"No."  

If you ask me about eating at Papaya Thai, that is what I will say. 

0 stars for the single kinda scattered and scruffy staffperson.  

0 stars for the cook who cannot prepare an offering from the menu as the menu describes it.

In this case, I was down to two remaining untried Thai restaurants within quick reach of the Valley Metro Limo, and both in Tempe.  The other half was in Tampa, and since he does not care much for Thai, I get the chance to try one.  

The limo arrived at Southern and Mill at 5:17 PM, and connected me with another limo at Broadway. With traffic, getting to McClintock took nearly 15 minutes.  On exiting the limo, 5:50 PM, I walked back about half a block to the restaurant.

On entering the restaurant, I picked up a menu and rang the bell and a somewhat harried staff person came to greet me.  He asked me where I wanted to sit, at a table with 1 bench looking directly into the side of a huge fish tank...or the next table, which would leave no buffer between myself and the only other table seated in the restaurant.  

There are at least 120 seats in this restaurant.  Why so fiercely contain people in the first three tables close to the door?  You must get your business in fits and hurries and keeping only the 3 tables active is working for you?  Then again, your telling me you are the only staffperson does not surprise me.  The Help Wanted sign on the door was more than an indication that Help is NEEDED!

When I was seated, staffperson offered to bring water.  The phone rang and he was off, as he offered another version of "I am the only staffperson here..."  I looked at the menu and made my decision. In the menu, there is a $2 charge listed for sharing.  This goes against everything Thai I have ever known.  The traditional Thai meal has everyone enjoying some of each dish served.  Because of my proximity to the fish tank, I was quite up close and personal with the fish. The water probably isn't filthy, but the plexiglass tank is not helping the perception. 

6 PM, as the cellphone chime reminds me of the passing of an hour.  I am waiting for water and a staffperson who can take my order. 6:01, the staffperson comes, bearing a pitcher of water and a (My eyes are rolling in opposite directions because I am either overworked or stoned) smile.  He filled up my glass and asked if I was ready to order.  I replied that I was and ordered Som Tom, the Thai name for the green papaya salad. Staffperson replied that he did not know the Thai names for the menu items.  The phone rang again.

Staffperson's attention was no longer on me.  The phone, his Pavlovian stimuli, had taken him away.  I asked if he had heard me.  He replied that he needed to go answer the phone.  He asked if I minded waiting, as he was the only staffperson.  I said I would wait.  Off he went, in pursuit of electronic interaction.  

6:10 PM, staffperson returns, apologizing for the telephone delay and asking about my order.  I ordered the papaya salad without the green beans and steamed rice on the side.  Staffperson took the order and went to the kitchen.  The phone rang as he left the table,  his pace quickening as he approached the phone.  

6:18 PM, the door opens and 2 potential patrons enter.  The bell rings and staffperson rushes to the waitstand to greet 2 new patrons.  

6:20 PM, staffperson returns. He brings the salad and a bowl of rice.  The salad that appears has some of the traditional salad ingredients along with ingredients that have no business being in the salad.  Som Tom does not have cucumber, shredded lettuce or cilantro.  On sending back the initial preparation, staffperson returned with the original preparation, advising the chef stated "This is a traditional Thai presentation of the dish".  I sent the order back, citing the inconsistencies and asking for a new presentation.

6:25 pm.  As I empty my water glass, the salad I received previously is returned, minus the cucumber.  In asking staffperson if this is a new presentation or if it is an attempt to correct the original, he replied that he did not know.  I stood and left.  While the advertisement on the window of the establishment says they have "The Best Curry in the Valley",   they will get no second chance to prove it to me.  For all the phone activity, there was no one who came to pick up a carry-out order.  Between this and the somewhat glazed staffperson, I have to wonder if this place is not a front for a drug business.