Phillyist Reveiws... Kao Tip

by Debbie Foster

Trying new restaurants is something that my husband and I love to do, so when I saw that a new Thai restaurant had opened up in our neighborhood, I co-opted my husband, parents, sister and son to go and try it out.

My official opinion: yummy, yummy, more, more.

Kao Tip, located in NE Philadelphia (on Cottman Avenue just off of Frankford avenue) is an encouraging addition to the culinary palate of an area of the city that is stuck on cheese steaks, pizza and wings. (Not that there's anything wrong with any of those, but living in lower Mayfair, our choices tend to be limited to the pizza joint that delivers, or the one you can sit in and eat at.)

The interior is classy, but not too stiff, with some lovely artwork. The staff was both pleasant and knowledgeable. (Although, in the interest of full disclosure, our group of 6 was the only table in the restaurant for our entire meal.) The menu is simple, but the execution is delightful. They've put a lot of thought into the presentation, and the food is delicious.

Our group took advantage of the 3-course dinner special. For $14.95 it included a choice of soup or salad, an appetizer (from a limited menu) and an entreé - which included an option to create your own. As someone who has eaten Massaman Curry all over the world, I'd have to say that theirs is one of the best that I've had. Several people in our group commented on the fact that the seafood dishes were loaded with seafood. Everyone in our group was equally pleased with his/her meal, including my 3-year-old son, for whom the chef was nice enough to make a dish that wasn't on the menu.

The options for dessert were few, but also tasty. The fried bananas that the table shared were good, but the coconut and green tea ice cream was the big hit. Especially with the aforementioned 3-year-old.

Kao Tip is BYOB, but with a state store located directly across the street, one of our group commented that you could very likely order, and then go pick out a wine to go with your meal. The only issue we encountered with the restaurant was the bathrooms, which while very nice and clean, were small, and as a parent traveling with a small child who needed a diaper change, the lack of changing area (or room to maneuver) was challenging for me. I would definitely eat here again, and I recommend that you try it out if you're in the area.

Kao Tip
3520 Cottman Avenue
Phila, PA 19136
(215) 708-8799

Photo of the interior of Kao Tip by Tim