Text 20682, 57 rader
Skriven 2007-09-27 00:07:00 av MICHAEL LOO (1:123/140)
Ärende: thai lunch 185
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An amusing lunch. They don't let people make extended visits
at the dialysis center, so the small triangular waiting room
fills up with family members and private nurses who wander
in periodically for their allotted 10 minutes an hour. There
are vast chunks of time to do the echomail, nap, or have lunch.
There's a newish place a few blocks away that I've heard decent
things about, so I thought I'd give it a try. Nark Kara Thai is
a pleasant-looking medium-size space, two Thai-style low
tables in front and maybe 12-16 regular tables behind, plus a
bar. Fairly dimly lit even in the bright noonday sun. There
were a couple of tables filled when I showed up at 1, and
shortly these people left. As I nursed my beer, a pair of kids
in their 20s came in and took a table nearby - they didn't look
like foodies (they were wearing construction duds and were,
shall we say, not of unimpeachable cleanliness; in all probability
though they make twice as much as I do), but their conversation
(loud) showed promise for the next generation. One of them was
the instigator and the more adventurous one; his friend was a bit
sheltered, having never had Thai or even Vietnamese food before.
Mr Expert (we shall call him this not out of derision, but because
it's sort of true) was telling Mr Neo about the heat of various
peppers, with the Savina being the hottest, but he'd read about
a South Asian pepper being even hotter, and how Thai food would
be enhanced with these peppers, but Vietnamese food wouldn't;
Mr Neo nodded and interjected comments that indicated that mass
market Chinese was as far as he'd ever ventured before.

I had noticed roast duck ka prow - a very spicy dish with basil
and a touch of coconut - on the menu and was determined to order
it, extra hot, and was surprised and pleased to hear Mr Expert
asking for it, extra hot, and recommending that Mr Neo take the
drunken noodles. Good choice, thought I.

They must have made a double batch, as our orders came at the
same time, and both Mr Expert and I had the same reaction,
calling for the hot tray at the same time. The dish was quite
good, the duck fairly fatty, not a problem for me nor apparently
for Mr Expert, the sauce very savory but needing a touch of heat.
From what I hear, the drunken noodles did the job as well.

Portions were good.

I was overstaying my leave, so I ordered a portion of sticky
rice with Thai custard to go so I could munch at the dialysis
center. The custard was okay, not as full-flavored as I'd
like but with a good balance of salt and sweet. The rice was
crusty and nasty. And the portion was teensy.

Will I give the place another chance? Probably, but I'll tell
them what I thought of the sticky rice, and if they don't make
good on that, no matter how good the rest of the meal is,
that'll be it.


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