Reviewing Mahaniyom: a trendy Thai tapas bar in Brookline.

Mahaniyom is a modern Thai restaurant in Brookline Village, known for its handcrafted cocktails and Thai-inspired menu. I kept seeing it posted everywhere on social media, so I made a visit last weekend to see what all the hype was about.  

We arrived at Mahaniyom at 12:30 pm on a Sunday. The inside was pretty compact. There was a bar area, two high tables for groups of up to six, and a row of five smaller tables against the wall. I’m glad we made a reservation beforehand because every table was full except ours. The clientele ranged from groups of friends catching up, to families, to couples on a date. Mahaniyom was pretty loud from the chatter of patrons competing with the upbeat hip-hop music playing on the restaurant’s stereo system.  

We were seated at a high-rise table and had to scan a QR code for the menu. The menu included classic Thai curries, noodles, and lesser-known items like crispy chicken skins and crab-fried rice. After scrolling through reviews and pictures online, we settled on the chicken pad Thai, beef massaman, and chicken krapow.

Taste of classic dishes like chicken pad Thai and beef massaman at Mahaniyom

The chicken pad Thai was the first dish to arrive. At first, I was surprised that the portion was so small, but then I reminded myself I was at a tapas restaurant. The rice noodles came with a generous serving of white meat chicken, beansprouts, peanuts, and spices on their own corner of the plate. I had to mix all the ingredients together well before eating.   

Next was the taste test. The noodles were perfectly al dente and coated in a sweet yet mildly spicy sauce. The peanuts and beansprouts added the perfect crunch to the otherwise sauce-drenched noodles.   

The two other dishes came shortly after the pad Thai. I first tried the beef massaman, which included slow-cooked beef shank, sweet potatoes, shallots, onions, and peanuts. On the side of the dish was roti, or savory thin flatbread. The curry itself was mild and tasted slightly of cinnamon and cardamom. The beef chunks were a hit or miss – some pieces were tender, but others were too chewy.   

I typically prefer rice with curry, but I think the roti paired well. The flatbread was crispy and not too oily. It was flavorless on its own but easily absorbed all the flavor of the curry!  

Spicy chicken krapow at Mahaniyom

The last dish we tried was the chicken krapow. It came with a bowl of rice and another bowl of ground chicken, peppers, and Thai basil. The ground chicken was moist and fragrant from the spices. I’ll warn you, though, it is SPICY! I like to think I have a decent spice tolerance, but I could only handle a few bites of this dish. 

Mahaniyom Final Review

Overall, our meal at Mahaniyom was solid. Although each dish was smaller than what I was used to, three plates were enough to feed three hungry people. I also really liked the lively atmosphere. I would definitely return to Mahaniyom with friends to try their cocktails and other small plates!