Tik’s Thai Grille is a popular Dayton establishment with three locations on the east and south of the city. Founded by Siriya “Tik” Sirpol as a way of introducing the city to Thai food, it’s since seen a measure of success for its clean and formal concept, quick and unusual Thai food, and pleasant service.
The newest location opened just a few months ago in Springboro. The departure of the former tenant, China Village, has left a hole in my heart. I really liked that place, though I’m glad a new, better-managed restaurant is now in its place.
So Thai food is something Dayton is becoming increasingly familiar with, but it’s like Vietnamese in that once you sample it, you’ll pretty quickly become a fan. There are a ton of different items on the menu, ranging from the ever-favorite pad Thai to some curry dishes and seafood. The menu shows a great deal of thought and refinement, every dish is different and unique, there is very little assembling your own item required. Great attention is paid to the seafood, you can try a number of duck dishes while others incorporate shrimp, scallops, mussels, and more.
- Pad Thai is of course the best, I think, and I really like the way they have prepared it here. It’s got just a hint of peanut in there somewhere, though it’s spicier than I would have expected. Spiciness is on a scale of one to four here, and I will tell you, I thought two would be a warm heat. It’s a little more assertive than that.
- Larb Kai, ground chicken, vegetables, lime juice and cilantro served cool. The end result is very citrus, you have to be a big fan of lime to really be able to appreciate it.
- Thai Fried Rice: Not the dish traditionally known as Thai fried rice (khao phat in Thai) this is the mainstream fried rice combo found in many restaurants. Good. Filling.
- Spicy crab roll: Made with a spicy crab salad and a little hot mayo atop it, this simple roll is good for a light meal.
- Drunken Man: This is actually the lighter Thai dish commonly known as “Pad See Ew” dish with wide noodles and a dark sauce.
- Drunken woman: This is closer to the actual Pad Ki Mao “drunken noodles” recipe, which comes nice when spicy.
- Love’s Basil: Best with chicken, a basil stir fry good with spices.
- Thai Egg Rolls: These egg rolls are fried with pork and veggies inside and served with a sweet chili sauce. Definitely good appetizers for two or four.
The atmosphere is, true to the advertisements, very sleek. It’s not your average hole-in-the-wall noodle house, this place looks every bit the part of a professional, quality establishment. The people are very good, the service is quick and exceptional, and the low-lit decor has just enough Asian influence to set a good mood, but is modern enough that you know it’s been well-taken care of. The good service seems to hold up well against a large rush of people, too. All told I think I can get used to this place pretty easily. It’s just the kind of refinement that really impresses me, and I definitely see why people have much-loved the Bellbrook and Wright State University locations as well. Whether you love Thai food or have never tried it, here is a good place to sample.
Recommendations
- The lunch specials are a good way to sample a number of different Thai dishes you may not have tried before without spending too much money.
- Smaller groups are preferable, none of the locations seem to have large-group accommodations.
- If you like spicy foods, give them a try, but make sure you really like spicy.
— Springboro
— Bellbrook
Another Food Critic 
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