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| - Okay, so we have a strong community that loves Thai food. You have to trust that I read every Thai and Vietnamese with baited breath.
I know there are a few of you (e.g., Pierre) that love Malee's on Main and I have enjoyed my dining experiences there, but I've never loved it. Not the five stars that I've repeatedly seen. I can't wait to try Thai Lana and I enjoy Thai Pan in North Scottsdale.
Today is historically the day of the week when I am cooking and experimenting in my own kitchen, but with a looming exam tomorrow night, I really didn't want to deal with the kitchen (prep or clean up) and luckily I received an invitation to go study with fellow classmates up at Desert Ridge. I agreed knowing that I was going to somehow convince everyone to join me at Malee's Thai at Desert Ridge.
We walk in and the restaurant is a mess - but there are large groups and kids running everywhere. It takes a few tries for the host to find a clean table for us. We finally take a seat and we decide on one sushi roll (this location serves sushi) - the Hamachi Popper Roll (yellowtail, jalapeno, cream cheese topped with eel sauce; Tom Yum Soup and Bam Gai (?) - I know I am crushing my spelling efforts. Please forgive me.
The food, quality thereof and flavor was fabulous. I do have a couple of presentation comments though. The soup was brought out in a flaming pot thingy (nice technical term) and we ooohed-and-ahhhed as the the server strategically placed it on the table. The challenge is with service from this pot-thingy. Its too narrow for a ladle and the large spoon that they do their very best to ladle your soup into the soup cup is tragically inefficient.
The Bam Gai, was delicious. But it had three different cuts of chicken and the wide rice noodles were also inconsistently prepared and there was no color on the plate. It was tasty but really ugly. Does that matter? My position: yes.
We were both drinking Jasmine hot tea, and I expected a different type of tea service, for no other reason than I just simply did. And, this type of point is where there has to be delineation between is the disconnect between the restaurant operator or the Guest perception. Tea service - my issue. Not theirs. But still, if you like great tea with your meal, its not here.
Finally, and this was uncomfortable...at 10 minutes 'til 9. We had two bussers hovering on top of our table and waiting for us to leave so they could finish their side work and close that section of the dining room. It wasn't even 9 p.m.! I understand the term "campers" - those Guests that won't leave - but we had only been seated for an hour and ten minutes and unfortunately we noticed the hovering during an important flow of conversation. We both suddenly became nervous and uncomfortable and up and left. Neither of us finished the point that we were intently discussing.
It was just a weird closing to a very tasty meal. I really wanted to love this place. And I did love the Tom Yum. I might go back - but I think I'll stay closer to home and revisit the Main location; and I'll definitely try Thai Lana and head back to Thai Pan!
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