976 N. High St.
Columbus, OH 43201
614.228.4470
website
Like many of Columbus’ most beloved brands, Nida Perry’s restaurant concept got its start in the North Market. Nida’s Thai + Sushi was created by the Thailand native to bring salads, noodle dishes and delicacies of her homeland to Central Ohio. The warm reception of her take on good Thai food brought the restaurateur to open up a new spot in the Short North, Nida’s Thai on High. Today the shop has morphed beyond Thai food into more of an Asian Fusion shop with poke bowls, sushi, bento boxes and other kinds of foods convenient for lunchtime eaters and dinner dates.
The food here is a mix of styles across different kinds of contemporary Asian cuisine. Some of the things I like:
- Bento box: Your choice of a few different main courses, but served with three nice side dishes: a crispy spring roll with sauce, a simple salad with a Thai peanut-style dressing, and a few California roll sushi pieces to give a bit of variety. Good for lunch, I think.
- Pad Thai: Classic pad Thai, the sauce is cooked spicy to order. I suggest you get it with the shrimp, they’re a nice, light counterpart to the otherwise heavier noodles. Otherwise I would say the dish is pretty good. But there are things on the menu that stand out further than this.
- Poke Bowl: A lighter lunch if you’re so inclined, but no less delicious. The bowl is packed with a hearty helping of fresh chopped vegetables, salmon or tuna to you liking, and a bed of rice. This dish in particular is good because there are a lot of places in the area selling this Hawaiian dish because it’s healthy and there’s an appeal there. The freshness of the veggies and the snap of the fish makes all the difference.
- Crunchy Spicy Tuna Roll: They took the liberty of dunking this tuna roll in tempura. Woof, that’s a lot of flavor packed in one.
- Khoa Soi: This spicy Thai rice noodle dish has lots of curry, duck meat, onions and cilantro. Thick curry flavor with a little heat, and best eaten fast so those crispy bits of meat sop up every bit of it.
- Pad Phong Karee: A soft-shell crab curry dish that’s not terribly spicy. Crab’s so mild it takes a little bit of an easygoing approach.
- Tom Kha: A simple Thai coconut soup good as an appetizer. Lemongrass, mushrooms, shrimp and some mild spices. Simplicity.
The shop is fancy, simple and straightforward; people come to it because they have a diverse array of Asian dishes to choose from, some lighter and fresher and others heavier and less healthy. That kind of choice makes it a well-rounded option.
Nida’s is simple, elegant and peaceful. The food here is, too, and it’s such a wonderful kind of restaurant to find in a crowded place just north of downtown Columbus. Keep an eye our for this one.
Recommendations
- The North Market shop shouldn’t be ignored; there’s a stand that has a relatively abbreviated menu of food but it’s all still very on-point.
- The poke is especially good. There’s a lot of different places making this dish and this one is a healthier option. No sauces or greasy toppings. Just a relatively pure bowl of veggies and fish.
- There’s a $10 minimum on cards or else you’ll get charged. Keep in mind if you’re coming here to get something light.
Another Food Critic 