Hot Dish Review

Just one of 80 restaurants participating in Taste of Atlanta October 22nd and 23rd!The Niyomkul family is to Thai food in Atlanta what the Bastianich family is to Italian food in New York. Charlie and Nan have given us an authentic taste of Thailand for many years with Tamarind (now closed), Tamarind Seed, and Nan.

Now their daughter DeeDee is at the helm of their latest operation, Tuk Tuk Thai Loft in the Brookwood Hills shopping center. Her focus is on street food, some of the same dishes her grandmother prepared as a street food vendor in Bangkok years ago.

Entering the tiny lobby, one is greeted by a shiny new motorized rickshaw, called a tuk tuk, complete with orange and white leather seating. It is surely a prop for many visitor photo opps, especially after a few drinks.

From there, guests take an elevator to the third floor which opens to reveal a gorgeous space, a brilliant renovation from its former incarnation as Taurus.

Greeted by Thaddeus Keefe, chef DeeDee’s fiance’ and business partner, he gave me a brief tour of the dining room and kitchen, each element brought from Thailand and painstakingly chosen by the couple. Speaking of their decision to open Tuk Tuk, Keefe quipped “We were going to get married but ended up having a baby instead (laughing)”.

Seated by the manager CY at a table next to a large shelf filled with Asian cookies and such in metal canisters, B and I ordered a bottle of red wine. We both loved the restaurant’s sleek decor with dark wood tables and elegant lighting. Each table had one odd chair. Naturally, I chose to sit in the lone tapestry armchair which was quite low, requiring CY to bring me a booster cushion without missing a beat. The staff was just that accomodating throughout our meal.

B joined me for a menu sampling that started off conservative but ended in full-on gluttony. Thaddeus recommended small tastes of several starters, beginning with a single serving of a popular street snack called mieng kum, beautifully presesnted on a spinach leaf with chopped peanuts, lime, ginger, onions, and coconut, the flavor of each ingredient clear and pronounced.

An assortment of skewers were presented, two each of beef, pork, and mini beef meatballs, suspended from a metal frame with dipping sauces below. Both B and I favored the beef with the tamarind chili sauce. A side of sticky rice in a tiny bamboo steamer reminded me of the sticky rice I used to get in New York, the size of a baseball, wrapped in plastic wrap.

The third item from the menu’s small plates was the hoy tod, a crispy omelette with mussels recommended by friends on Facebook. Sounded interesting, but with most things described as crispy, it was battered and fried. It was topped with scallions, cilantro and “three flavored chili sauce”. However, I found the main flavor of the sauce to be sweet. Somehow, I think I would have preferred it un-fried.

Thaddeus suggested yum woon sen, a salad composed of minced seafood and chicken on cellophane noodles with fresh lime, onions and a touch of palm sugar. The sliced raw cabbage served alongside reminded me of larb, however, diners aren’t expected to wrap the meat in the leaves. I really enjoyed the spicy salad with the fresh, crisp cabbage…..yum! (pun intended)

Another recommendation from Thaddeus was the kra pow moo made of minced pork with Thai sweet basil and garlic. A mound of rice on the same plate was topped with a battered and fried egg. B and I like our Thai food spicy as hell. With each subsequent dish, we found the heat becoming more and more intense.

For our final savory dish we chose the Panang curry, substituting shrimp for the beef. Rich and spicy, the fragrant curry was excellent over the jasmine rice, full of plump shrimp.

Long before our visit I had read their menu online. The Bangkok snow cone caught my attention. It sounded like my favorite Vietnamese dessert made with shaved ice, coconut milk, red beans, and jellies. Nothing could stop me from ordering it, not even the six courses I had just consumed!

Well, I wish someone had stopped me. The Bangkok snow cone was horrific. An enormous bowl of shaved ice was drizzled with a bright pink “rose syrup” that tasted like cherry. My experience with red beans in Asian desserts is the sweetened canned variety, however, these were regular beans, and I swear there were garbanzos in there too! Texturally, the jellies were good but could not overcome the abomination of the dessert as a whole.

Please go to Spice Market and order the Thai jewels for a delicious riff on the traditional Asian dessert made with shaved ice. Or better yet, go to any Pho house on Buford Highway and point to the picture of a parfait on the menu for the real deal.

DeeDee suggested the coconut tapioca pudding. B wanted fried bananas too. So the kitchen combined the two for a decadent treat that we both loved!

1745 Peachtree Road 678-539-6181

Last night, a group of food bloggers descended on four Midtown restaurants that will be dishing up samples at the 10th annual Taste of Atlanta, October 22nd and 23rd.

When I was contacted by event founder, Dale DeSena, I was excited, not only to be invited to participate, but also because my company, Cooper Global Transportation, was chosen to provide the luxurious chauffeured transportation to drive us eaters around town!

Our group of 25 bloggers, Brave PR staffers and Dale herself, started at JCT Kitchen, welcomed with a couple of signature cocktails that captured the essence of Autumn. The scarecrow was made with pumpkin ale, spiced rum, brown sugar chai and orange. Myself, and a few others, found it heavy on the cloves. But everyone seemed to enjoy their signature martini the JCTea, a mix of tea infused gin, Grand Marnier, lemon, Fee Brothers orange bitters.

Two big platters of delectable morsels were placed on the communal tables, photographed like starlets by the hungry (literally) blogger paparazzi, as Chef de Cuisine Brian Horn described the selections. Then we each grabbed a plate and a bite of each….the pork belly appetizer I was hoping to try and a taste of pasta from their entree selections. Crispy chunks of pork belly sat upon fried slices of banana and frissee, dressed with peanut sauce. Amazing! Even better was the sweet onion and fontina agnolotti, dressed with crumbles of Humboldt Fog and shitake mushrooms, wittily described as “expensive” on the menu. A great start to the TOA Tweet-Up!

On to our second restaurant, Ri Ra, an Irish pub in Midtown. The enormous space is striking, constructed with pub salvage from County Wicklow near Dublin, including ornate crystal chandeliers and intricate woodwork.

Our server took drink orders, so I tried a Young’s Double Chocolate Stout. Platters of beer battered fish with two dipping sauces were placed on each table. After a few photos we were ready to dig in but the platters were inexplicably taken away to another table for serving. It was curious that they served us fish without the chips. One of the bloggers’ companions….not even a food writer, mind you….noted that there was no seasoning on the fish. Indeed, it was apparent in the first bite that salt was omitted. The sauces did little to perk up the flavor.

We boarded the Cooper minibus and made our way to Tuk Tuk Thai Loft, owned by Dee Dee Niyomkul, who’s family owns Nan Thai and Tamarind Seed. The space is gorgeous. Inspired by the street food her grandmother used to sell in Bangkok, Dee Dee recreates these dishes with great success. Our group was served lychee mojitos, which I skipped but heard was great.

Servers appeared with platters of tastes, many of them disappearing before we could get our cameras out. Chicken satay and Thai vegetable samosas to start, then a platter of miniature spinach leaf wraps filled with minced chicken, peanuts, onions, and ginger. My personal favorite was the Thai beef jerky with sticky rice and cilantro. Chef DeeDee came out to chat with us after we had sampled many delectable dishes, making for a memorable visit.

Everyone was feelin’ good, and having a great time getting to know each other! Our last stop was The Barrelhouse, a new gastropub on 5th street. Tennessee barn wood covered the walls, making for a warm and casual atmosphere. A cocktail called fruit cup was offered, made with vodka, simple syrup, cherries, pineapple, mint, and soda.

A tiny hot dog bun was delivered, filled with meltingly tender beef short ribs. It was a little dry, but the flavor was fantastic. I gave my little cup of banana pudding to a fellow blogger, anticipating a sweeter dessert as I texted LC, who was arriving from Texas via the Marta station nearby. Perfect timing!

Don’t miss this year’s Taste of Atlanta on the streets around Tech Square….with more than 80 restaurants participating you won’t leave hungry!

Change is good, but it’s good to know some things never change. Often, when restaurants “improve” a recipe, they ruin its integrity. Surin’s beef salad is an old favorite. BH and I used to get it to go while at work, taking a break from the rigors of designing.

Last week I had a craving for it and stopped by Surin on North Highland for an order to go. I always request it without cucumbers and with a side of rice to soak of the spicy juice under the lettuce leaves.

Thin slices of beef are arranged on top of chopped romaine, with red onion, scallions, tomato wedges and cilantro. It is a traditional dish, one of only a few Surin actually makes quite spicy….as good as ever!

Sometimes me and LC are just too lazy to leave the house. Like that night a couple of weeks ago after a particularly grueling nap. Sleeping makes me hungry! So I suggested ordering delivery. We both love spicy food so Thai was the perfect choice. Top Spice is nearby and they regularly put menus at my door.

I always order basil rolls as an appetizer. We also decided to try the basil lettuce wraps, a dish that sounds like the traditional Thai dish called larb, made with ground chicken and spices and served with big leaves of lettuce to wrap around the flavorful meat.

From fiery green papaya salad served at a dive in New York to Bangkok style “street food” in a swanky local restaurant, my experience with Thai food is pretty extensive. I often order a Malaysian curry from Top Spice, made with shrimp, okra, and onions or spicy basil sauce with seafood, extra hot. But on that night I had to compromise, so we tried the pork pad prik. Gotta love the name.

Described as “spicy hot”, the dish was an unimpressive mix of peppers, onions, and mushrooms in a sauce that left me yearning for the sweet hotness of spicy basil or the smooth burn of curry. We tempered the heat with plain white rice. They do offer sticky rice, but unfortunately, only as a dessert, with mango. I’ve had it….trust me, you do not want it.

Sharing two appetizers and one entree saved room for dessert so I could not resist an all-time favorite, green tea ice cream. Although I love red bean (azuki) ice cream even more, most restaurants on this side of Buford Highway do not serve it. I retrieved the big container of the light green stuff from the freezer and topped it with whipped cream, then proceeded to eat every bite.

Yes, the food was hot indeed but it was the company that made the evening sizzle.

Just as the roads were becoming too treacherous to drive Sunday evening, LC and I decided to order delivery from Top Spice. Let me clarify…..it was too dangerous for us to drive, not the delivery guy!

Top Spice has a full Thai menu as well as some Malaysian specialties, including my favorite Mystic Claypot. I always miss out on the actual clay pot since I’ve only had it delivered, but the dish is irresistible nonetheless, full of plump shrimp, squid, onions, peppers, and okra in a rich, spicy curry.

LC tried the Prik Khing beef, sauteed with green beans, red peppers, and onions in a spicy chilli sauce. We both requested extra spicy but his turned out hotter than mine.

I attempted to order sticky rice with our entrees but the voice on the other end said “sticky rice mango?” So I said “sure, whatever”. Basil rolls were ordered too….mandatory appetizer.

The poor delivery guy made it through the snow. LC and I dug in, dipping basil rolls in a cloyingly sweet sauce. Surin’s spicy sweet sauce is far superior, but the basil rolls themselves were pretty good.

I took a peek at the accidental dessert order and was appalled by its garrish bright green color. There was a day-glo green dipping sauce and sliced mango that was not ripe. Horrific looking and horrific tasting too.

Both of our entrees hit the spot. The quality of their seafood is terrific, and not overcooked as is often the case with squid. LC’s beef was tender and the sauce was so tasty we ate it with the leftover rice for a midnight snack.

1529-F Piedmont Avenue 404-685-9333

I love Thai food. And I like it Thai hot. Really. Yes, I am a blond American chick but I can eat hot fuckin’ food, don’t patronize me with half-ass spicy, that just pisses me off. I heard Spoon was the real deal, not dumbed-down for Americans. So I took my friend/roommate/neighbor LG for her birthday.

The chef Aim (surely short for something as there are no three letter words or names in Thailand) Suteeluxnaporn and her sister Sujaree own Spoon, the original location on Marietta Street and the new one on Moreland just past Little 5 Points.

The space is modern with dim lighting and partially exposed gray stone that made it feel like a cozy neighborhood joint. Walls are decorated with original art that the sisters picked up in their travels to Thailand.

I wanted to try everything on the menu from the curries to the stir-fries. Basil rolls? I’ve eaten them everywhere and have had them prepared by Vietnamese family of friends, so authentic is what I know and like. I usually get a spicy basil seafood dish at other Thai restaurants like Mali, but really wanted to sample some curries.

On my first visit LG and I tried the basil rolls which were surprisingly vegetarian….no pork, no shrimp. In fact, they were skinny little things with extra thick skin, carrot, basil and not much else. The sauce, however, was spicy, topped with crunchy ground peanuts. We also had the tofu corn cakes. Two thick cakes were served with a sweet and spicy sauce. Topped with fresh cilantro, the cakes were so fluffy and light, really unusual and delicious. LG had the house salad which I found entirely unremarkable.

We started with a riesling and a cold unfiltered sake (nigori). LG ordered the mildly spiced massamun curry with chicken and I tried the roasted duck in red curry. I ordered it hot but not Thai hot, however, I didn’t think there was much spice in it. The sauce was very tasty, as was the massamun, just not spicy. My duck was crispy and tender, dark and gamey. The dish was complimented with lychees.

Most Asian restaurants do not have good desserts. Spoon certainly surpasses everyone in this department. Blueberry chocolate spring rolls are served with coconut ice cream. I’ve heard the chocolate caramel mousse is fantastic but we opted for the mango sticky rice with a pumpkin mousse and green tea ice cream. I love the texture of sticky rice, miss it from the days in NY when it was delivered in a ball of Saran Wrap along with the chicken soup. Really sticky, you can eat it better with chopsticks!

Green tea and azuki ice creams are among my favorite flavors, and it was a great compliment to the sticky rice, as was the delicately sweet pumpkin mousse. We were stuffed!

I’m really looking forward to trying some of their other Thai standards like the beef salad, panang curry with shrimp and the spicy basil stir fry….maybe for lunch next week. I’ll update on subsequent dishes!

Eastside, 749 Moreland Ave 404-624-4713
Westside, 768 marietta St. 404-522-5655
www.spoonatlanta.com