Right on Alberni, between Thurlow and Bute, a new Thai place has opened. Close to my work, I’ve been there quite a few times. They have a lot of tapas/appys on the menu and I will focus on two of my favourites.
The first one is their Spicy Butterfly Butter Jumbo Tiger Prawn (image above). It’s a gigantic prawn coated with a light coating before being deep fried. Served with fresh peppercorns and swirled egg, this was a very pretty dish. The egg comes out almost noodle-like texture.
Another great appy is their Ostrich Kabob. Two skewers per order, it’s perfect for sharing! Meat on a stick…what could be better? The skewers of ostrich and pineapple are grilled to a nice char. Topped with some spicy hot sauce, this dish is innovative and really fun way to try ostrich for the first time. The taste and texture are similar to beef it’s even lower in fat than turkey or chicken.
They have quite a few rice dishes too, this is the Khoa Ooop Rummitr. It’s a baked rice with diced tiger prawns and some coconut strips, and in the centre of it all, a giant scallop. It’s a good option of you’re looking for a seafood dish and not a fan traditional fried rice. It’s a safe choice for those who want to avoid spice.
If you do like spice, then try the Kra Poa Kook – a fried rice made with ground beef and fresh chilies and basil. I still didn’t find it overly spicy, but there is definitely heat involved. The deep fried basil adds a nice texture.
And yes Pad Thai is on the menu, but it’s also with a twist. Instead of with the usual chicken and prawns, you get either tiger prawns or deep fried soft-shelled crab. We got the crab version and as you can see, the topping is quite generous, as is the mound of noodles that the crab is hiding. If you like Pad Thai and you like soft-shelled crab, this is perfect!
Perhaps my favourite is the Yen Ta Foo, which is a fresh rice noodle soup with loads of seafood, prawns, fish tofu, fish and shrimp balls, fish fillet and even two tiger prawns, with some deep fried wonton skins on the side, be sure to take it out immediately so it holds the crunch! I asked them to make it “extra hot” so my soup is pretty red. It’s normally not that spicy, but the staff will accommodate any heat level.
I’ve been coming to this restaurant since they first opened and I honestly have to say, the service and food have definitely improved in the past two months. The front of house team is definitely coming together and the kitchen is getting their groove on with each other, especially during the busy lunch hour rush.
Written By: @GraceCheung604 (www.gracecheung604.com)
Twitter: @pinkethai
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