Shhh ... I have a secret to tell y'all. I just lost my Thai restaurant virginity to Ivory Thailand and it was not as painful as I thought.
I was in the mood for a light "quickie" lunch. Two dishes came to mind, Pad Thai and Pad Kee Mao, which Ivory Thailand have on the menu.
The Pad Kee Mao was intensely hot, savory and delicious. There was an explosion of wonderful flavors. I loved the amount of smokiness packed into this dish. The heat from the pepper was near the point of making you sweat, but not quite. I definitely would go back for this dish again.
Pad Thai was also delectable. However, a little bit more tamarind sauce would push this dish up a notch. Still, I enjoyed my Pad Thai. What makes or breaks Pad Thai is a good tamarind base. The rest is up to you, if you like a more intense flavor (whether more fiery, sweet, salty or sour) then you add chili, sugar, fish sauce or lime.
MY TIP: If you prefer a more piquant flavor, be sure to ask the chef to add ground roasted chili in the wok. I confirmed with one of the staff that you can ask the chef to prepare Pad Thai the way he/she would for a Thai person.
It was supposed to be a light lunch. Somehow a Fried Banana with Coconut Ice Cream ended up on the table. The ripe banana against the crunchy light batter and the sweetness of ice cream was an awesome combination. This dessert is easy to make, yet difficult to make it right. Ivory Thailand got it right.
Overall, it was a very nice lunch. All three dishes hit the spot and met my expectations. Staff were polite and friendly.
You know that old saying, you never forget the first time. In my case, I will always remember my first Thai restaurant review.