The Bottom Line
Siam Cafe, located in Cleveland's Asiatown just east of downtown, is a favorite of Asian and non-Asians alike. The vast menu features traditional Thai specialties as well as Cantonese and Vietnamese favorites. Everything I've tried there has been delicious.
Pros
- Good, affordable food
- Varied menu
- Kitchen stays open 'til midnight
- Food is delicious
- Many vegetarian options.
Cons
- Large, impersonal dining room
- Often a wait at lunchtime
Description
- Siam Cafe
3951 St. Clair Ave.
Cleveland, OH 44114 - 216 361-2323
- Open daily 11am to midnight
Guide Review - Siam Cafe
Don't let the large, cavernous dining room, decorated in 1980s mauve and burgundy, fool you; Cleveland's Siam Cafe is serious about food. The vast menu contains old (read safe) favorites, such as sweet and sour pork and beef lo mein as well as a host of dishes made with exotic ingredients, such as conch, soft-shell crab(in season), and frog.The service is efficient, if a little brisk, but it's the food that excels here. I've tried the Paradise Shrimp (pictured above), a delightful combination of onion, shrimp, and coconut milk. I've also enjoyed the Pad Thai, a traditional Thai dish that combines noodles with vegetables, sprouts, and nuts with a sweet and sour dressing.
Siam Cafe also offers a variety of excellent, and complex, soups; interesting Asian drinks; and fun desserts, such as green tea ice cream.
Nothing here is too expensive, so it's easy to enjoy a variety of dishes.
This restaurant is a favorite of Cleveland photographer, Stu Spivak, who has amassed a collection of more than 150 images of Siam Cafe dishes on his Flickr site. Click here to view them.
(updated 5-08-08)
