Aiyara : Thai-riffic

Photo by Ashley Edmonds. AshleyEdmondsPhoto.com

Proud is the word that overcomes me when writing the piece on this restaurant. The truth is Aiyara is very near and dear to my heart. You see, when it’s a cold night and you just want to cozy up next to the fire and watch a movie with a bowl of chicken noodle soup for dinner, I would rather cozy up with a bowl of Tom Kha Gai. Tom what you ask? Maybe some of you have never experienced Thai Food, and if you haven’t you have been missing out your whole life! Aiyara is the perfect place to get your taste buds dancing with excellent food, excellent service, plus a chic atmosphere.

Photo by Ashley Edmonds. AshleyEdmondsPhoto.com

Photo by Ashley Edmonds. AshleyEdmondsPhoto.com

So I mentioned the Tom Kha soup, which is my absolute favorite (my mouth is beginning to water). This is a coconut milk based soup with all flavors intact; salty, sweet, tangy, spicy. Gai means Chicken in Thai, which is my usual, but any choice of meat will do. Bits of lemongrass and mushrooms combine with a little chile sauce making the perfect soup.

On this special Friday night, we were treated to some new dishes we had surprisingly not yet discovered. The Volcano, for instance, was a coconut shell filled with a spicy red seafood curry. We were impressed by this new concoction of flavor especially since it veered from our usual chicken dishes! Some of the starter dishes that are worth mentioning are the Lady Fingers: shrimp on the inside and a crispy outside then dipped in a sweet & sour sauce. The spring rolls are a healthy alternative wrapped in rice paper and dipped in a yummy peanut sauce. The chicken & beef satay was excellent and it also came with a peanut sauce.

Photo by Ashley Edmonds. AshleyEdmondsPhoto.com

Other favorites include Aiyara’s specialty, Pad Thai; a mouthwatering assortment of noodles, chicken (or other choice of meat), tofu, green onions and peanuts in a sweet yet savory tasting dish. Yellow Curry is an amazing mild curry dish with meat, potatoes and onions and the Pad See Ew is a large noodle dish with meat and chinese broccoli in a dark and sweet gravy sauce.

Aiyara’s staff is always friendly and the service is great! The decor itself is beautiful with the taste of Thai all over, including a built-in elefant water fountain right in the center of the restaurant.

All-in-all there is a reason why we keep coming back time and time again. This is a fantastic restaurant with Thai-riffic thai food.

Aiyara Thai Cuisine is located in the Bel Villagio Center next to the Temecula Promenade (the mall) at 41533 Margarita Road, Suite M102, Temecula, Ca 92591. For more information on Aiyara Thai Cuisine, you can visit them online at www.aiyarathai.com or by calling 951-296-5758.