T.H.A.I. in Shirlington
OK, so this is my first posting. I’m starting with something easy that I know pretty well. Thai food has been a part of my life as far back as I can remember. My father was stationed in Korat Thailand during the Vietnam War and through his lost innocence gained a great appreciation of the Thai experience. I am very grateful that he has passed down to me his passion for their cuisine. T.H.A.I. in Shirlington has been a go to place for “feel good food” since I moved to the area a few years ago. Not your traditional Thai cuisine but an interesting modern take on classic flavors. They have managed to set the bar pretty high for themselves and have yet to disappoint me. I mean seriously, these people have never given me anything that wasn’t fantastic.
I usually start out with the Popcorn Shrimp that are rubbed with Thai spices and served with a sweet-chili dipping sauce. The breading is crispy on the outside and light and fluffy on the inside. The shrimp are tender and perfectly cooked. The chili sauce is a a staple and rightly so. It’s bold, spicy, sweet flavor accents the subtle spices in the breading and brings the flavors together.
Next, I get the Genral Tso’s Bamee. This is Thai in Shirlington’s take on the Chinese classic General Tso’s chicken. This dish starts out with chicken breaded with panko bread crumbs and fried to perfection. Then the chicken is tossed in a tangy sauce and served over a plate full of bamee noodles that are both thick and satisfying. They are joined by slivers of spring onion, carrot, and bean sprout which provide a heartier crunch next to the delicate panko. It just feels good in my mouth. I enjoy the interesting textures and the elegant flavors. This is a very beautiful dish.
My other fav. dish at Thai in Shirlington is the Spicy Eggplant. There is not much I enjoy in this world more than Thai spicy eggplant. Theirs tops the charts. Each slice is like a little piece of art that you need to savor and appreciate. The light purple eggplant complements the golden brown tofu and bright sweet red peppers in texture and color. The heat in this dish is perfectly balanced and brings the black bean garlic sauce to the next phase of punch you in the face good. Last,
I would like to address the delicious evils of the Fried Roti Dough. This is Thai crack. I’m not even sure how to describe it other than seared sweet dough. It’s stuffed with taro root paste and dusted with powered sugar and a drizzle of honey. They cut the dough into bite size squares and serve it atop a scant scoop of taro root ice cream garnished with taro root chips and a Thai orchid. It is this food that makes me happy to be alive.
Hi Kelly,
I love this site! I also occasionally have the good fortune of having a quick lunch at T.H.A.I. You are right in that I have never been disappointed either. Your assessment on the Bamee agrees with mine, but my fav dish has to be the “Big Bowl” containing chicken & basil seasoned everso wonderfully with just the right amount of Thai pepper….fairly hot, but not too hot! I’ll have to try the Dough…sounds very interesting. More later.
Aloha beautiful one,
Just wanted to say I love your blog. I can remember a atime when I would have never touched Thai food. However, now I love it. In fact, I love it quite a bit. I have a few of my favorites of course. Laab Gai and Yam Nua. I think I’m spelling correctly. Of course I owe my newly aquired taste to you and yours. Yup, what would we have done if pops never went to Thailand. We would have missed out on some fine eats that’s for sure. You know, something interesting I heard about the Thais and their cooking. I heard they never ever measure anything. They only taste. I find that facinating, as I never measure anything either. However, my cook’in is usually a different international flavor. But as I said, I’m loving the Thai too. Again, kudos on your blog site. I’ll be seeing you shortly. Who knows,….maybe we can “Thai” one on….LOL LOL
It’s amazing