Phuket Cafe

Ever since we had a great experience with Langbaan and it's delicious Thai tasting menu, we were rather curious with their more casual outfit in Phuket Cafe.  Situated in a train car-like dining space just outside of Langbaan, the menu is more typical Thai, Southern-inspired in this case, with plenty of share plates.  Reservations are recommended as the space is small and it is quite popular.

We ended up with a bunch of items including the Mon Tod.  This was essentially a bunch of aggressively-fried fingerling potatoes that were glazed with yellow curry.  They were further topped with chili, fried garlic and fried Thai Basil.  Despite being coated in creamy curry, the potatoes were crispy while creamy soft inside.   I thought the flavors could've been more intense but the textures were great.

Now if we were looking for a flavor bomb, the Miang Plaa Ta Deaw was it.  This featured deep-fried sole that was tossed in a Miang Kum sauce.  Much like the one we got at Langbaan, the combination of ginger, lemongrass, lime, dried shrimp, shallots, peanuts, palm sugar and fish sauce made for an explosion of everything that tickled our palates.  We wrapped the crispy fish with lettuce and betel leaves for extra freshness and crunch.  This was a pretty large dish and definitely needs to be shared.

Not far behind in terms in overall impact was the Crying Tiger.  This large piece of marinated Wagyu flank steak was beautifully-grilled to rare.  Normally, anything Wagyu that isn't cooked to at least medium-rare, it can be chewy due to the fat not being rendered.  It wasn't the case here though. It was super tender with a strong beefy taste.  Of course it wouldn't be a Crying Tiger without the sauce and it was so flavorful.  Lots of sweetness with tang and brininess.  Combined with the side of sticky rice, this was great.

Another excellent dish was the Goong Yang or grilled head-on prawns.  These were beautifully-charred where the prawns were smoky and the inherent brininess was concentrated.  Meat was moist with sweetness.   It all sat in a turmeric and peanut curry which was thick and tangy with some spice and earthiness.  The shell had been cooked so well that I was able to eat the prawn whole without deshelling.

Onto our next set of dishes we had the Pad See Ew with fried tofu.  The dish was subjected to a good deal of work hei which meant things were caramelized and smoky.  There was intense sweetness from the palm sugar and possibly a bit more saltiness was needed for balance.  Noodles were chewy and charred as with the firm tofu.  Veggies were still crunchy but we would've liked to see gai lan but maybe they couldn't source some good quality ones.

The Pad Thai was pretty good as well with chewy noodles and a sweet & tangy sauce.  Loved the small dried shrimp on top for texture and seafoodiness.  I would've liked a bit more sauce as the noodles were somewhat clumpy and dry.  Mind you, that is subjective as some people like the noodles drier and subjected to more wok hei and searing, which was the case here.  We found some crunchy pork rinds on the side for texture.

We had to add more veggies (Pad Pak) to our meal as we weren't getting much lately.  Same as the pad see ew, the veggie of choice was Shanghai Bak Choy.  But that didn't bother me as I happened to like the vegetable and also, it was prepared so well.  Cooked through, but still plenty crunchy, the bak choy was caramelized and a bit smoky.  The oyster sauce used in the stir fry was flavorful and there was plenty of garlic.

Onto dessert, we Sacuu Piek that consisted of tapioca pearls, lychee and strawberry jelly.  This was somewhat like a mango sago except without the pomelo.  The creamy coconut was sweet and tropical with the pops from the tapioca pearls.  Crunch came in the form of meringue and of course the fruit helped layer in some fruitiness.  Fairly straightforward but refreshing nonetheless.  Overall, the meal at Phuket Cafe was really good and had great wok hei.  Things were caramelized and smoky.  Flavors were impactful and delicious.  Totally a return visit candidate, much like Langbaan.

The Good:
- Things had wok hei
- Flavorful
- Generous portions

The Bad:
- Sitting outside is neat, but I can imagine it being a bit stuffy on a hot day

Ban Dok Chee Culinary Academy (Food by Fanta)

 Over 6 years ago, Nikita and Bluebeard suggested that we meet up at Ban Dok Chee for Thai food out in Langley.  Being residents of the community, I trusted their judgement and made the trek out there from Burnaby (actually not that far really).  Turns out BDC happened to be a little gem of a place in the burbs with great Thai food at reasonable prices.  I went back a few times on my own and also for some food challenges that they participated in.  I had mentioned this to Mijune and she was game to try it out.  However, instead of merely eating at the restaurant, we were treated to an exclusive peak into their private dining space nearby.  Lavishly outfitted, the BDC Culinary Academy not only provides cooking lessons/parties, they can be booked for private events as well.

We were started off with a literal bite (Ma Hor) in the form of minced shrimp, ground peanut, sweet preserved radish, palm sugar, garlic, coriander root, ground pepper, cilantro served on heart-shaped pineapple.  Even though this was small in size, wow this was quite the flavour bomb.  Essentially, the diced prawn was only there for texture as the combination of peanuts, palm sugar and crunch from the salty radish hit on all of the notes.  Add in the sweet and acidic pineapple and it was truly an appetizing start to the meal.  Next, we had Miang Kham consisting of shallots, red bird's eye chili, ginger, garlic, lime and rind, roasted coconut, tamarind palm sugar, peanuts and dried shrimp on a betel leaf.  I've had this before at Bob Likes Thai Food and this was very similar except more spicy.  All of the flavours came through in layers with the initial hit of sweetness coming first and the heat coming at the end.

Next, we had something really simple in the Pla Haeng Taeng Mo, where it was curiously complex tasting.  It was merely cubes and balls of fresh watermelon topped with crispy shallots, sugar and crunchy snakehead fish jerky.  If you can imagine, the one ingredient that made each bite unique was the snakehead fish jerky.  It was mildly salty, fishy (in a good way) and of course crispy with a slight chewiness.  Think of salted watermelon and this would be it with a twist.  Refreshing palate cleanser of sorts that was also savoury.  Onto something more typical, we had the Appetizer Platter consisting of Chicken & Pork Satay, Golden Wontons and Spring Rolls accompanied by Thai peanut sauce, Num Jin Jaow and plum sauce.  I've had this before and this was good where the skewers were nicely seared and tender.  Wontons were super crunchy with a moist meaty filling with garlic, cilantro and black pepper.

Continuing with the small plates, we had the Pla' Goong or herb prawn salad with prawns, lime leaves, lime juice, tamarind juice dressing, red onion, lemongrass, mint, green apple & Thai chili on a bed of butter lettuce.  This was definitely on the sweeter side, but still nicely complimented by the acidity of the lime juice as well as little nuggets of pomelo.  Again, there was noted spice due to the addition of red bird's eye chili.  The prawn itself was large and cooked perfectly exhibiting a meaty snap.  Next, we were served both the Tom Kha Gai in a coconut shell and the Tom Yum Goong.  Although both were good, I really enjoyed the tom kha gai due to the coconut milk.  So aromatic and fragrant combined with hits of lemongrass, lime leaves and spice.  The tom yum was appealingly tangy with an appealing amount of brininess and noted spiciness.

Things got serious when the Larb Moo was presented in custom carved pumpkin kabocha and butter squash.  As much as this was impressive to look at, the actual product was even better.  Often, larb can be dry and somewhat bland at many of the Thai restaurants in town.  This one was moist, light and full of flavour from the fish sauce and especially the spicy chilis.  We ate this with the provided sticky rice.  Even more majestically plated, the Kanom Jeen Nam-Prik sported rice noodles served with minced prawns nutty, sweet and coconutty spicy curry sauce and fresh vegetables including dill, cucumber, dried Thai chilies, green beans and banana blossom.  Lots of intricate knife-work was needed to prep the ingredients.  When we mixed all of the ingredients together with the sauce, we got slippery noodles with plenty of sweetness and brininess as well as a multitude of textures.  Add in the chilis (including the seeds) and the spice level went into overdrive.

Of course we didn't forget the more typical dishes including a duo of curries.  As much as Chicken Green Curry can be somewhat of a clichéd dish at a Thai restaurant, this one was really good.  Sure, it sported the usual creaminess and aromatics from the coconut milk, but there was balanced spice, sweetness and brininess as well.  However, what made this even better was the tender chicken as well as the plethora of baby eggplant.  Normally, we'd find the long Chinese eggplant, but this was made more authentically.  Next, we were presented with the Lamb Shank Massaman Curry.  This was also a flavour bomb with an initial hit of sweetness giving way to the classic comfort from the cinnamon, cloves and star anise.  There was some heat, but traditionally, Massaman curries are more mild and this didn't deviate.  The luxurious meat of the lamb shank was a perfect match to the spices in the curry.  It was generally tender and gelatinous.

Our last 2 dishes consisted of 2 more classics including the Chicken Cashew Nut and Pad Thai.  Exhibiting plenty of wok heat, the chicken cashew nut was flavourful with a touch of spice to balance off the sweetness.  Unlike many versions I've had, the chicken in this dish was super tender and moist while still exhibiting the caramelized crispiness from the wok fry.  I particularly enjoyed that the dish was not wet with any residual moisture at the bottom of the plate.  What you see in the picture of the pad Thai was what happened after I opened up the omelette.  Inside, the rice noodles were dry and al dente with plenty of tang and sweetness from the tamarind and palm sugar.  We also found the traditional pressed tofu and preserved radish as well.  In addition to the egg being on the outside of the dish, something a bit different was the perfectly seared scallops on the side. 

For dessert, we were presented with a beautiful Strawberry & Raspberry Ice Cream dessert.  Also on the plate was taro custard, khanom thuai (Thai coconut milk custard).  Although the ice cream was on the icier side, it was truly refreshing and natural-tasting.  It wasn't very sweet, which was prefect since the custards made up for it.  They were aromatic and had a good mouth feel.  Our last dessert was the Bua Loy Khai Whan or taro rice dumplings in coconut milk. Traditionally it's served with sweeten boiled egg, but here they used meringue for a French-inspired twist.  I found this to be quite good with relatively fluffy taro dumplings.  Loved how the meringue added a creaminess, yet at the same time, it was pretty sweet too.   These desserts pretty much summed up the meal here at the BDC Culinary Academy.  Except for a few creative alterations, the food was authentic Thai with a wealth of flavours and noted spice.  Yes, you can get most of the same dishes at the main Ban Dok Chee restaurant.  But if you want the food you see in this post, it needs to be part of a private booking at the Academy.  

*All food and drink were complimentary*

The Good:
- Gorgeous (if not over-the-top) venue
- Elevated BDC food
- Higher end exprience

The Bad:
- Only available for private bookings and cooking classes

Ban Chok Dee

Once again, a food challenge brought me out to Ban Chok Dee in Langley.  However, unlike the last time, I brought along an eating companion (Miss Y) who would assist me in eating more than merely one dish.  As part of the Fried Chicken Challenge, my mission was to help find the best entry within the participating restaurants.  Despite the significant trek out to Ban Chok Dee, my past experiences have been good. Besides, we made it a pit stop before we headed out to Castle Fun Park in Abby.

Not messing around, we were immediately served the aforementioned entry in the competition being the BCD Nahm Gai Tord.  The cured chicken wings were fully penetrated by the marinade resulting in a flavourful garlicky and mildly salty flavour.  Furthermore, the meat was fairly moist for a fully cooked wing. The exterior was nicely caramelized and slightly charred that emanated a smokiness.  To top things off, the spicy ginger caramel sauce added the missing elements to balance everything off.  Next, we were presented with an experimental dish being Chef Lopston's take on Tom Yum Soup.  This version was pretty rich and full-bodied (a bit too thick).  So much so, I ate it with rice.  Coconutty, creamy with notable spice and tang, the fried dumplings (filled with shrimp) soaked up all the flavours.

With yet another new dish, we were treated to the Eggplant with shrimp and ground pork.  One whiff and it was obvious the classic Thai flavours were employed including fish sauce, lemongrass, galangal and basil.  I found the eggplant to be soft, but not mushy while the prawns were appealingly cold-water crunchy.  There was a certain spiciness to the dish that gave it a kick but didn't overwhelm.  Miss Y was debating as to which appie we were going to order.  The solution?  Get the Chok Dee Platter with Pork & Chicken Satay, Golden Wontons and Spring Rolls.  Nicely charred and caramelized, the pork satay rocked while the chicken was lean but not dry.  We found the spring rolls to be rather dense and lacking in flavour, but the acidic and sweet dip made up for it.  Firmly crunchy, the wontons were pretty good with lean ground pork inside.

Onto our second soup, we had the Tom Kha Gai which was coconutty in terms of aroma. The thickness provided by the coconut milk was not overdone which meant the soup ate like a soup rather than a sauce.  It was markedly spicy while not overly so.  The lemongrass, galangal and fish sauce were all discernible with each spoonful.  There was also a good amount of ingredients including plenty of sliced chicken breast. Moving along, we tackled our first entree with the Beef Penang Curry.  I've had this before on my first ever visit to BDC and it was exactly how I remembered it (good consistency).  Again, there was an immediate spiciness that wore off slightly to reveal the coconut milk, significant lemongrass content and galangal.  This was pretty powerful, but when combined with rice, it was just right.  There was a good amount of beef which was a touch chewy, but would be an incorrect preparation if tenderized.

Miss Y wanted a fish entree but not salmon as she had eaten lots of it recently.  So that left the Five Spices Fish consisting of basa as the best option.  Trying to not sound like a broken record, the dish was definitely spicy but not in a bad way.  The crispy batter held up to the sauce and ingredients while the fish remained flaky and moist.  Of note, this was not in reference to Chinese 5-spice, rather it was their own 5 different spices and flavourings. Of course we couldn't forget about the Pad Thai as I love the dish (as long as it is prepared properly).  Spiked with tamarind, there was a balanced amount of tartness to go with the palm sugar and fish sauce.  The whole dish was also spicy where the flavours were impactful and appealing.  There was a good amount of wok heat where the sugar had caramelized with a certain smokiness.  The large prawns were nicely cold-water crunchy and sweet.  I would've liked to see less moisture though as well as a wedge of lime.

A little off the board, I decided to order from the Street Food section and selected the Cured Dry Pork Ribs which were presented with a side of sticky rice.  Despite being pretty dark in colour, the ribs were not burnt, rather there was a certain savoury smokiness about them.  With a touch of sweetness balanced by the tart dip, the meaty pieces of ribs were only a bit dry with an appealing chewiness. For dessert, we began with a relatively common dessert in the Fried Banana.  To change things up a little, we went for green tea ice cream rather than coconut.  Nothing much to say other than the banana was not too soft while the light batter was crispy.  Overall, Miss Y and I enjoyed our meal except for the spring roll.  I would say BDC is still a solid place for Thai in Langley.

*All food and beverages excluding gratuities were complimentary*

The Good:
- Generally well-prepared food
- Asked for spicy and got spicy

- Fairly large menu

The Bad:
- Wasn't a fan of the spring roll
- Not really a negative, but be sure to ask for spicy if you want impact of flavours    

Ban Chok Dee

Most people assume chain restaurants and Langley go hand-in-hand like Canadians and the Bellingham Costco.  Hey, check out 200th Street, there is practically every chain restaurant represented.  And let's not forget the only BC location of the Olive Garden.  However, for those who know, there are some gems to be found here if you look hard enough.  Estrella's and Hilltop Cafe are good examples of that.  So when Bluebeard (a fine resident of Langley) saw a Groupon for Ban Chok Dee Thai, he wondered if we wanted to join him and Nikita for dinner.  That we did and planned to watch a movie at Colossus as well.

Before any of our dishes arrived, we were presented with some complimentary Shrimp Chips and spicy peanut dipping sauce.  These were slightly spicy and of course crunchy.  For our actual appies, we started with the Chok Dee Lime Leaves Wrap.  We all loved this dish as there were many layers of flavour starting with the sweetness of palm sugar, lime and basil then a hit of spice, finishing off with the roasted cashews.  There was a nice contrast between the crunchy veggies and the moist chicken.  Next up, we had the Chicken Satay which were made with lean breast meat.  Suffice to say, they were a bit dry.  It did have a good char though and was properly seasoned.

Onto some mains, we tried the Pad Thai, which was mostly sweet in need of more tang.  The chicken could've stood to be less chewy as well.  We liked how it wasn't wet nor too dry and also it wasn't the ketchupy type either.  Overall, it was still pretty good.  As for the Beef Penang Curry, it was not our favourite.  There was nothing particularly wrong with the flavours per se.  There was a fishy, salty, sweet and spicy thing going on and it went well with our rice.  The biggest issue was the beef - it was dry and hard.  It took considerable effort to chew.  We realize that Thai cooking doesn't employ a tenderizer to the meat, but maybe they should've used a more tender cut.

Moving along, we had the Chicken Green Curry which was generous in portion size.  The curry was definitely coconutty with balanced flavours.  Despite this, we would've liked to see just a bit more punch with the flavours.  We asked for medium and it was not overly spicy.  Lastly, we had the Cashew Chicken and this was not devoid of flavour.  There was a good mix of sweet and savoury while the dish exhibited a good wok fry.  This was a nice end to a relatively enjoyable meal.  The food was generally pretty good while our surroundings comfortable with attentive service (even though we had a Groupon too).

The Good:
- Solid eats
- Clean and comfortable environment
- Decent service

The Bad:
- Some of the proteins could've been less dry and chewy