Review of Thai Restaurant Joy, Rickenbach near Olten, Switzerland

Fairly good food in refined surroundings:

After having tried out Thai Restaurant Chao-Wang in the area, I got another recommendation for a Thai place from a friend, this time in a village near Olten, Thai Restaurant Joy in Rickenbach. Normally, when our family is craving for Thai food, we choose an eatery in Olten, Goldener Lo(e)wen Lann Thai in Olten, which serves quality Thai food in the upper price range. But this time we decided to check out a place new to us.

Ambiance

The restaurant is located in a somewhat odd building (A former shopping center?) on the main road. While Joy’s interior was decorated with attention to detail, it is not my cup of tea. I think it is too dark and far too plushy for my liking, but there is no accounting for taste …

In this context, I have to point out something that you see quite often in “exotic” restaurants. They decorate tables nicely, but in many cases tablecloths are not changed after each guest. I may be picky, but I cannot stand it when I find tablecloths that are not clean enough, which was also the case at Joy.

Interior

Menu/dishes

The menu is rather extensive, I guess you get all the Thai food you would expect from such a place. But I have to admit that I am not really an expert when it comes to Thai food.

My husband and shared a plate with mixed starters, which was a great way to discover some less known dishes such as Thai ravioli or minced meat toasts. As mains we opted for crisply baked duck breast and red curry with chicken, chili, Thai beans and ginger. As a dessert we shared a coconut crusted vanilla ice cream scoop with fruits. The dish I liked best was the crispy duck breast because of its delicate flavor. The other dishes were reasonably good, but did not leave a lasting impression.

Starter: Plate with Mixed Starters

Service/price

Service was friendly and helpful, with small faults. At some time, we had trouble with getting noticed, but that was only a minor issue.When it comes to the price level you have to consider that this restaurant offers pretty good food in refined surroundings. Nevertheless, I think that prices are rather on the high side for Thai food. On the whole, I would expect better value for money.

Main: Crisply Baked Duck Breast

Overall, ambiance and food are good enough at this Thai restaurant, but it failed to leave a memorable impression.

Dessert: Coconut Crusted Vanilla Ice Cream Scoop with Fruits

Date of visit: June 2016