Tuesday, May 01, 2007

first date: dara thai

i know that it's probably a good idea to wait to try a restaurant until they actually have a permanent sign posted out front.

anthem is trying to grow as fast as folks are flocking up there, and commercial rents aren't cheap, especially on the main drag, anthem way. so i understand the push for places to open their doors and try to start bringing in revenue.

i have no problem with high school kids having to use the large button calculator at the counter to figure out tax and change, or the lack of a liquor license, but one should at least try to get
all the ingredients necessary for the dishes on the menu before asking people to try them.

i ordered the pad thai which had all of one tiny piece of green onion for any greenery other than school-lunch-lady shredded lettuce with the pieces of beet thrown in (for no real reason 'cause kids won't eat something purple unless it's frozen on a stick.)


the chicken was very dry, with kind of the same consistency as the overcooked scrambled egg thrown in. mushy flat noodles more like fat fettucine than rice noodle, no tamarind perceptible...

i can't judge a place on one dish i know, but the whole experience of the place felt so unfinished, just like the recipe. i anxiously await the signage... perhaps their thai iced tea is so intoxicating that it overwhelms the rest of the underwhelming.

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