CUSTOMERS ADORE CULINARY DELIGHTS
White Elephant Thai Restaurant first opened its doors more than 20 years ago and has been pleasing new and regular customers ever since that first day.
Owner Jon Twaddle, who has traveled extensively and spent a good deal of time in Thailand, attributes this favorite dining spot to “consistently high food quality, a great location with ample parking, high-level service, and keeping employees happy. If you take care of your staff, your customers will feel that well-cared for vibe.”
This is one of the many reasons why White Elephant has consistently won many culinary awards and is frequently voted the best Thai Restaurant in Philadelphia and South Jersey.
Twaddle gives much of the credit to his chef Boonsong “Bo,” who is aided by four other accomplished chefs. Boonsong is known for his specialty sauces that are great on everything.
One chef prepares the appetizers, a second makes the specialty items including the duck and lamb dishes, a third makes the soups and curries and the fourth is at the stir fry station. There is also an expeditor who controls the timing of the appetizers, soups, salads and entrees.
“We kept the flavor, but our dishes are not overly spicy.”
The restaurant is closed on Monday and offers lunch five days a week, and dinner six days a week, as well as take-out and delivery options.
The restaurant is a BYOB without a corking charge, so customers are welcome to bring wine or liquor and White Elephant will happily supply the glasses.
Twaddle has a great deal to be proud of, including going one full year of takeout only during COVID-19 restrictions, a time when his business thrived thanks to the loyal regular customers and their friends.
Twaddle’s father fell in love with Thailand and introduced him to the flavors of this rich culture, as well as his Thai chef, who toned down the spice levels to accommodate his customers, many of them who are elderly.
He proudly watches the many generations of families celebrate milestone events as well as lunch and dinner at their favorite Thai restaurant.
“I see the kids who were babies when they first came in and now, they are going away to college. I love talking to people and hearing about their families,” he explained. “They enjoy our food and the atmosphere and I do everything possible to ensure they are happy here.”
To show how much his restaurant wants to accommodate the various diner preferences, nearly all of the items are offered gluten-free, as well as many vegetarian options.
FAVORITE THAI LUNCH AND DINNER FARE
White Elephant has an extensive lunch and dinner menu filled with favorite Thai dishes blended with French influences, creating a truly unique number of offerings.
Diners are given generous portions of authentic dishes that provide an excellent and tasty experience for a reasonable price. From mild to hot, vegetarian or not, the chefs create unforgettable fare, and servers provide a high-quality dining experience.
To start the meal, White Elephant offers several soups, including coconut soup with coconut milk, slices of chicken, mushrooms and lime juice as well as hot and sour Thai lemongrass soup, in addition to crispy spring rolls, Thai dumplings, chicken satay and a variety of fresh salads.
For lunch, the menu includes a variety of curries prepared with coconut milk, chicken or beef with Thai basil or Thai ginger, Thai pineapple fried rice and the No. 1 favorite, Pad Thai, the chicken or shrimp stir fry, served without onions due to customer preferences.
The dinner favorites include Tutti Fruity duck made with a raspberry sauce, Rolling Stones (butterfly shrimp with crabmeat) and Chu Chee Duck (crispy roasted semi-boneless duck served in a special red curry sauce flavored with pineapple and Thai basil).
Additional dinner offerings include Cornish hen, crab cakes, sesame tuna, the Seafood Lover (sauteed shrimp, scallops, salmon, calamari and green shell mussels with a spicy Thai Basil sauce), Lamb Au Siam (grilled lamb chops served with a green curry sauce,) the Vegetarian Lover and many other mouth-watering offerings.
THE MEANING OF THE WHITE ELEPHANT
Reflected in the inviting décor are white elephants. So, that leads to wondering about the significance. Twaddle explains that the white elephant is sacred in Thailand, is part of the Thai Royal Family, and is a precious symbol of good luck.
“In Thailand, Buddhists believe that you will receive good luck if you see an elephant, and a lifetime of great luck if you touch a white elephant,” he explained. “They are also strong believers in the power of karma.
“I have spent time in Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam and the people are amazing. All of these countries I have spent time in have a great vibe.”
So, what does Twaddle want to say to entice new customers to stop by for lunch, dinner or take-out?
“We offer unique spices and flavors and everything that comes out of the kitchen is truly delicious; very rarely do people not love everything that they order.”
To the regulars, he wants to say a “hearty thank you and keep coming back during regular days and special occasions. We wouldn’t be here without you.” — 19006
White Elephant Thai Restaurant is at 759 Huntingdon Pike in Huntingdon Valley. Call 215-663-1495 for information and reservations (reservations are recommended on Friday and Saturday nights). The email address is whiteelephantpa@email.com. The website is whiteelephantrestaurant.com.
Hours are: Lunch: Tuesday to Saturday, 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. (no lunch on Sunday). Dinner: Tuesday to Thursday, 5 to 9 p.m., Friday and Saturday, 5 to 10 p.m. Sunday dinner 5 to 9 p.m. The restaurant is closed Mondays.
