A reminder of travel . . . and Thai
Throughout my life I have been very fortunate to have been given the gift of travel. As an airline-brat growing up, I began to take flights alone at the age of 5. Of course that was during a different era of the ’70s where things seemed safer, and my first flight alone being to Lincoln, NE was not much of a danger. Since that time, I have had the pleasure of traveling extensively across many continents and I find that many of the happiest memories of that travel involve food.
Although there are many international memories beginning with Schnitzel and Beir-wein (nasty stuff) in Heidelberg, the brightest of those memories involve spice. And, over the years I find myself gravitated towards spicy foods. Pho in Vietnam, Laksa from Singapore, the extensive peppers used in Kenya and of course my newest local addiction, Dona (aka Crack Sauce) of which I got a ‘fix’ today. Don’t get me wrong, I very much enjoy the savory (and less heated) flavors of the cooler climates I have lived in and visited. However, it was a recent visit to a local Thai Restaurant that reminded me of my preferences for spicy foods during times plagued with mercury spikes, such as that we have experienced in Texas for the last several weeks. Let’s be honest, its hot as sh*t here. Has been for a while, and by all accounts the temperature ain’t changing any time soon.
With that in mind, I reached for my iPhone and pulled up Urbanspoon. A great app that I don’t find myself using as often as I should. After shaking my phone (just to add to the experience) it suggested a nearby restaurant called Muangthai. According to Urbanspoon it had several positive reviews and was about 3 blocks away from my present location. So, off I went.
Located in a strip-mall just off of 183, it sits between Chair-King and a Golds Gym (Google Map was a little off). The exterior is easy to pass by, and once inside the decor is simple. My first interest began when a table of Thai speaking gentlemen sat behind me. It is a good sign when cuisine-natives are eating at tables near by. The wait-staff were also Asian, which is sometimes another good sign of quality.
As I surveyed the menu, a thought came to me of a show I had once seen. I don’t remember who it was in the show that said “When I interview chef’s for hire, I ask them to make an omelette. If they can’t make the simplest of things, they cannot be a chef.” With that in mind, I decided to order the simplest and most common dishes on the menu. I found Ka Nom Jeeb (a Thai dumpling of chicken, shrimp, crabmeat and bamboo) and Pad Kee Mao (a spicy noodle dish with onion, mushroom, bell pepper and basil) and both are usually the essence of Thai food.
Ordering and selecting chicken with my Pad Kee Mao, I was presented with a complimentary cup of Tom Kha (a spicy soup made of coconut milk and lemon grass). It was AMAZING! A good start for a well anticipated meal. Following that came the appetizer Ka Nom Jeeb, which was a pleasant experience to say the least. The sauce was complimentary, not over-powering, and the dumplings themselves were divine. Last I was treated to the main course of Pad Kee Mao which was the spiciest and most flavorful that I have experienced in the US. Usually, US restaurants downplay the spice that is required in the dish, but this made me sweat a little which was a nice, and welcome change from the norm. If spicy dishes, no matter the heat level, don’t make you sweat its not worth the effort in my opinion.
The spice and experience of this meal made me think back to my extensive travels. The Vindaloo in Balmain, Chicken and Rice in Singapore, Chili Pot in Beijing, Curry in the UK and Spicy Mussels in the Mediterranean all came flashing back to my mind. Spicy foods are essential to my diet.
All told, the decor was simple, but the focus was clearly on the food. It has been a long time since I have had great Thai food, and I am very thankful for the experience. I cannot wait to visit Muangthai again. I highly recommend it!
