Aiyara Thai Cuisine - Ottawa

I have taken many friends to this restaurant and they too will agree that this is by far the best thai restsurant. The red pineapple shrimp curry is a must. The staff is always kind and lovely.

We had a Valentine's dinner here so had high expectations. This has been a favourite spot for my wife for 10 years and for me for 2 or 3 years since my discovery. I (we) had never found any flaws with the food in the past, and the presentation was always a spectacle, with food served in coconuts or plating with wonderful vegetable garnishes, and servers that were attentive without hovering. The value was good too, a typical meal for two would be $65-75 plus alcohol and taxes. The only negative thing I had found was that the restaurant was drafty in the winter. This time we were prepared for the cold draft, which is still there, and there were still many positives, but not all. The staff were friendly and attentive without hovering. Our favourite appetizer, chicken skewers with peanut satay, was disappointing, as the chicken pieces were of good size for the money but were so tough we had to ask for knives to cut it off the skewers and into small pieces. The peanut satay that came with it was ok but was served cold, and could have used more flavour and/or spice. We had already ordered our meal comprised of spicy scallops with basil and vegetables, an eggplant vegetable dish, spicy red curry tomato sauce with pineapple and shrimp, also sticky rice. The scallop dish was excellent, perfectly cooked scallops and enough of them, punctuated with perfect heat and basil; the eggplant dish seemed more Chinese in its composition, was our least favourite but was still very good, and the curry shrimp dish was excellent, SO good I would go back just for that (and rice to mop it up.) Other notables, the price was $65 plus tax including the appetizer, the 3 dishes and a mango drink each, so was very decent and well worth it despite the appetizer. A couple other things of note, the atmosphere/decor is nice and cozy, hasn't changed much. The plating was a little less impressive, with no coconuts bowls or really interesting plating but was still nice (and tasty.) The chairs we had though were like stackable office chairs with cushions but a metal frame, not very comfortable after awhile. So overall still very good, and we would definitely go back.

But now not so much. Use to be a treat going here, food was amazing, service was so pleasant. Had Pad Thai there for lunch today and it was pretty disgusting. Semi cooked noodles in a barbecue sauce. Pad Thai? If it wasn't for the fact that I was there for a business lunch, I would have definitely complained. The waitress was also a grump, very abrupt. Will not go back which is a shame because at one time, it was the best Thai food spots around.

Definitely not the best Thai spot in Ottawa. Maybe in the area but not the best in Ottawa.I came here for lunch and the food was very average. Probably won't come back as there are better places in town. I had the yellow curry for lunch, the price was decent and the curry was decent as well. I also took out pad thai for my girlfriend and to be honest it wasn't anything like pad thai - simply a stirred fry rice noodle dish.The restaurant isn't own by Thai people but that isn't the problem.

In my opinion it's the best Thai in town! My favorites are always the currys! Green curry and yellow curry being my top 2 .... always gets the sticky rice! ummmm yum