Afternoon Repast at Sap's, 6.15.2012

I met R at Sap’s Fine Thai Cuisine for a late afternoon chow-down. We were both feeling a little puckish from not having eaten all day. We started with S-S3, Num Tok Gai, the Isaan-related cousin of laap/larb/lab. It’s seasoned with lime juice, garlic, fish sauce, and mint, with a nutty textural edge provided by roasted rice powder. Accompanied by a salad on the side, it is a tart, spicy starter that’s perfect for a sweltering summer day.

Next came S-P5, Gaeng Kua Supparod Goong, the mild red curry accentuated by fresh pineapple chunks, bathing perfectly cooked sweet shrimp. The sweetness of the fruit is a nice foil for the tartness of the salad. Delicious.





I decided to try a noodle dish that I have never had before, S-P5, Yum Guay Teaw Gai, and we chose sen yai wide, flat rice noodles over the bean thread noodles. The noodles and chicken are mixed with a sauce of lemongrass, roasted chile paste, lime juice, honey, and it gets topped with

Toasted peanuts and fried onion. I added a little fish sauce and chile paste, and the combo was incredible.




The clincher was S-P46 on the specials menu at the front, Nuer Ob. Meltingly-tender braised beef is swimming in a dark rich sauce made from onions, tomatoes, fish sauce, and palm sugar, and it comes with a zippy green chile and garlic sauce to top it with. The meat literally melts in your mouth, with an assertive, sinfully rich sauce. This is a fantastic dish.




R’s mouth was as little fried from the chile heat, so we decided to share a bowl of the strawberry sorbet and the coconut ice cream; a perfect way to soothe singed taste buds. The strawberry was lush with fresh strawberry flavor, and perfectly balanced. The coconut was rich and creamy, and just sweet enough. It rivaled the best coconut ice cream I’ve had on the streets of Thailand. Good stuff. Broken record I know, but yet another great meal at Sap’s.



Mick Vann ©