The Bottom Line
Local favorite Rakang not only creates delicious Thai flavors in the kitchen, but also understands why excellent service and presentation make the food taste that much better. If you're in search of a memorable dinner, look for Rakang's purple awning on the Elandsgracht. You'll find traditional and unique Thai starters, soups and salads, plus a dizzying array of meat, chicken, duck, fish and seafood main courses, including red and green curry dishes and oyster- and ginger-sauce specialties.
Pros
- Hip Jordaan neighborhood location.
- Excellent service.
- Delicious, authentic food.
- Inventive décor and presentation.
- Sidewalk seating in nice weather.
Cons
- No non-smoking section.
- Reservations a must.
- Not open for lunch.
- Prices aren't cheap.
Description
- Address: Elandsgracht 29, Amsterdam
Phone: +31 (0)20 620 95 51 or (0)20 620 95 51 - Kitchen open:
Daily 6 - 10:30 p.m.
Reservations suggested, especially Thursday - Saturday. - Location: Jordaan neighborhood, west of Prinsengracht and east of Marnixstraat.
- Tram lines: 7, 10 or 17 to the Elandsgracht stop (at Marnixstraat; cross the bridge toward center).
- Attire: Hip casual.
- Scene: Young locals, groups of friends and in-the-know travelers.
- Décor: Includes special touches like dimly lit, golden mini-gongs on the walls.
- Service: Quick, thoughtful and a refreshing change! Staff's feel-good attitude is contagious.
- Good to know: Kitchen can prepare most meals vegetarian-style and will alter spiciness upon request.
- Payment: Accepts most major credit cards.
Guide Review - Rakang Thai Restaurant - Amsterdam Restaurant Review
Just when you've figured out that your tablecloth is a man's shirt (complete with tie), and your chair is wearing a similar outfit, one of the ever-observant servers will greet you with a genuine smile and (your first of many) designer place settings. Flip the dish and you'll see names like Versace or Rosenthal, a detail that unexpectedly makes dinner seem more special, even before it's served.
Of course, pretty dishes don't mean a thing if the food served on them isn't tasty. My spicy fried salmon with Thai basil was so tasty, in fact, that I had to push my fancy plate aside to stop from over-indulging (it was more than a meal with two filets). I also stole one of my husband's spring rolls -- a soft, paper-thin wrapper with a crunchy, tangy filling -- that came with his three-course, vegetarian, fixed-price meal (€ 27). Ahh, this is why people go out for Thai; you can't recreate these flavors at home!
In between bites, our server refilled our wine glasses with the bottle of rosé chilling tableside (€ 30). But if he was busy, one of his equally jovial colleagues obliged. A dinner this fun calls for dessert, another reason to choose one of the three fixed-price menus (€ 36-39 for the meatier options). If the Thai came up with the idea of frying bananas, well, I like them even more for their ingenuity than their hospitality. Yum!
It's only fitting that "rakang" means "bell" in Thai (the type in a temple, my server said with a smile). This Rakang is still resonating with me.
Of course, pretty dishes don't mean a thing if the food served on them isn't tasty. My spicy fried salmon with Thai basil was so tasty, in fact, that I had to push my fancy plate aside to stop from over-indulging (it was more than a meal with two filets). I also stole one of my husband's spring rolls -- a soft, paper-thin wrapper with a crunchy, tangy filling -- that came with his three-course, vegetarian, fixed-price meal (€ 27). Ahh, this is why people go out for Thai; you can't recreate these flavors at home!
In between bites, our server refilled our wine glasses with the bottle of rosé chilling tableside (€ 30). But if he was busy, one of his equally jovial colleagues obliged. A dinner this fun calls for dessert, another reason to choose one of the three fixed-price menus (€ 36-39 for the meatier options). If the Thai came up with the idea of frying bananas, well, I like them even more for their ingenuity than their hospitality. Yum!
It's only fitting that "rakang" means "bell" in Thai (the type in a temple, my server said with a smile). This Rakang is still resonating with me.