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Phuket Thai, a closer look
Aloha!
7/21/09 - Checked out the latest Ice Age flick the other day at Ward, and upon leaving, from the third-floor vantage point outside the theatres, I noticed that Haili's Hawaiian Foods, currently found at the Ward Farmer's Market, does have some kind of idea on where it's headed in the future. You probably already know that the whole Farmer's Market is getting evicted so a more upscale complex can be built in its place, and Haili's is perhaps the most famous of these tenants. Last I heard, they were up in the air as to whether they'd be re-locating or not, but with this brand-spankin'-new truck (looks it, at least!) they got now, along with the added help of hula dancers and a mini-fair, it looks like they won't be needing a new property, after all - maybe just the corner of an empty lot somewhere. Maybe even right here at the open lot at Ward, who knows?
But before the movies, we had an even better time chowing down at one of the most popular and successful Thai restaurants on the island - Phuket Thai. This chain of three locations - Mililani Town Center, McCully Shopping Center, and 401 Kamakee St. - features great Thai cuisine, and all can be experienced in atmospheres that are clean, comfortable, reasonably stylish, and modern in every way. The newest of them, at the corner of Kamakee and Kawaiahao, and just mauka of of the Ward Centers, is the sleekest of all, sporting fine silverware, fan-napkin linen, sturdy dark-wood tables and chairs, and a healthy combination of light pastels and bold, straight lines and darker colors for contrast. A full-service bar is also available, as shown after the main dining room shot:
The whole area (lower Kamakee St., and Kakaako, in general), is continually evolving, most notably because it runs right through the Ward Centers, but also because of several big-name, very posh condo's and retail outlets that have been popping-up nearby. See 'em below?
Phuket Thai faces Kawaiahao St., but the parking lot is around the corner on Kamakee St. You'll have to pay through a machine, but it's only a dollar for one hour, so no problem at all.
Upon arriving right at the opening bell, which sounds-off at 11am, we opened our menus while heeding a few self-imposed guidelines - no pad thai, no tom yum kung, and no standard curries, whether of red, yellow, green, massaman, or any other type. Don't get me wrong - I love all of the above dishes, but it's love of these dishes that's become the very reason for not ordering them, otherwise you'd all see the same things at every Thai restaurant Closer Look, and my hunger to experience and expand my knowledge of cuisine would remain stagnant. Can't have that.
And so, instead of tom yum kung, the spicy-sour soup she so loves, she obliged my requests and went with a poh taek, or seafood soup. Ordering it hot but not Thai-hot, this soup was also on the tangy side, with fragrant bits of lemongrass, ginger, and a topping of Chinese parsley, along with a list of seafoods that included baby scallops, snow crab, shrimp, fish, and squid. Wifey still misses tom yum, but this bowl was also delicious, so she wasn't really dissapointed at all. Oh, and if the bowl looks a little small to you, that's because it is, actually! However, at $5.75, you can't go wrong!
Our appetizer for the day was a jumbo platter of stuffed wings, summer rolls, fish cake, and spring rolls, along with two sauces, all for $10.95:
The very mention of stuffed chicken wings always makes me drool, but you know what? I don't know about you, but I've tasted them at many a restaurant, mostly at Thai or Vietnamese places because that's where they often show up, and there hasn't been a single instance where I've particularly enjoyed them! I mean, as a kid, I used to de-bone already-deep-fried chicken wings, and not the pointy tips, but the larger double-boned sections, stuffing them with chicken juice-soaked white rice doused with a little shoyu. Talk about delicious! Like the last Closer Look at Miyabi, where chicken wings were nearly immortalized, I would love to have any restaurant prepare them like I did as a kid! Unfortunately, I highly doubt a place would ever tackle the time and effort involved for making such a tiny morsel. I was a pretty determined kid, I guess!
Beyond that, I haven't seen a version yet that hasn't been pre-made and saved in the fridge or freezer - they've always come stuffed, coated in batter, bread crumbs, or other coating, and saved for later use, a fact that can be felt and tasted even easier than a pre-coated chicken katsu. Can't say I blame them, though, as making them fresh'd be a difficult undertaking, indeed.
Here's the insides, coming with shredded potato, carrot, onion, long rice, and various spices. That yellow you see is the curry sauce I spooned over it for a little more kick.
Both of the sauces were very good, the first coming as the ever-familiar tangy fish sauce used for spring rolls, summer rolls, and other such dishes, while the second was the curry sauce, which seemed to be the same base they use for their actual curry dishes. I do love their regular curries, as the coconut milk-infusions are particularly strong here, a fact I am thankful for, but one that may not be particularly pleasing to a few others I know of. To each his own...
And below's a better look at the three other items on our pupu sampler, from both the deep-fried and healthier sides, all of them also dipped into sauces, as well.
Our favorite was the fish patties, or tod mun pla, coming with chunks of fish, string bean, onion, lime leaf, chili, and spices. Funny thing, we just had a grand ol' hibachi last night, and brother Trace brought over the meat of a 5 lb+ oio, or bonefish, which he proceeded to smash and pound in a mortar-and-pestle, at the direct supervision of my mom, who was working him into a healthy sweat, and to which we then added all kinds of other ingredients. To make a long story short, we ended up deep-frying them, much like Phuket Thai's version above, only the results were very much different - but you'll have to wait for the next Hibachi Time to find out why - check out the first, second, and third hibachi times if you don't know what I'm talking about ... I will tell you this, however - we make a pretty darn killer fishcake!
But getting back to the restaurant, I was prepared to order one of their newer dishes, the spicy lemongrass fish, but our kind waitress, after I asked, recommended a fish in ginger soy. It was bathed in a beautiful sauce and combined with straw mushrooms, onion, green onion, Chinese parsley, chili, and lots of ginger. They use Thai catfish for this dish, which can vary in taste from a wee bit earthy to very light, depending on where it's from. These days, catfish, along with so many other fish, are farmed, so you never know if it'll taste cleaner (farmed) or mustier (wild). This one was on the lighter side, very mellow and very moist, perfect for beginners afraid of the word catfish. Plus, with all that sauce, you probably wouldn't be able to tell a catfish from a small halibut, roughy, or cod, anyway.
And that was about all wifey and I could manage to eat that day, but a place like Phuket Thai always merits a return trip. Actually, this was our return trip, and one of many, having been here several times before. Several months ago, we stopped by my brothers' house in Mililani for a little get-together, and when traveling out there, we often stop by the Mililani Town Center Phuket Thai to grab some grub. This particular store is a little more humble in atmosphere and appearance, having been around a lot longer, but is still a clean, comfortable, and reasonably classy place for a casual lunch or dinner anytime. For us on this particularly great day, however, it was all about take-out.
And one thing always found at a potluck is noodles, whether they be chow mein, chow fun, yakisoba, pancit, or, in this case - pad thai:
Thailand's signature noodle is served in generous portions and done very well here, not too tangy, not too sweet, not too overdone with seasonings or vegetable clutter - you know how it is sometimes when ordering noodles, and there's just as many veggies as noodles!
The garlic chicken is also done very well, with the perfect balance of savory flavors and sweet coconut milk, and you know how it is with too much coconut milk in a Thai garlic chicken - better left to curries, not this particular dish! Dee-lish!
But perhaps more than any other item, whether dining-in or taking-out (particularly the latter), the one thing I know everyone will love has to be their Thai crispy fried chicken. Coming with just the slightest hints of lemongrass, herbs, and spices, this golden-brown piece of work sat- around for at least an hour-and-a-half before we ate, and it was still crispier yet than anything Colonel Sander's could ever dream of whippin'-up! My sister-in-law often flirts with vegetarianism, but she had no problem crunching on these beautiful sections. Gone in no time, they were!
Of all three Phuket Thai locations, the McCully store has to be the busiest, with lines often forming during peak hours, perhaps due to the fact that it's the smallest of the three. At any of these outlets, however, I'm sure you'll find one of the better Thai establishments on the island, with great food, great service, and a great atmosphere - which, in general, just about covers all the bases for any coveted restaurant experience, right?
But that's about all I got for Phuket Thai right now. Gotta head out to town for some errands on this particularly sunny, beautiful day in Paradise! I'm thinkin' to maybe stop by Uncle's down at Pier 38 for lunch, but we'll see...
Hey, you all have a great and productive week - no deadening your brains all day in front of your 62 inch plasma screens, watching sports or playing video games! Aaaah, maybe part of the day is ok...
Take care and Aloha till next time!
Aku
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