Nicky’s Thai Kitchen (Northside)

Overview:

Nicky's Thai Kitchen is a local group of Thai restaurants in Pittsburgh. They have locations in Downtown, Northside, and Ohio Twp. We decided to try the location situated on Western Ave in the Northside. This location is small, being in an old house. The dining room is situated in what looks like an old living room. Nicky's Thai Kitchen offers traditional Thai food such as the classics, including pad Thai and pad see ew. You can dine in, get takeout, or delivery. For delivery, you can order it through Uber Eats, DoorDash, or Grubhub. Below are the hours Nicky's is open.

Sunday 5–9 PM

  Monday Closed 

 Tuesday 11:30 AM–3 PM 5–9 PM 

 Wednesday 11:30 AM–3 PM 5–9 PM 

 Thursday 11:30 AM–3 PM 5–9 PM

  Friday 11:30 AM–3 PM 5–9:30 PM 

 Saturday 11:30 AM–3 PM 5–9:30 PM

The Food:

Pad See Ew

For dinner, we first decided to try pad see ew because it is a classic Thai dish. It did not disappoint. The noodles were chewy and tender, while the veggies had a nice crunch to them. I think pad see ew is similar to pad Thai, just with wide flat rice noodles instead of thin ones. 

Pineapple Curry

I decided to try the pineapple curry for my dinner. It had pineapple chunks, peas, carrots, coconut milk, red curry paste, and I added beef. Additionally, I chose to get a spice level of 3 out of 5. The curry itself was rich with coconut milk and pineapple, which made it sweet, and it was balanced by the spice of the chili they added. All the veggies were softened in the curry, which gave them extra flavor. 

Green Curry Noodle Beef

I did try a little bit of the green curry noodle beef. It had rice noodles, beef, bell peppers, eggplant, bamboo, basil leaves, and green curry topped with fresh bean sprouts. This dish was really good, but I enjoyed my dish better. 

Pumpkin Custard w/ Black Sticky Rice

For dessert, we had to try the pumpkin custard with black sticky rice. This is a dish we always get at Red Orchid in the North Hills. It has a rich creamy pumpkin custard, a sweet drizzle, and a cherry on top. It sits on top of black/purple rice, which is thickened with cream. Overall, this has to be one of the best desserts anywhere because of how unique it is. The pumpkin custard is also thickened with eggs to give it more form and flavor. 

Service:

The service at Nicky's Thai Kitchen was good the night we went. It was busy, however and it took a decent while for our food to come out. However, it was busy as we went on a Friday night when the entire small dining room was full. 

Atmosphere:

We thought the inside of Nicky's Thai Kitchen was very cozy and comfortable. Being that this location sits inside an old rowhouse, you really feel like you are eating in someone's house. The dining room is in what looks like the old living room. You can also find cool Thai-themed decorations on the wall and the floors are nice hardwood floors from the house. 

Rating: Excellent |⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐|

Nicky's Thai Kitchen is arguably the best Thai food in Pittsburgh. The level of care and authenticity in the food really shines through at the Northside location. Every dish is well seasoned and has great fresh ingredients. The depth of flavor is what makes Thai cuisine some of the best food around. I liked the cozy atmosphere and friendly service. It really gives other Thai restaurants I have been to, such as Thai Tamarind, Red Orchid, and Umai a run for their money. If you find yourself near any of the three conveniently located Nicky's Thai Kitchens, definitely give them a try!