Thai Purple Orchid Café

I’m astounded that this place still has great reviews and is the first suggestion Unilocal gives me for restaurants in the area. I went here a few months ago, and the waitress was very nice. That is the only positive thing I can say. There were no menus, but we were told we could order any typical Thai food. After about 15 minutes, she brought us water and said that actually, we could not get any curries, only noodle dishes because they ran out of rice. And this was before 7 pm, not close to closing time. At that point we just had to leave because that was not going to work out. Another positive is that the story of the Thai restaurant that ran out rice is an ongoing joke in my family.

Delicious and worth the wait! Pro tip: get a carry out order. It took a hour to receive all of our food but the quality was the best I have had. I have been to over ten Thai restaurants claiming to be the best in three different states. I love the hospitality and atmosphere. The bathroom is clean and well kept. The grocery is quite nice as well. Also you can get any menu item mad vegetarian or vegan! I recommend som tum, pad Thai, and tom kah! These are classics made with quality ingredients and thankfully not overly salty. I love that medium spice was still a good kick and Thai Hot is about three levels above medium. Expect a wait but also great service and genuine Thai food.

Love this place. It never disappoints, no matter what I order. Ordered the spring rolls as an appetizer and had the pineapple fried rice as my entrée. My wife ordered the tom yum soup and panang curry and it was all amazing as always.

Based on all the fantastic reviews, I decided to check them out for lunch with a coworker. We went on a Tuesday for lunch at around 12, and we were literally the only ones in the place.
We decided to start with summer rolls. The rolls were actually kind of hard and not the usual texture you would expect. The dipping sauce was served warm. This si actually the first time I had it this way, and did not care for it. For lunch I got my staple, Red curry. After about 30 minutes, yes, 30, we were still the only ones in there, the food came out. I can explain it best as adequate. It had a somewhat burnt taste to it.
The owner was very nice, and asked how everything was, but I just didn’t want to hurt her feelings as she loves what she does, and we had already been there for an hour. I really wish I liked this place more. I just don’t think that I can come back with all the other great Thai places around.

We have been coming here for the past couple years and we love it! The owner is kind and loves to get to know her customers, not to mention that the food is delicious.
The place is small but cute and very well-​kept – you can sense the pride in it. The staff are attentive and personable, and they make my personal favorite Thai tea in town.
We usually tend toward the curries and noodles. The curries are flavorful and full of fresh ingredients – the panang is savory enough to make my tongue beg for more, yet super satisfying. The noodles are cooked well and covered with yummy sauces.
You can also pick up some specialty groceries after your meal; and the prices are great!

You have to come here! I am completely blown away with how delicious this lunch was. I had the green curry. Every bite was bursting with flavor. This also has to be the freshest food I have had in a very long time. The service was so nice and accommodating. I’m on the road a lot in Orlando and eat out often. I will come back here anytime I’m in the area. We need one of these on every corner.

Loved the clean and homey atmosphere. The owner is very nice. The food wasn’t bad, but I’ve only been there once so I only tried the pad thai that I ordered and the red curry chicken that my girlfriend had. I don’t typically eat Thai food, and this was my first time trying pad thai, but I thought it was too sweet. The curry was good, but also a little on the sweet side. Might come back to try something else because of the atmosphere.

Super awesome thai food! Place is not fancy but food is just great. I ordered vegetable fried rice with tofu and loved it. I would definitely visit this place again.

Really good! But the service was kinda terrible they took forever and so long to check us out! Don’t come here if u are in a rush other wise the food is amazing. We got Tofu, shrimp and chicken dishes all very very delicious. Also be advised the menu items have changed prices and they didn’t tell me until check out time they tried to charge me extra but I wasn’t having it. Ask for the updated prices before you order!

Delicious food but I’ve decided to take off a star because of the quality of the service. The owners and workers are very sweet but theyre not attentive. I’ve never gotten a refill on my glass of water which can be dire since thai food can be so spicy. Plus my entrée got messed up and I got another plate I didn’t want. I didnt want to ask her to make another since it takes a while to cook so I just made do. However, looking past these negatives, the food is outstanding!
The spring rolls are the best I’ve ever had and the tom ka gai soup is absolutely delicious and perfectly seasoned. The yellow curry also tastes really amazing. I would suggest eating here if you like fresh and delicious thai food.

My husband and I were killing time in the area, and decided to try this place based on previous reviews. The restaurant isn’t impressive from the outside, but the inside is very clean and cozy. We ordered the spring rolls to start, he got the Bangkok fried rice as his main dish and I ordered the vegetarian red curry with tofu. Although it took a while for our food to arrive, we were instantly able to tell everything had been prepared fresh. The food was phenomenal. Portions were huge! The service was also excellent. I can’t recommend this place enough, definitely give it a try! I also ended up getting a Thai iced coffee on the way out-​soooo good!!!

Delicious! So glad I ran into this little gem! Thai tea, pad Thai, and pad see ew are to die for!

This place is really charming for a multitude of reasons. The cook actually comes out to take your order and the food is very good! Pad Thai & curries are really excellent here.

It’s weird that this place has over a hundred reviews because it’s always empty when I go. This is a nice find. I like this place because it’s an inexpensive, clean hole in the wall that’s conveniently located nearby. I got the Pad Thai and it was just what I wanted. My boyfriend got some curry and enjoyed his meal as well. This place closes up early so no, you cannot eat here past like 7:45. The people who work there are very nice and I would come back.

Amazing food and great service. I am Thai and I have not had any authentic Thai food around here in Orlando except for this restaurant. Make sure you go!

I don’t know what’s happened to the place but the grocery section is now completely gone. Also, I believe they cut down on menu items as well.
Came in a few weeks ago and ordered pad see ew and spring rolls. It took 40 minutes and I was the only person there. They gave me the noodles usually used for pad thai instead which ruined the dish for me because the noodles were chewy and not tender like pad see ew noodles are and the spring rolls were way too greasy like they fried them in oil that wasn’t yet hot enough.
Then a few days ago, I came in again. No one was even at the counter so I took a seat and waited. (They should have known someone came in because the door has a loud beeper)
5 minutes later, no one took my order so I went to the kitchen entrance and they said they’d «be out in one minute.» 10 minutes later and I still hadn’t gotten to put in my order. Went to ask them again and they said «I know but I need to finish cooking this dish and I’ll be out.»
Really? There were 2 people in the kitchen and one of the ladies was just restocking so I don’t understand why they couldn’t step out for a moment to take my order…
3 minutes later and I left. Literally waited 18 minutes and they still didn’t even take my order or get me water.

I love this place! It’s a hidden gem with excellent food and the owners are very sweet. I always get either red or green Curry medium hot. I’ve never been disappointed.

The food wasn’t as good as other places I have been to but they were busy. The service was good as well too. So enjoy but don’t expect more then the average.

The owner was very nice and friendly! It’s a small mom and pop place in a small plaza.
Chicken Pad Thai — it was tasty and the size of the portion was pretty good for the price. I wasn’t asked how spicy I wanted it so I would ask next time if you prefer it to be spicy.
Bangkok Chicken Fried Rice — the portion was good. It tasted like a basic fried rice in my opinion but it was still good.
Red Curry Chicken — I wasn’t asked how spicy I wanted the curry but it came mild. The taste of the curry was better than most of the red curry that I have tasted in the past. The bamboo shoots are my favourite part of the curry and there was plenty of it!
Overall the food that I tried was pretty tasty and it was good for the price too. I did order ahead of time over the phone and it took a little while before the food was ready even after the given time. It was only one person cooking and serving so it was understandable.

My 1^st review of any Thai restaurant is with their Thai basil (Prow Gra). I like the dish and I feel that its ingredients (chili, fish oil, onion, garlic, and other veggies) make this dish full of flavor and texture. Also any protein can be added without sacrificing the dish. My two favorite proteins are tofu and chicken.
The look of this dish was different from other restaurants. I’m used to the texture of the base to be pasty, and this dish came out more like a stew or soup. The taste was different as well. Even though it had enough heat (I ordered Thai Hot) the underlying taste was tangy, much closer to Mongolian or Bulgogi.
It wasn’t what I was looking for but I liked it. It is not my favorite Prow Gra but nonetheless a tasty dish.

Tried this place when I got a Groupon for it and although it doesn’t have the best ambiance and other appearance, it really does have he authentic small mom and shop feel. The pad Thai is awesome and no-​fail choice when craving Thai food and the curry is very authentic. The portions of food are alright, but it’s proportional to the price. The Thai is also my jam! Overall, great Thai place and if you love Thai food go!

A nice place with a great owner she makes everyone feel welcome. I tried the panang curry chicken medium and it was great. I will be back to try it Thai hot.

Awesome. Owner was amazingly nice and loved her. Treated me like family and even while she was cooking would come out and ask me questions.
You could tell it was super fresh and she makes her food with love, something you don’t find frequently.
If you’re in the area, come here. It’s that good.

Great food! We have been there several times and the food is always great.
Sometimes it takes a bit for the food to come out, but it is always worth the wait. It is a small family owned and run place. They are super nice too.

I really wanted this to be much better experience than it turned out to be. My boyfriend and I were on a mission for good thai food and due to the reviews we decided on this place which was much more out of our way than we really cared to go (we were near Universal Studios). We got to this cute little place after 30 minutes of driving to find a single person working there. We started off with fried spring rolls and then ordered the thai basil (medium spice) with tofu as well as the panang curry with tofu. The spring rolls alone took half an hour to come out to us. There were a couple of single gentlemen who came in after us who were served before we were. As a very hungry couple we finished the spring rolls super quick only to be waiting another 30 mins for our lunch. The place was not super busy and there honestly was no reason for 2 people who came in after us to get their food before we did. When we eventually got our food it wasn’t exceptional but was pretty good. Portion sizes were right for the price and there were a variety of condiments to help out with spicing up the dishes. (Mine wasn’t spicy at all!) Overall, it was okay… I prob wont be back though.

Absolutely phenomenal food. This place makes me smile with their wonderful socially-​conscious art and their summer rolls! My favorite dish is the pineapple fried rice. I love the owners who are just about the kindest people I’ve ever met. I promise you 100% if you go here you will get treated like family. Thank you for the pleasant experiences :)

Still my absolute go to place for Thai food in Orlando. The owner and her daughter are unbelievably sweet and always remember you! We have had great conversations. The prices are amazing with lunch being 6.95 for almost all entrees and dinner being 9.95. Sometimes it takes awhile for the food to be ready but the end result is always on point and fresh.
I always order the Tofu drunken noodles, medium spicy and my fiancé gets the Bangkok fried rice with chicken, medium spicy. We never have a complaint! I have also had the Tom ka gai soup (my favorite Thai dish!) and it’s equally as good. I definitely recommend this place for its food and hospitality.

I am sorry that I can’t provIde a better review. Maybe we caught them on a bad day.
Very hot inside — air conditioning not working properly and the fans that were set up did not help much. Service was just ok and barely pleasant.
Food took forever to come out. Took over 15 minutes just to get our drinks. Were there for lunch. Restaurant was not crowded to the degree that there should have been such a wait.
Interior looks to be clean but not very inviting.
Food was average and did not overcome other negatives.

I finally managed to get my wife away from her school books long enough to join me for lunch today and I already had this trip place on my mind. It was so good the last time I could not wait to bring her here for lunch. That and a $ 10 off deal from
was even more enticing.
My last time here I had the Thai Basil and that is what my wife wanted. She also ordered the summer rolls, Tom Yum Goong and a glass of Thai Iced Tea to wash it down. I chose the Pad Thai along with some summer rolls, Tom Ka Gai and a glass of unsweet tea with lime to wash it down. To my surprise the owner also makes some Thai Iced Coffee and OMG is it good. It is not on the menu but if you ask for it, she will know who told you about it… wink
The summer rolls were just as I remembered them… OFF THE CHAIN! My wife prefers the crispy ones so I ended up with 4 and not two. Oh the pain… giggle
The Tom Yum Goong could have used a wee bit more flavor to the broth for my taste but the wife loved it just like it was. The Tom Ka Gai stole the show in my opinion. The way the coconut milk and lemongrass came together with the galanga was superb. I could have made a meal of this soup all by itself in a giant bowl!
The Thai Basil she ordered was a bit spicier than I ordered it my last trip and OMG did I like the way the chef kicked it up. Not enough to overpower the dish but enough to say… HELLO
The Pad Thai was delicious but I would have preferred a few more bean sprouts in mine. But to be fair, I just love bean sprouts… lol Other than that, the flavor was superb and the noodles were cooked JUST RIGHT. Nothing ruins Pad Thai more than gummy noodles… I should have ordered it with the pork but I decided to try the beef for a change. It was good but I guess I just prefer the flavor of the pork to be honest.
We were stuffed silly but of course I was tempted into a dish of sticky rice and mango. I probably would have enjoyed it more if I was not already bursting at the belt line but somehow I cleared the plate so it must have been good… Just how good you ask… You will just have to go find out for yourself like I did…
You can expect future updates because I have a long way to go to get through this menu… lol

This place is a little difficult to find, but its worth the search.
The food is delicious, and they will make it as hot (or not) as you like.
Choose one of the vegan options if you want that.
The friendly, gracious mother-​daughter team who run this place make you feel as welcome as if you were dining in your aunts house.
Be sure to order the Thai iced tea!
While the outside is a bit sketchy and off putting don’t let that keep you away; the inside is comfortable and spotlessly clean.
The prices are pretty good already, but we purchased discount coupons @
They close at 8:00, but won’t throw you out if you’re still eating.
If that’s too early for you, order takeout. The menu is posted on their website.
LOTS of people do.
If you can find this review on Unilocal*.you should be able to find this hidden gem of a restaurant.
As I mentioned, they treat guests very well.

Excellent choices, flavors, and prices. We enjoyed our appetizers and entrees. If you order the pad Thai, just know it’s on the sweet side. If you prefer it spicer, just order how you wish!
The dining area is homey and you can even browse local art work displayed and ready for purchase if you desire.
There’s a small market in the back. I didn’t take a look tonight, but I will in the future.
I forgot to post a pic of our entrees. We were so hungry we dove right in!

What a great little place to eat. Very plain inside but the food is the reason you go there. Prepared fresh for you with no MSG is a big plus. There were only three other couples there when we went on a Friday night but they were doing a fair amount of takeout and everyone who came in was greeted by Nisa, the owner and her daughter. This is a family owned business and you can tell there is a lot of pride in the preparation of the food.
I had Beef Drunken Noodles with the Fish cakes for an appetizer. My SO had chicken curry. So much food and so good, we will be going back often.

This is not fancy but a cozy little family run place. I ordered fish cake and the Panang chicken and it turned out to be yum!
The food and the friendliness of the hostess Nisa will definitely make me visit again!

We wanted to love this place so much… Based on other reviews, maybe we just hit a really off day, but we walked out very disappointed after reading all the hype in other reviews.
First impressions: it doesn’t look like much of a restaurant from the outside. That’s fine; many of the best restaurants look like holes in the wall. The interior is very utilitarian — about 8 or 9 tables and some sparse, generic decorations on the wall.
We were promptly and warmly greeted as we walked in. The mother and daughter that ran the place incredibly nice, but good service only goes so far.
After going over the menu, our intentions were to order the papaya salad (listed on the menu). Of course, there was no papaya salad — which is seasonal, so fair enough. How about summer rolls with pork? Nope. No pork for summer rolls — they don’t offer them with pork anymore, and they were working on a new menu to reflect that (the guy at the next table was actually working on the new menu design while we were there). My wife doesn’t eat shrimp or chicken, so no Summer Rolls for us. Oh, they have vegetarian Spring Rolls! Nope. Out of those. OK. A house salad it is.
To be fair, it was a really good house salad.
So, for entrees — Panang Curry with tofu — hot, with brown rice instead of white, and Pad Khing with pork — medium. To finish, taro dumplings for dessert.
Apparently, they failed at making brown rice today. The mother came out to apologize. I couldn’t really hear what she was saying, as the table next to us was being too loud, but my wife said it was something about the cook trying some new rice, and it taking too long and not coming out well enough — so she was getting white rice instead.
When my wife ordered her Curry and asked for it hot, they asked, «oh, you can handle that?» — implying that it would be pretty spicy.
No. No, it was not. My wife described it as «medium» at best. My «medium» Pad Khing? There wasn’t any spice to it at all. None. None spice.
So what about the dishes aside from the lack of spice? My Pad Khing wasn’t too bad otherwise. The Panang Curry, however was still disappointing, with complaints of being too watery.
The taro dumpling was decent, but nothing exceptional.
Honestly, the only thing we really *liked* was the house salad. How sad is that?
Thai Purple Orchid Café wasn’t *bad* — and we may be willing to give them another shot (especially since there’s so few Thai Restaurants in East Orlando), but I doubt we’ll be rushing back any time soon.