit of a spice kick but def not overwhelming. Adding the mustard greens and purple onions cuts back on the strong coconut cream to really balance the dish out. Very hearty and one of the best curried noodles I've had.Thai iced coffee - def on the sweeter side, texture is very watery not creamy but there is a strong coffee aftertaste - if you're a sweet coffee person, this is for you! I would recommend asking them to put it in a Togo cup.Service super friendly but there is a bit of a wait (~15min). Parking lot fills up pretty quick but there's street parking.

We rolled up to Manaow on a mellow Thursday afternoon, stomachs growling and hopes high. Bonus points for parking--though it's limited. We arrived here around 4:30 PM and not too long after this place was packed with no parking spots left! So be sure to arrive early First impressions? Manaow is serving ambiance realness. The modern minimalistic decor paired with warm, cozy lighting was a nice touch. I highly recommend the following:1. Tamarind Juice: Wow, I was not expecting this! Tart yet sweet, with a spicy rim that complimented the drink so nicely!2. Tamarind Chicken Wings: Crispy, juicy, with caramelized tamarind goodness. I totally could have eaten 2 or 3 more plates 3. Mango Sticky Rice: Fresh, sweet mangoes paired with sticky rice cooked to perfection--this dish is proof that simplicity can be sublime. I nearly shed a tear.4. Thai Pancakes: My first Thai pancake experience, and wow. Think sweet, crispy, flaky roti with just enough sweetness to make you swoon. Why haven't I had these before? Why wasn't I warned about how addictive they are?5. Tom Yum Shrimp Soup: A warm, comforting hug in a bowl. The shrimp were no joke--plump and hefty, just how I like em The Pad See Ew. The noodles? Perfection. The flavor? Fantastic. But the meat? So tough my jaw grew tired of chewing :( Overall, Manaow knows how to wow. Between the beautiful plating, delicious flavors, and attentive service, it's safe to say I'm smitten. I'm already planning my return trip to explore the rest of their menu.

So I was craving papaya salad...on the hunt for an authentic Thai papaya salad or at least close to. Came with little family. The restaurant was cozy and open concept, the deco was simple & modern. I expected it to be Americanize but I peep at the reviews a little bit and was excited to try it. I told myself if it isn't ahhhh..at least I tried it. Ordered:Chicken wings Fried rice Papaya saladFried fish curry Chicken sataydrinks sample-tamarind juice But the comments were not all wrong..even though the papaya salad it's not umami & authentic enough the flavors of the balanced sweet, sour, salty was there. I love the papaya salad.The wing chickens were a hit with my peeps. The sticky but crunchy wings were perfect combo with the richness of sweet & tangy sauce. Got the fried rice combo and it was a perfect plate as it's not overwhelming the other favors of the other dishes. Chicken satay was also a hit with my boys. The catfish curry was very flavorful. The only thing is that I would have thought it was made frm scratch, passed by and saw the premade curry. Which was still good! We also tried the drink samples which when you taste the little shots of drinks you can pick the one you like the best in a regular size order. Love the food I'll be bck to try other items. The service was good

We had lunch here and what a great experience. The service was excellent and the food was even better. We had drunken noodles, papaya salad, and curry and couldn't help but eat off each others' plates as everything was so good. The ambiance is relaxed and welcoming. Great spot.

My usual Thai spot on this street was closed because they took the Day After Christmas off and I was dying for some khao soi and I had also gotten khao soi on this same block, a few businesses down a while back, but it didn't compare to the one that was closed. And I noticed that just 5 minutes down the road, there was another Thai place that sold khao soi, so I came here. I liked the triangle lights on the ceiling. Wanted to get full so I also ordered moo ping. The dipping sauce was off the wall! The flavor was amazing! Elevated the dish like you wouldn't believe. So much so that I used my side of sticky rice to dip it in when I had finished the skewers. The main event, the khao soi hit hard. I had missed that broth taste since my last taste of it a month ago. Excellent food, excellent service. If my place is closed again, I know where I'm coming!

We got there when they just opened since I craved chicken wings early in the morning lol so we got both the crispy stuffed wings and the tamarind wings. I was sooo impressed. Wings are juicy. Both kinds are unique and flavorful. I love the stuffed wings a bit more. I made these before and it's quite a production to debone, stuff fillings and fry to crispy while keeping the inside juicy. There's nothing short of perfection for these wings! Then the drunken noodles. I love the spiciness. It's true Thai spicy lol and quite addicting. Can't stop eating it though my mouth is burning.Come to put out the fire are the drinks lol The Thai iced tea is perfect sweetness. Lots of Thai restaurants I tried have sickeningly sweet tea. But this one is super tasty and a cure for the drunken noodles. But then I got stuck in the unending loop of drunken noodles and Thai tea lol it was very satisfying at the end though. Oh we decided the Thai tea from trying the drink flight of tamarind juice, limeade, lemongrass, Thai coffee and Thai tea. Honestly, I'll be happy with any one off these drinks. They're really tasty and a great companion to the food.Other dishes we tried are duck noodles soup and green curry. There are both good but I got pulled back into the drunken noodles loop. Gosh, didn't I say it's addicting? LoL Anyway, there are more dishes to try but I'll definitely be back for wings and drunken noodles and drinks! Manaow is awesome!Oh and a walk to the beach after all this food is highly recommended lol only 12 minutes walk away from the shore, with breeze in your hair, Thai tea in your hand, Thai food in your big belly lol