True Thai Hole in a Wall

Saigon(Thai) Bistro Chicken Basil Stirfry

How often do you get lucky and stumble upon a hole in a wall that makes you feel right at home and bring back your taste buds? I got really lucky. Looking only at the name can be deceiving--Saigon Bistro. The restaurant opened 2 months ago on South Main St. of Wake Forest, NC. After seeing the menu, a long list of Thai food gives you a hint that Thai food dominates sushi and Vietnamese food in the restaurant. My suspicion is further confirmed after speaking to the owner, the chef and the wait staff...all speaking Thai and cooking Thai. The owner could not afford to change the name, not yet. No offense to other Thai food enthusiasts, but real Thai food is best when it is made by those who grew up eating it. The Thai taste buds are your second nature, engraved in the genes. Just make sure you tell them that you can handle the Thai heat when visiting the joint and you will be in good hands. Though not all Thai's can master the easy fix of basil stir-fry, I found out. This place has it down. The spice level was perfect. The chef extended her skill to 2 other dishes--crispy duck basil and soft shell crab "Curry". The soft shell crabs were flour dusted, deep fried until crisp and then topped with curry powder and egg sauce. This dish is traditionally prepared with hard shell crab. Making it with soft shell sure is less messy to eat. I almost cried when the cook came out and delivered the food at the table...she made me feel like eating at a restaurant back in Thailand. Saigon Bistro or Thai Bistro, the name does not matter, as long as the food stays true Thai...I will go back for more.

"Pad See Ew"

Another one of my favorite, or should I say our kids favorite restaurant, is Thai House at the intersection of Hardimont and Wake Forest Road in Raleigh, NC. Every Thai restaurant has their specialty. I rarely order Pad Thai or Lemongrass soup when visiting Thai restaurants. Our kids voted Thai House for the best "Pad See Ew", translation--stir-fried wide rice noodle with dark soy sweet soy sauce. 

Papaya Salad

I go for the papaya salad with the house pickled blue crab. Lightly brined blue crab gives a tremendous depth to the bouncy young papaya. The tangy and sweet dressing is coupled with Thai chili. You may be on fire, but that could hardly stop you from going back for more. My husband's favorite dish is "Nam Tok" or waterfall, Thai beef salad. Jirawan who is the Chef/owner here will often greet you at the dining room and will tell you the Thai Special of the day. Don't be shy...ask her. Her crews back in kitchen are mostly Laotian. That's why you should order all the "Yum" or salad at the restaurant.
I have visited other Thai restaurants in the area, namely the infamous Thai Cafe (both Wake Forest and Durham locations), Sawadee Thai, Bangkok Thai, Lemongrass Thai, and Thai Villa and was totally disappointed. 

Beef Salad "Water Fall-Nam Tok"

Three basic rules of thumb when looking for true Thai flavors are:
One, the herbs and chili used in these restaurants should be fresh, not dry. Not all Thai dishes use fresh chili and herbs, but most require it. The fresh ingredients make the dish what it is.
Two, the most important thing is the balance of flavors. It should not be too thick with spices or too thin. There is no room for the term mushy. The food should be bouncy, crispy, bright and enlightening.
The third rule of thumb, seek it and you shall find. A true Thai turns the world upside down to find the best of the best. Many times I refer to my family to tell me who is cooking a certain type of food best and where. The answer I often get is "skip the town", go to a shack that has big trees in front, on a no name street and follow the cooking fragrance. You will find what you are looking for under the shade of those trees.

Cheers!
Teera