Talay: The Upscale Coastal Thai Date Night Spot Orlando Was Missing
Thai restaurants are abundant in Orlando, but when it comes to upscale Thai eateries, that hasn’t really penetrated the Orlando food market. The exception is Talay, which offers the most date night friendly Thai environment in the city. But this restaurant isn’t just all looks, the food here is solid and offers a nice coastal Thai menu compared to the usual classics of curry and pad Thai.
Scallop Prik Pao
We started off with the scallop prik pao, three one-biter scallops that were perfectly tender, still a little rare on the inside with a hard sear on the top and bottom. The sauce is a bit on the salty side but had all the fundamental flavors of a Thai dish, citrusy, herbaceous, and briny, with a definite taste of fish sauce in there. I can handle my spice pretty well so it was all flavor for me, but if you are someone that doesn’t eat spicy often you should probably pick off that little chili slice on top.
Tod Mun Goong Good
Another appetizer we got was the tod mun goong, fried shrimp pancakes. These taste almost identical to the fried shrimp balls I get every time from YH Seafood Clubhouse. They have good shrimp flavor, and I really liked the touch of adding a whole shrimp in the middle which gives it a bouncy chew. It’s served with a sweet, syrupy sauce which I liked.
Pla Neung Ma Now
Our first entree was the pla neung ma now, a very light looking dish with a broth that looks like water but is packed with freshness and flavor. The sourness of the broth really makes you salivate and pairs well with rice. The fish itself was overcooked though, it’s a filet of Chilean sea bass, so it’s a pretty forgiving fish with a dense meaty texture and high fat content, but I could tell it was steamed too long because it came out a bit tough.
If the fish was cooked less this dish would have been a hit. I’ve had this dish at a different place before with a whole fish, skin still on, and I prefer it that way. It’s just more fun to pick at a fish and scrape the meat off the bones.
Hor Mok Talay Good
I also got the hor mok talay, which shares its name with the restaurant so of course I had to order it. It’s a seafood medley of mussels, calamari, shrimp, and fish in a custardy coconut curry. Thai curry is usually not my favorite because I find it too sweet and watery, but this dish was really good and unique. It tastes like Thai food but leans into savoriness rather than sweetness, and the coconut flavor was not overbearing, just enough to taste the aroma. This is another dish that goes very well with rice.
Atmosphere & Mood
The food will always be the most important thing to me when I dine out, but I also really like a well designed space, and this place is definitely jazzed up compared to the typical casual Thai joint in Orlando. There’s a bar as the centerpiece of the restaurant with modern wood accents and moody lighting. Honestly it was a little too dark in the restaurant after sunset, apparent when the table next to us had to turn on her phone flashlight just to read the menu.
- ✓Nice intimate environment.
- ✓Hor mok talay is a unique seafood focused dish.
- ✓Seafood is very fresh.
- ✗The seabass can be inconsistent in its cook.
- ✗Lighting could definitely be brighter.
Tips for Visiting
- The tod mun goong is a safe, tasty appetizer with a nice bouncy shrimp bite.
- Skip the classics like pad Thai or standard curries, this menu is built for seafood focused dishes.
- Great for date night with a strong cocktail program and moody atmosphere.
- Free parking is very limited in this area.
- Reservations are recommended for the weekends since it gets packed during peak dinner hours.
