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Pae Thai, a closer look
Aloha!
4/27/09 - Not sure why wifey and I haven't been hitting too many Thai restaurants lately, as we both love a good Thai meal just about anytime, anywhere, anyplace. I think I could probably eat all those coconut-infused curries, spicy soups, whole fish covered in gravies and vegetables, and oh, that lovely jasmine rice, the one that slips down your throat so easily with the help of exotic, flavor-infused sauces, on a daily basis. If not once, twice. Maybe three times, even.
Of course, I know that'll never happen. Wifey loves sushi too much. But even besides that, it's still not gonna happen - have you seen the prices at Thai restaurants lately? My gosh! I won't say they're as expensive as a typical sushi night or anything, not nearly, but I dunno, you'd think that Southeast Asian food would just be a little cheaper. After all, Vietnamese restaurants are usually well under ten bucks, unless adding-on an appetizer, which could push you just past that when sharing with a partner. I will say, however, that the atmosphere is generally much better, although it does have a tendency to run on the cheezy side at times - you know, those giant buddha's, dancing elephants, plastic flowers, string Christmas lights used year-round, temples burning with the smell of incense, etc. - when done right and kept in good shape, it can be beautiful, but when the same set-up sits there collecting dust over the years, it can get pretty darn haggard after a while.
At Pae Thai on S. King St., there are elements of a well-kept, modern Thai restaurant, with clean, bright-white linen (under plexiglass), reasonably pricey silverware, and crystal-looking glasses, but the rest starts running dangerously close to the other side.
The carpet is old, chairs cafeteria-style, smell a bit on the musky side, and general ambience a bit aged. I'll give them credit for detail in that temple scene above - it may be a bit tacky, but still works in this particular environment. The whole place doesn't surprise me for the better or for the worse, as I've seen a whole lot better, but also a whole lot worse.
Here's a shot from the smaller side of the restaurant, where wifey and I had the run of the section to ourselves.
I've found the dishes here also a bit of a mix, sometimes so-so and sometimes so-so-good! The tom yum kung, a sour, spicy soup that is a staple of any Thai restaurant, is excellent here, coming full of galanga (Thai ginger), lemongrass, and bright-red chili peppers for a super-exotic, super-authentic taste and feel. Their pad thai, on the other hand, another staple, comes with an almost luminescent-orange glow and sweetness that I find a bit unnerving, and their garlic chicken, on the bland side.
Wifey actually insisted on getting the garlic chicken here, thinking that it was the same she had tried before. I kept saying that her fond memories were actually derived from a trip to Mekong 2, which sits just down the street, but you know wifey - very strong-minded, that one...
And you know how it is when someone is so sure of themselves on an issue, so confident, so seemingly right - makes you question your own self, sometimes. It could have been that it was I who had so easily forgotten, after all... By the time her order of garlic chicken actually arrived, however, there was no doubt left in my mind, as this dish was nothing like Mekong's delicious version, which I remembered with the help of a picture I placed on the site.
Pae Thai's rep doesn't come very redolent with garlic nor coconut milk, and falls short on flavor, while the chicken used is very much on the dry side, as if strips of breast were used instead of thighs or other darker cuts. If there had been chili and garlic/chili sauces on the table-tops, like at most Thai restaurants, this dish would have been much more enjoyable. The over-all taste wasn't terrible, though - it's just that you always look for an explosion of flavors from great Thai dishes, and this time, it just wasn't there.
Our other main dish, on the other hand, fared much better. It was a red curry, filled with, again, chicken, along with generous portions of fresh bamboo shoots, red peppers, basil, and onion. Next time we'll order it Thai-hot, as we only chose hot this time - BIG difference! Spooned over some hot jasmine rice, the only thing lacking was just a bit more heat.
Don't know why I'm working backwards this time, but here I am, bringing you our appetizer salad, which actually came first. Sometimes I start writing and, like a side-route on a twisty, crowded street in Mombassa, Mumbai, or Ho Chi Minh City, the path starts taking-on a life of its own. I don't know where the heck I am sometimes, lost in a flurry of a hundred different scenarios, viewpoints, and perspectives, visiting in and out of every different alley that allows for some form of description, be it dramatic, news-worthy, or even totally uninteresting and staid.
Who knows where I'll be, lost in some far-off, thought-provoking, yet hopelessly boring sequence of ruminating introspection, as you all seriously consider hitting the X on the top-right of your screen. Yet, perhaps I do, in fact, have something a bit interesting to ponder - I've never had deep-fried ong choi leaves before!
The ong choi salad is a house specialty here, and is, if nothing else, a very interesting dish. I wouldn't even actually call it a salad, as there were a very precious few leaves or vegetables, whether it came from the fried ong choi, small cuts of butter lettuce, red onion, sliced lemongrass, chili peppers, or sprigs of Chinese parsley. What did dominate this dish was actually generous portions of ground pork, while a medley of whole, cooked shrimp and cashew nuts played a smaller, but very noticeable role, as well. It all came doused in a sweet chili vinaigrette. Definitely a happy, creative plate, but if you're looking for a healthy amount of veggies, be sure not to order this one!
Generally speaking, I still think you'll find some great dishes at Pae Thai - I mean, it ain't one of those places that give you curries that taste like cheap Chinese gravies or that just add-in coconut milk to Japanese brick curry blends - they do use all the right Thai spices, herbs, and exotic mixes, but somehow, it just doesn't always seem to come together every single time. It still may be worth your while, however, depending on what suits your needs and what you happen to order.
The first time we came, the one guy who runs everything was kind and gracious, but this time, for some reason, he was on edge, and gave me a serious stink-eye when we asked for another table, one that provided a little better lighting. I would've understood had it been standing-room-only, but there was only one other party of six and two reserved tables. The rest was all open! Aaah, no worries, he softened-up a bit more later, after buttering him up with a few polite thank you's and smiles throughout the course of our meal. Then we were almost like best-buddie's...
I'll leave you all with a parting shot of the entrance, which sits half-way between Piikoi and Keeaumoku St.'s, on one-way S. King St. There's a small parking lot out-back, along with metered spaces along the street for twenty minutes per quarter.
Y'all have a great week, and go out and try something new this week - maybe Komala Curry House, Da Spot, or Himalayan Kitchen? Yeah, I know, not the most familiar names around, but they're all alive and well in Honolulu! Thanks Thalei, my new friend on Yelp, where I also post reviews.
Take care and Aloha till next time!
Aku
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