Pai

Normally, I'm not a sucker for being influenced by a celebrity when it comes to restaurant recommendations.  However, when I saw Simu Liu enjoy his favourite bowl of Khao Soi at Pai in his hometown of Toronto, I thought that we should go there too!  It also helped it was only an 8-minute walk from our hotel as well.   We didn't make any resos but got a seat anyways since the place is deceptively large.

Before we got to the Khao Soi, we went for some appies starting with the Mango Slaw.  This was similar to a green papaya salad except it featured other julienned components such as carrot, red cabbage and pickled green onion.  Also, the dressing was similar too with plenty of acidity from the lime juice and tamarind with sweetness from the coconut sugar.  The crunch from the veggies was great and the aromatic crunch from the peanuts gave some relief from the tang.

Possibly the best dish of the meal was the Moo Ping (Pork Skewers).  These skewers were generously graced with pork that was super tender and juicy.  Aggressively-marinated, the pork was flavourful throughout.  The sweetness really came through in the meat whole the caramelization on the outside added intense, but balanced sweetness.   There some smokiness as well.  This was all levelled out by the savouriness as well.

Onto the mains, we dug into their signature Khao Soi first.  We chose to have this with beef and there was a tonne of it.  Although tender and flavourful, half of the pieces were a quite dry.  As for the broth, it was delicious with the creamy aromatics of coconut milk and the earthiness of the curry.  The sweetness was definitely there as well helping out balance the dish.  Noodles were al dente and soaked up the tasty broth.

We also had the Green Curry with chicken served in a fresh coconut.   There was some extra curry on the side since not all all of it fit into the coconut.   There was also coconut rice wrapped in banana leaves.   I thought the curry itself was good with the usual aromatic coconut milk, slight spice and sweet savouriness.  There was some firm pieces of chayote as well as a wealth of chicken breast.  Although chicken breast tends to be drier, I found this one a bit drier than what I prefer.   

Our last dish was the Pad Thai Goong with some extra spice on the side (which I used liberally, yum!).  This was also a great dish where the rice noodles were al dente and sauced with a good amount of tamarind and palm sugar.  Hence it was tangy and sweet while extra spicy (when I made it so).  In the end, I wanted to really like Pai, but it was hit and miss for me.  Some of the proteins were dry and chewy.  However, the flavours were really good.  So I guess your experience will highly depend on what you order and what protein you choose.

The Good:
- Impactful flavours
- Noodles were done perfectly
- Eclectic dining space

The Bad:
- Some proteins were chewy and dry

 

Zab Zaab Thai

I'm not usually the type to do random eats, but there have been instances where it works out.  Case in point, our recent foray to Zab Zaab Thai in Yaletown.  We were in downtown to watch a show at the Orpheum and we had fortunately snagged one of the free spots near Elsie Roy Elementary School.  We really didn't have a plan for a dinner spot and we wandered Yaletown hoping to gain some inspiration.  We considered some ol' standbys including Rodney's or even Cactus Club.  That is when we stumbled on Zab Zaab Thai that has the "Thai Select" award that guarantees authenticity according to Thailand's Ministry of Commerce.  

The menu is pretty large and it was hard to choose between items.  Ultimately, we began with a pair of soups including the Tom Yum with prawns and the Tom Kah with chicken.  Gotta say that these were pretty good and a nice start to our meal.  I found the fragrant and aromatic components were all discernible and in balance.  Hence, the lemongrass, lime leaves, galangal, fish sauce and spice were all there and came through in layers.  Of course, the Tom Kah added the creaminess and aromatics of coconut milk.

Next up, we had the Crying Tiger Beef or grilled NY striploin.  This was perfectly charred which resulted in a smoky nuttiness.  There was plenty of natural meat flavour from the perfectly medium-rare cook on the steak.  In terms of texture, we found it to be not as tender as expected, but at the same time, it wasn't overly chewy either.  This was served with a tangy, sweet and lightly spicy house dip.  The sauce was the key component to this dish as it was super appetizing and impactful.  We also had a side of sticky rice that was great with the dip as well.

From their special menu, we tried the Crispy Pork Belly Basil with garlic, chili, green beans, bell peppers and holy basil.  We really enjoyed this with some rice as the aroma from this dish was super pleasing.  Due to the proper wok hei, this had caramelized sweetness as well as the garlicky savouriness that helped seasoned the crisp veggies.  The pork belly itself was meat with just enough fattiness to keep things moist and buttery.  Although stir-fried, the crackling remained crunchy.

As per usual, we got some veggies into our meal with the Stir-Fried Vegetables.  This consisted of seasoned vegetables such as cabbage, carrots, broccoli, button mushrooms and green beans.  Since it was cooked in a high heat wok, the veggies cooked through while retaining a crunch.  Things were flavourful with the use of mushroom oyster sauce where we had the rich saltiness that had plenty of umami.  As you can see in the picture, there was very little residual moisture and oil.

One of my favourite dishes of the night was the Pad See Ew.  The most important part of this dish is the actual wok fry.  There needs to be wok hei resulting in caramelization and that smokiness from the searing of the components.  Well, this version definitely achieved that with intense sweetness that was balanced off by the saltiness.  The noodles were al dente, not clumpy and not oversauced.  We chose chicken to go with this (rather than our usual tofu) and it was fairly moist.  The gai lan was vibrant and had a nice crunch.  Good amount of fried egg too.

For our curry option, we chose the Tofu Red Curry.  Normally, we would probably go for beef, but since we didn't have tofu in the pad see ew, we wanted to try it.  As you can see, the cubes of tofu were on the larger side, but worked okay with this dish.  The pieces were more robust and stood up to the creamy and sweet curry.  There was medium spice with a background brininess and aromatics from the lemongrass and galangal.

We went default with our dessert in the Mango Sticky Rice, where it arrived in one of the biggest portion sizes I've ever seen.  It consisted of a sliced whole mango and a considerable amount of sticky rice.  The texture of the rice was good being moist while still nicely chewy.  It was topped with sweet coconut cream.  The mango was ripe being sweet with a tang.  All-in-all, the food at Zab Zaab is solid and prepared with care.  Prices aren't cheap, but reasonable given its location.

The Good:

- Nice wok hei (Intense wok heat)

- Impactful flavours

- Attentive service

The Bad:

- Seating is a bit odd in the restaurant where it makes each table tight

Rice & Noodle (Granville)

Sometimes, simple is good.  We have so many food options in Vancouver, it can get pretty overwhelming and more recently, completely unaffordable.  Sure, we could just drop by any random fast food restaurant or food court stall, but many are rather boring.  One option that I never knew existed is Rice & Noodle.  This counter quick-service restaurant offers up Asian rice & noodles (hence the name) at reasonable prices and well-portioned plates.  Jackie and I checked out the new Granville location in Downtown.

The first item we tried as not a plate at all, rather, it was a bowl of Laksa with prawns.  For all their dishes, you can choose your protein, whether it be beef, pork, chicken, prawns or tofu.  As you can see from the picture, this looked pretty good.  That it was with a creamy coconutty broth that had the aromatics which included lemongrass, galangal and lime.  There was the sweetness of palm sugar and a touch of spice too.  Now we would never confuse this with the best Laksa I ever had, but this was more than acceptable.  Prawns had a sweet snap and even the egg wasn't overcooked.

Another soup noodle was the Tom Yum, which we also go with prawns.  Hidden within the fragrant broth, we found a wealth of al dente rice noodles.  It has partially soaked up the tangy and briny broth that had the brightness of lemongrass, lime leaves and galangal.  I could also get the fish sauce with its salty brininess.  Nice tang from the tomatoes too.  Again, not the best Tom Yum out there, but a very competent one.

Onto the Pad Thai, we also got this with prawns and it came with the usual bean sprouts, crushed peanuts and wedge of lime.  Even though it was stir-fried beautifully with some smokiness and caramelization from the high wok heat, I wasn't a fan of this dish.  It tasted ketchupy and one note.  I can see how some would like this flavour profile as it can be found extensively in North America.  But I really enjoy a tamarind-forward version more with caramelized palm sugar.

Now the Pad See Ew was considerably better.  It consisted of narrow rice noodles instead of the usual wide ones.  In this case, it worked well as it took on the caramelization and had sweet smokiness.  We got this with sliced beef and it was decently tender, if not a touch dry.  The veggies were cooked through but still had a nice crunch.  Overall, this was a good dish and I wouldn't have a problem ordering it again.

Another dish that had some great wok hei was the Mongolian Stir-Fry.  We got this with tofu and there was some pretty good caramelization and aroma.  All the veggies were cooked through, but still had an appealing crunch.  With the sweet and savory sauce, there was more than enough to enhance the natural sweetness of the veggies.  The smokiness of the stir-fry and intense sweetness of the palm sugar made for a nice compliment to the white rice.

We also got the Pineapple Fried Rice with chicken and it exhibited the same good wok hei as the rest of the dishes.  Each grain of rice was discernible and dry (in a good way).  There was some smokiness and nuttiness to compliment the sweetness of the pineapple.  There was also sufficient salt added so that the dish wasn't lacking seasoning. Love the ample amount of fried egg nestled within the rice.  It was so fluffy and well-seared.  

For our curry selection, we had the Penang Curry with prawns.  I would've preferred for the curry to be in a bowl next to rice rather than all on the plate.  Despite this, I found the curry to be sweet, aromatic and a bit spicy.  Once again, we found hits of lemongrass, galangal, lime leaves, coconut milk and fish sauce.  Very competent curry given the quick service concept.   Overall, the food at Rice & Noodle is more than acceptable and in fact, quite flavourful with wok caramelization.  Of course prices are reasonable and dishes come out quick.

*All food and beverages were complimentary for this blog post*

The Good:

- Flavourful

- Proper wok hei

- Well-priced for what you get

The Bad:

- Not a fan of the Pad Thai flavour

Sip Song Thai

Normally, most Thai spots in town are moderately-priced.  There are some exceptions including the fine dining Baan Lao in Steveston and Michelin Bib-Gourmand Song on Broadway.  If we look a bit further back, Maenam was probably the first pricier Thai restaurant in Vancouver.  Similar to the elevation of Chinese cuisine in the Lower Mainland (and hence higher prices), this trend might be hitting Thai food as well.  We find a brand new spot tucked away on West 16th at Arbutus in Sip Song Thai.

Don't let its cozy appearance fool you, the prices are on the higher end here.  However, they also sport a more unique menu compared to all of the typical Thai restaurants in town.  An example of this was the Raw White Prawns with seafood sauce and birds eye chili.  These butterflied and properly deveined prawns were buttery and sweet.  With a piece of garlic and chili, that meant there was heat and some sharpness.  To balance this, we had some sweet and tangy sauce in the middle of the plate.

Next up, we had the Pomelo Salad which, in my mind, was possibly the best dish of the meal.  It featured an abundance of juicy pomelo that burst with a mild sweetness accented by appetizing sourness.  It was dressed with the classic combination of briny and salty fish sauce, bright and tangy lime juice, intensely sweet palm sugar and the slight spice from bird's eye chili.  To top it off literally and figuratively, we found beautifully prepared prawns that had a sweet snap.

Another solid dish was the Tom Yum Goong (small size pictured here).  If I had to compare with one of my favourite versions in town (at Song YVR), this was almost just as impactful.  There was a big hit of flavours that were layered starting with the tanginess of the lime, then aromatics from the lemongrass and then brininess of the fish sauce as well as a considerable kick from the chili.  Being the creamy version, this had some viscosity and balancing sweetness.

There aren't many spots in town that offer Boat Noodles (they have it at Silom Thai), but they do here.  There were many options on the menu and we settled from Boat Noodles with Beef Balls.  This rich broth (as you can see in the picture) consisted of soy sauce, pork neck bones and a bunch of herbs.  It had a definite star anise hit as well as the saltiness of the soy.  The soup had some fall flavours and deep sweetness.  Normally, there is pork blood in this, but I didn't notice any for this version.  Noodles were cooked perfectly al dente while the meatballs were bouncy and tender.  On the side, we found sprouts, basil and various condiments to help make the soup spicy.

We got a couple of smaller dishes in the Grilled Pork Jowl and the Deep Fried Lemongrass Wings.  Now this was the best version of pork jowl I've had in a Thai Restaurant.  More superior than Song YVR!  This exhibited beautiful smoky grill marks and intense caramelization.  The meat was super buttery and the side of sweet and tangy dip helped cut the fat.  As for the chicken wings, they were crispy with fairly rendered skin.  They were plump and super juicy.  With bursts of aromatic lemongrass as well as some saltiness and sweetness from the marinade, the wings weren't longing for flavour.

For our curry, we selected the Red Curry Chicken with Rice.  Oh this was a fabulous curry with plenty of spice and aromatics.  It was rich, but not overly thick, hence it was natural-tasting where I could get the sweetness from the palm sugar, spice from the chillis and creaminess from the coconut milk.  There was a wealth of tender dark meat chicken which made this a very fulfilling dish.  Even the rice was perfect where it was al dente and on the drier side.  Perfect for accepting the delicious curry.

Our last dish was an add on in the Stir Fried Mixed Vegetables.   We were eating away and figured that we needed veggies!  Well, it was a great choice as this was delicious!  The cabbage was cooked through, but still crunchy.  Seasoning was on point where it was full of umami (from the mushrooms and mushroom sauce), yet not salty.  Overall, the food is quite good at Sip Song Thai.  I appreciated that they didn't use too much palm sugar and things were nicely spiced.  It is good to see more authentic Thai restaurants in town that are also elevating things as well.

The Good:

- Not overly sweet

- Good spice level

- Cozy space

The Bad:

- On the pricier side

Bangkok Blvd

As if we didn't have enough Thai food already with all the great stops in Portland and also Bai Tong in Redmond.  However, our last food adventure brought us out to Edmonds and a little place called Bangkok Boulevard.  Located in a former Dim Sum spot, we were a bit skeptical when we first walked into the place.  However, our initial judgments would be a complete misnomer.  Just sitting there, we could smell the wok hay and the food being prepared for takeout orders.  I think we were going to be in for a treat!

To kick things off, we started with the Pad Kra Praw.  From this dish forward, we knew we were in for a fantastic meal.  The smell and aroma emanating from the dish was intoxicating.  There was caramelized sweetness, smokiness and umami.   Loved the tender bits of ground pork combined with bell peppers, onions, green bean and bail.  Naturally, this went well with the side of nutty and chewy rice with a fried egg added for another $2.00.  As you can tell, this was a generous portion.

Talking about going well with rice, the Eggplant Chili Sauce with shrimp was equally good.  Exhibiting the same wok hay that ensured smoky nuttiness as well as intense sweetness, this need a bowl of white rice.  The eggplant was cooked through yet still maintained a firm exterior texture while being soft inside.  As for the peppers, they were still firm and quite smoky from the wok-fry.  The properly deveined shrimp were buttery and had a sweet snap. 

It was pretty anti-climatic when the Pad See Ew hit the table.  The smell and aromas were intoxicating with brininess and smokiness wafting around us.  By looks alone, we could tell since there was some charring with the tofu and noodles.  This meant that each bite was caramelized and the intensity of the savoriness made us want to eat more and more of the dish.  The noodles were slippery and had an elasticity to them while the gai lan was still vibrant and crunchy.

Bringing the aromatic smells few notches, we moved onto the Pork Congee featuring meatballs, onsen egg, ginger, green onions and white pepper.  Even though this was supposedly less impactful due to it being rice porridge, it was absolutely delicious and on par with the rest of the dishes.  Thick, yet still drinkable, the congee base was sweet and savory with depth.  Those meatballs were tender, bouncy and full-flavored.  Adding an onsen egg, it afforded some extra silkiness.

Staying with soupy things, we had the Braised Chicken Noodle Soup.  This was a gigantic portion of braised chicken wings.  They were super plump with tender meat and buttery skin.  Personally, I'm not a huge fan of flabby skin, but in this instance, it worked for this bowl of noodles.  As for the broth, it was silky (like texturally) with the taste of duck for some reason.  I'm sure it was the chicken braising liquid, but it had duck vibes possibly due to the star anise.

Featuring a deep fried soft-shelled crab on top, the Pad Pong Karee sported a dry curry with chili paste, curry powder, half & half cream, egg, onions, bell peppers and celery.  As you can see, this wasn't completely dry, so another bowl of white rice would go well.  I found the flavors to be a bit more concentrated as such with creaminess.  The veggies were still crunchy while cooked through.  I really enjoyed the crunchy soft-shelled crab with a custardy interior texture.

We ended the meal with the Black Sticky Rice Pudding.  Sitting in sweet coconut cream, this was the perfect ending to a fabulous meal.  Sure, I would've liked some mango sticky rice too, but not really the season for it!  This black rice pudding was appealingly glutinous and semi-sweet.  It had great mouth-feel and the coconut cream added plenty of aromatics.  Interestingly, with all the excellent Thai food we had on this trip, the best one was the last one.  Didn't expect a little Thai restaurant in a strip mall in Edmonds would be so good.  Well it is and go check it out if you are in the area!

*All food and beverages were complimentary for this blog post*

The Good:
- Really great wok hay that translate into some smoky and caramelized flavors
- Reasonably-priced
- Fair portions

The Bad:
- Parking lot can be rather full

Bai Tong Thai (Redmond)

The last time I was at Bai Tong, it was at their "original" location near Southcenter.  I put that in quotations because their actual first location was near the SeaTac (but no longer there).  For those who don't know, Bai Tong got its start due to the lack of Thai food available for the flight crews laying over in Seattle.  A former flight attendance for Thai Airways started Bai Tong for that purpose.  Now it has grown to multiple locations dishing up authentic and delicious Thai cuisine.  This time around we made it to the spacious Redmond location which was bustling during lunch service.

We decided to get a few  different items than last time starting with the Moo Dade Deaw (Thai Pork Jerky).  I've had this somewhat recently in Vancouver at Zab Bite and the one at Bai Tong was miles better.  Although each slice of pork was crispy and somewhat chewy on the outside, it was ultimately tender and almost juicy in the middle.  This made for easy chew while still retaining the essence of what pork jerky is supposed to be.  It was also well-seasoned with earthy, sweet and briny notes.  Of course the side of nam jim jaew added spice, sweetness, more brininess and tanginess.

The most photogenic item we had was the Meang Kum. I've had this a few times and usually it comes on a chaphlu leaves with all of the components already on top.  Meang Kum translate to "eating many things in one bite" and this is true here with shallots, peanuts, toasted coconut, lime, chilies, ginger and dried shrimp.  The version here was DIY and instead of chaphlu leaves, we had small spears of romaine lettuce.  We also found house-made Meang Kum sauce in the last square on the plate..  This was a fun way to eat and the flavors were intense with sweetness, brininess, tanginess, aromatics and spiciness.  This was a dish best shared and was great at whetting our appetites.

With our appetites completely ready for the dishes that were arriving next, we had an equally appetizing Tom Kha.  This was a particularly spicy and full-bodied version of the soup.  With the addition of coconut milk, Tom Kha is usually more mild-tasting and naturally creamy.  Hence, any spice involved is somewhat muted.  Not in this case, we got all of the good things in Tom Yum (like the galangal, lemongrass and kaffir lime leaves) but with creaminess and plenty of heat.

Something that caught our eye on the menu was the Crispy Garlic Chicken.  The menu promised us juicy chicken with a crispy exterior.  Well, I am happy to report that they followed through with that promise as the chicken was indeed juicy and tender.  The relatively thin and crispy batter was seasoned with a sweet and garlicky glaze that took on the aroma from the fried basil.  They added some chopped red peppers mainly for color as I didn't get much in the way of impact from them.

We did end up doing a repeat dish because it was so darn good.  This was the Roast Duck Curry.  Just like last time, there was a half duck sitting in the red curry.  It featured tender cooked down duck that had rendered skin.  The red curry itself was rich and creamy (from the coconut milk) while exhibiting impactful heat and sweetness.  Adding lychees into the mix provided an extra burst of sweetness but the grape tomatoes help bring it back down with tanginess.

One dish that was a study in textures was the Garlic Fish Fry.  The fish was fried pretty crispy but in turn, the meat was a dry in most spots.  At the thickest portion, it was flaky and moist though.  This was to be expected as different thickness would cook at different rates.  Therefore, for those who like it crunchy, they can eat the belly and tail portions while the ones who want it tender, go for the main body portions.  As for the sauce, it was plenty garlicky with some peppery notes.

One of the tastiest dishes was the Thai Sukiyaki.  All I know is that Sukiyaki is a Japanese dish that is served in a shallow hot pot with meats, veggies and sometimes noodles.  This Thai version served at Bai Tong did not sit in a broth per se, but was stir-fried glass noodles with veggies and prawns with Thai Sukiyaki sauce on the side.  This was tangy, sweet, garlicky and full of umami.  This could've been due to the red fermented bean curd which also added rich saltiness.  Loved this dish, so much impact and the texture of the noodles were perfect.

Along with the duck curry, we had to order another repeat in the Crab Fried Rice.  The version they serve here was on point with chewy grains of Jasmine rice that were nutty and smoky from the intense wok hay.  Flavors were caramelized and despite this, the fried rice wasn't greasy (as they use a lot of oil generally to make fried rice).  There was ample fluffy crab to give texture and the mild pops of briny sweetness.  The rice itself was also well-seasoned.

Our last dish was also a repeat in the Pad See Ew.  Instead of tofu (our default choice during this trip), we asked for beef.  The result was a more robust-tasting version with lots of smokiness from the stir-fry.  The intense caramelized sweetness came through as well as the rich saltiness of the soy.  Noodles were not clumpy and al dente.  Beef was fairly tender for a lean cut.  Overall, this was another delicious visit to Bai Tong.  Food is prepared properly and their menu is diverse. The Redmond location is pretty busy, so best to come early or make a reservation.

*All food and beverages were complimentary for this blog post*

The Good:
- Wok hay (the wok's breath) is on point here, providing smokiness and caramelization
- Generous portions
- Diverse menu

The Bad:
- Place is quite dark, mood lighting perhaps?
- One of the busier locations due to the lunch crowd, best to avoid peak times