Taste testing the menu and atmosphere at Carmel's Thai Prime
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Checking out the location that flipped from burgers and fries to fried rice and vibes. Photo: Justin L. Mack
Thai Prime has arrived to serve up modern takes on traditional cultural cuisine in Carmel's Proscenium.
Why it matters: Interest in the future of the former Wahlburger's has been high since the sudden closure of the state's only location in June 2024.
Driving the news: Thai Prime had a full house when my wife and I swung by for their soft opening last week.
- The restaurant's striking decor screams "business casual boujee," making it a solid pick for post-work drinks with colleagues.
What we ordered: We started with vegetable tempura ($10) and stuffed chicken wings ($14); and finished with basil fried rice with chicken ($16) and the Thai Prime pork ribs ($22).
My take: Nothing was a total miss, but they weren't all hits.
- The veggie tempura had light breading and sizable portions, but the chicken wings stuffed with carrot and vermicelli noodles lacked crunch.
- At a medium spice level, the basil fried rice brought some great heat and was packed with tender pieces of chicken. But the rice itself was a bit on the soft side.
Yes, but: The pork ribs will keep me coming back for a very long time.
- The slow-cooked ribs were fall-off-the-bone tender without being too fatty, and the white rice paired with them was cooked to perfection.
If you go: Open 11am-3pm and 4-9pm Monday-Thursday; 11am-3pm and 4-10pm Friday; 11am-10pm Saturday; and noon-9pm Sunday.