54 replies to this topic

[taion]

Has anyone been? Any good?

[changeup]

Went for the first time, tried the Beef Tartare, Shrimp special app (grilled with Black Pepper Sauce & Lime), Crab Noodles & Goat Massaman. Also tried Thai Iced Tea & the Crispy Roti.

Overall this doesn't taste the same as regular Thai food, all sauces appear homemade and seem to have their own slant on what I (having only ever eaten neighborhood thai) would recognize. The level of cooking is exceptional - the goat (osso buco like cut) was beautifully braised and soft, roti were chewy & crispy - buttery. Shrimp were perfect too.

It just comes down to whether you develop a taste for these very strongly, and somewhat unique, flavored sauces and spices. The Crab Noodles were very foreign to me, spicy and intensely flavored. We didn't finish them, but that's not to say we didn't like them. The goat massaman is a goat dish, with the massaman playing a very small role - a disappointment for me, since I really enjoy massaman. It screams goat and works best shared between 4 people than 2. Even the beef had a strong flavor, although they claim it was tenderloin. And the thai iced tea for example - clearly not made from the same powdered mix everyone uses. It's in the neighbourhood, but different. Unlike the rest of what we tried - not more vibrant.

A meal for 2 with coke/tea came to $100 with t&t.

The question is whether, at that price, I feel like developing a taste for it.

The inside was very nice and comfortable.

[g.johnson]

But do they have a sommelier?

[nuxvomica]

i've been curious about this one too. i expect it to be different, it's supposed to be the chef's take on thai, right? or is he trying to be traditional?

[Eatmywords]

OOh it sounds good. Maybe a bit like Fatty Crab (food wise)? I love Fatty Crab.

I saw that little Grub St piece w/Michael White giving big props to the Oyster and Pork salad. Inspiring.

[oakapple]

i've been curious about this one too. i expect it to be different, it's supposed to be the chef's take on thai, right? or is he trying to be traditional?

It’s very much “the chef’s take on Thai.” I think it is very good, and the resemblance is obvious, but no one would mistake it for traditional Thai.

[g.johnson]

We went last night. Variable.

Duck laab* and snap peas and scallops were very good indeed. The goat massaman was fatty and bland and neither of us liked it much. I did like the stir fried noodles with chicken sausage although they were rather greasy and could have done with extra heat. Yvonne did not.

Cheap, reasonable portions. We'll probably go back to discover whether there are enough good dishes to make a complete meal.

*Very spicy according to the menu. Nothing exceptional though I couldn't have eaten two.

[yvonne johnson]

Far from a relaxing experience. Our table reservation was for 7.15 and we were finished our two course meal at 7.45. Cramped little place but done up quite nicely in the minimalist way.

I'd definitely have the apps again. But I found the goat main (unpleasantly) sickly sweet. I'm pretty sure that their rotis are frozen store bought products (from Malaysia ifrc; we've used them and they are pretty good but greasy).

[changeup]

That goat dish is all over the place. I thought it screamed GOAT!!!! from the top of a mountain, with not much sauce to make it much of anything else. g.johnson calls it bland (pretty much a direct opposite) and to finish yvonne then calls it sweet.

Probably a stay away at this point regardless :-)

[oakapple]

We loved the goat. I don’t know if the preparation is inconsistent, or if it’s just an item that some people will like better than others.

[Rich]

We loved the goat. I don’t know if the preparation is inconsistent, or if it’s just an item that some people will like better than others.

Wasn't that an award winning play by Edward Albee?

[g.johnson]

That goat dish is all over the place. I thought it screamed GOAT!!!! from the top of a mountain, with not much sauce to make it much of anything else. g.johnson calls it bland (pretty much a direct opposite) and to finish yvonne then calls it sweet.

Probably a stay away at this point regardless :-)

Was yours gamey? Ours could have been veal.

[changeup]

Very much so. Beautifully cooked - tender as can be. There were segments of fat as you mentioned, but well... I just worked around them and didn't think to mention it. I do like goat, and had it not been labeled masaman, might not have been let down. Give me a few corn tortillas, a beer and some basic fixin's, lose what little sauce there was, and I'm all over that dish.

[g.johnson]

Ours was tender too but not very gamey. Maybe my olfactory system was still overwhelmed by the duck laab.

[changeup]

The servers make it seem like they pour battery acid over it, then bring it out using plutonium rod pincers.