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Simply Thai - Ajijic


jkgourmet

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Rather than bump the older threads, or get accused of some other infringement, I am starting a new thread on this place, based solely on our visit last night with one other couple.

Firstly, let me explain that I love Thai food - one of my favorites. I've had it many times, in different parts of the world, including 3 weeks in Thailand (frankly, my main reason for choosing to visit was for the food). BUT I am reasonable in my expectations when I visit ethnic restaurants in places where they may not always be able to get unusual ingredients. I don't expect entirely authentic Thai food in Mexico, nor great chile relleno's in Thailand. I don't even expect to get the perfect NYC style pastrami sandwich in small town Kansas. Like wine grapes, when transplanted, food often changes to suit it's new environment.

Simply Thai is a gorgeous restaurant. Perhaps the prettiest I've seen around Lakeside. You could take this place and move it to any major city and it would fit right in. Service was quietly friendly, and our young server clearly was new at his job, still learning, but trying hard. (We later learned he had just arrived four days ago from Vancouver - or was it Toronto?)

Appetizers and soups for one ranged from $35 to $45 pesos. Entrees from $110 to $140 pesos, with most at $120. Glass of wine (cab, merlot, chardonnay or sauvignon blanc) was $35-$40 (I think). The chardonnay went very well with the Thai food.

Our friends ordered two appetizers, the crispy spring rolls and the chicken satay. Both arrived with the standard sauces for dipping (nam pla for the spring rolls, peanut sauce for the satay). They were pleased with both, specifically saying that the satay was not dry. We ordered the fresh spring roll which also arrived with a dipping sauce (which would have been improved with a bit of chili oil). The fresh spring rolls were VERY fresh and tasty, but lacked one key ingredient that MAKES this dish - the fresh mint. Later, I realized that the menu did not mention mint as part of the rolls, so it was my mistake. If I had realized this, I would have chosen another starter.

Our friends 'played it safe' and ordered sweet and sour chicken. We ordered the pad thai (medium hot) and the chicken with green curry (hot). The green curry dish is called Emerald Chicken on this menu. Prior to receiving our orders, small bottles of fish sauce and hot chili oil were placed on the table with a nice explanation of how we could spice up our dishes with these condiments.

We shared entrees. We all found them freshly prepared, tasty and reasonably sized servings. The pad thai was indeed medium hot, but lacked the usual topping of chopped peanuts. After a splash of fish sauce (fish sauce is salty - NOT fishy), it was quite good (though husband thought there should have been more meat in it, and I thought it needed more beansprouts.) The green curry was more mild than hot, and I prefer the sauce thicker, but the chicken was still moist and the vegies were not mushy. The sweet and sour was exactly that - sweet and sour, with a sauce that was proper sticky consistency - and lots of those good vegies. A few slices of jalapeno gave this one a nice kick.

We shared an order of one of my favorite deserts - mango with sticky rice. Again, the standard topping of chopped peanuts was missing, but considering how great the mangoes are down here, hardly missed.

Yes, the entree prices are a bit steep for the area. Yes, it's not totally authentic Thai food. But it wasgreat tasting, a wonderful change of pace, and a lovely, peaceful place to sit and spend the evening (especially if the noise of many of the other local restaurants bothers you).

Simply Thai 766-5665

Ramon Carona 11 (across from the LCS)

Closed Sunday. Open for lunch noon - 4:00 pm (prices range from $90-95 pesos and I can't comment on the size of the portions)

Take out available (and very popular from what we could tell.)

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Yes, very detailed and accurate review of Simply Thai Restaurant. However, I'm sorry but I don't buy the excuse of high prices that's "kind of like" real Thai food. Rick's Thai Restaurant in Ajijic was not only more true Thai food but had the plus of being a lot less expensive.

Gee, don't you just love restaurants that are "more expensive but have less quality" than a number of other restaurants. I guess I'm spoiled but not only have I been to numerous areas of Thailand but more important have experienced a number of great and reasonably priced Thai restaurants in the Seattle area (former home area).

In all fairness, for those that "don't know any better" , I guess it's OK to dine at Simply Thai Rest. if one enjoys it. Just don't insult real Thai food by calling this "the real thing".

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Yes, very detailed and accurate review of Simply Thai Restaurant. However, I'm sorry but I don't buy the excuse of high prices that's "kind of like" real Thai food. Rick's Thai Restaurant in Ajijic was not only more true Thai food but had the plus of being a lot less expensive.

Gee, don't you just love restaurants that are "more expensive but have less quality" than a number of other restaurants. I guess I'm spoiled but not only have I been to numerous areas of Thailand but more important have experienced a number of great and reasonably priced Thai restaurants in the Seattle area (former home area).

In all fairness, for those that "don't know any better" , I guess it's OK to dine at Simply Thai Rest. if one enjoys it. Just don't insult real Thai food by calling this "the real thing".

No good deed goes unpunished

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Guest petirroja

No good deed goes unpunished

I'd like to add something in all fairness to Simply Thai...I have been traveling through SE Asia for thirty years, lived four years in Cambodia, and have spent a sum total of at least two years in Thailand. Thai food, like any "native" food (even burgers in the U.S.) varies from place to place...grandma's recipe, how they use to cook it in the village in the north or south or east, in the big cities, etc. Fast food, gourmet recipes and more. After I stopped working (my entire career and part of my growing up took place in other countries, mostly developing nations), I spent three years leading back to back Elderhostel groups through the Mekong Region. We always started in Bangkok. One of my best friends, a Thai woman, and I would run around Bangkok trying out tons of restaurants - our measuring stick was pad thai. We ordered it everywhere...and everywhere was different. Ingredients do indeed vary (for just about every dish). Just for info's sake, the family at Simply Thai are actually from Lao...Luang Prabang. They were refugees in Thailand for about five or so years, before being resettled in Canada. Lao food is somewhat similar to Thai but not exact...and both cultures have much Chinese influence. For what it's worth, I love the pad thai at Simply Thai...it's their take on that particular dish. Some people will like it, some won't. But that doesn't make it any less authentic. This is just my opinion based on my own experiences.

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I'm curious, and in no way is this question intended to upset: I've eaten at Ricki's Thai, and while I am not a connoisseur of that cuisine, it's kinda like art: one knows what one likes. I found the food at Ricki's unacceptable at every level.

So here's my question: can one live in a country and appreciate lower qualities of local food, because that is what one is initially exposed to... and then find the proper stuff not as good? I think yes. I find it incredibly difficult to swallow that Seattleguy could find Ricki's superior to anything. Let's start with the rice, a staple in so many countries. At Ricki's, it's crap. I won't bother going into the details of the other dishes, because when you can't even get the rice correct, well... .

So I'm wondering if he just ate a lot of Thai that he enjoyed, while in Thailand, but hasn't experienced the upper end. Believe me, I'm not being facetious; I ate just about everything Mexican when I got here, and over the years developed "a taste" for what's better quality. Some of the food I enjoyed in the beginning, I don't like at all anymore: there are tacos, and then there are really good tacos. There's pozoli, and then there's really good pozoli.

But the same rule applies to me: my first molcajete is still my favorite, and I go back to that one restaurant when I can, because none of the others "compares".

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I'd like to add something in all fairness to Simply Thai...I have been traveling through SE Asia for thirty years, lived four years in Cambodia, and have spent a sum total of at least two years in Thailand. Thai food, like any "native" food (even burgers in the U.S.) varies from place to place...grandma's recipe, how they use to cook it in the village in the north or south or east, in the big cities, etc. Fast food, gourmet recipes and more. After I stopped working (my entire career and part of my growing up took place in other countries, mostly developing nations), I spent three years leading back to back Elderhostel groups through the Mekong Region. We always started in Bangkok. One of my best friends, a Thai woman, and I would run around Bangkok trying out tons of restaurants - our measuring stick was pad thai. We ordered it everywhere...and everywhere was different. Ingredients do indeed vary (for just about every dish). Just for info's sake, the family at Simply Thai are actually from Lao...Luang Prabang. They were refugees in Thailand for about five or so years, before being resettled in Canada. Lao food is somewhat similar to Thai but not exact...and both cultures have much Chinese influence. For what it's worth, I love the pad thai at Simply Thai...it's their take on that particular dish. Some people will like it, some won't. But that doesn't make it any less authentic. This is just my opinion based on my own experiences.

I thought the review in the op was fair-it did not overly praise,and it mentioned negatives which the poster considered relevant. My comment about no good deed going unpunished was directed at the person who slammed the review.

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"Authentic" cuisine;" If you eat it in it's country of origin it must be authentic. Interestingly, it doesn't mean it's going to be good or that you're going to like it. I traveled extensively in Asia for many years on business. In some cases the food was abominable, e.g. China and Taiwan, I couldn't find decent meal of "Chinese" food anywhere. Hong Kong blew me away, every cuisine of China prepared perfectly! Indonesia was similar. The best Indonesian food is in the Netherlands, apparently all the good cooks moved there. My point is this; if you experience a regional dish someplace in the world, a) it doesn't define the country's cuisine (except to you) and, B) you'll not find it anyplace else in the world. We all take expectations to dinner with us and are often disappointed. Better to take none and be surprised. I don't know what the perfect Thai food is, but I like Simply Thai and if I'm paying $2 more to dine in their nice setting I consider it a bargain.

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Guest petirroja

I thought the review in the op was fair-it did not overly praise,and it mentioned negatives which the poster considered relevant. My comment about no good deed going unpunished was directed at the person who slammed the review.

Sorry Jim, that I wasn't clear...I too was responding to the same person, not Jeanette.

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Guest petirroja

I am NOT going to get into a debate about this; however, I think Seattle Guy's post about Ricki's Thai is fair. Accordingly, I WILL make a point to visit that place in the near future.

No and I wouldn't slam Ricki's either...some of his dishes are very good, however, and they are his version of Thai and other Asian dishes...he learned, I believe, to cook in a Thai restaurant in the states. I was trying to explain that "authentic" is very subjective, because one will find dishes that don't taste like what one is used to, but it doesn't make them any less authentic...recipes change from geographic location to geographic location, ingredients often vary, and so it goes. If one likes Ricki's more than Simply Thai or visa versa, that's fine. Each to his own. I just felt to imply that Simply Thai is not authentic does them a great dis-service.

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I quite agree that "authentic cuisine" is subjective. My first paragraph touched on that, but perhaps less directly.

But there ARE certain ingredients that are almost essential when preparing certain cuisines. Without them, the recipe is incomplete, the taste far less than what could be described as authentic.

For example, Greek salad without kamata olives and feta cheese may produce a great salad, but I wouldn't define it as a Greek salad. Caesar salad without the garlic? Not a Caesar.

In the case of thai food, mint and lemon grass are two items that I think are essential for the cuisine. The lack of mint in the fresh spring roll was noted in my OP, as was the mutiple occurances of the very standard toppings of crushed peanuts.

Did that make the food less delicious? Not at all. But it does make me think of fish and chips without the malt vinegar.

--- I am glad to find that this discussion has been informative AND respectful. What a pleasant and welcome change! Thanks to everyone for the FUN debate and suggestions.

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Guest RevImmigrant

I thought the review was very balanced and well-written as we have come to expectfrom Jeannette. This restaurant does apparently make an effort to make the dish as hot or not as the customer requests.

The fish sauce (nam pla/nuoc mam) I bought at Toyo is the saltiest I have ever seen. I used the VietNamese made fish sauce in Germany and, while it was salty like they all are, it wasn't neary as salty as this one.

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Guest Gringal

I am NOT going to get into a debate about this; however, I think Seattle Guy's post about Ricki's Thai is fair. Accordingly, I WILL make a point to visit that place in the near future.

Ricky's food is not inexpensive. Most dishes are over 90 pesos. My favorite is over 100. The decor is non-existent unless you're fond of early government office green and plastic appointments.

However, the food is very good and fresh. The tempura dishes are popular.

I'm with Atlas on Simply Thai. I'll gladly pay extra if the food is good (never mind "authentic") and the decor provides a beautiful dining experience.

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Hmm - Luang Prabang you say?

Wouldn't it be a hoot if they were using one of Laos cuisine's very special herbs and spices as a substitute for the mint - marijuana? Not hard to find locally , I would hazard a guess.

Can see it now - Reefer Madness on Ramon Corona !

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Hmm - Luang Prabang you say?

Wouldn't it be a hoot if they were using one of Laos cuisine's very special herbs and spices as a substitute for the mint - marijuana? Not hard to find locally , I would hazard a guess.

Can see it now - Reefer Madness on Ramon Corona !

Best laugh I've had all day! Makes me wish for my younger days of sex, drugs and rock 'n roll. . . <_<

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Guest petirroja

Hmm - Luang Prabang you say?

Wouldn't it be a hoot if they were using one of Laos cuisine's very special herbs and spices as a substitute for the mint - marijuana? Not hard to find locally , I would hazard a guess.

Can see it now - Reefer Madness on Ramon Corona !

Actually, marijuana has been a common condiment or ingredient in many SE Asian and South Asian cuisines. Never had a Bhang Lassi in India? It's basically Lassi mixed with mj in a blender. Or soups and some curries in Lao and Cambodia. Marijuana is more prevalent in Khmer cooking; in fact, there was a pizza place, Happy Herbs (and a few clones) in Phnom Penh and when you called to order a pizza they would ask "how happy?". Ganja could be bought at the markets...in the Russian Market (Toul Tompong) you could buy pre-rolled cigarettes or bunches of it from three old crones who had adjoining stalls towards the back. They sat on high stools and constantly cackled and argued with each other, getting angry when you bought from one of the others. It was much harder to come by in Lao, in that manner. Much of that has changed over the past several years with much pressure from the DEA and the UNDOC (UN Drug/Crime Prevention agency)...both of which maintain offices/officers in all of these places.

On another note, and not to belabor the point which diverges somewhat from the OP's great review, there are five main regional cuisines in Thailand and sub-cuisines; there is a saying that goes something like this: for every cook there is a pad thai. While most use crushed or chopped peanuts, not all do. And fresh spring rolls in Thailand are basically a variation of the Vietnamese spring rolls which almost always use mint. Thai versions vary...some use mint, some do not. I have travelled or worked in almost every province in Thailand at one time or another, and believe me, the versions of every single dish varies. This is true of Cambodia, Lao and Vietnamese cooking as well.

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On another note, and not to belabor the point which diverges somewhat from the OP's great review, there are five main regional cuisines in Thailand and sub-cuisines; there is a saying that goes something like this: for every cook there is a pad thai. While most use crushed or chopped peanuts, not all do. And fresh spring rolls in Thailand are basically a variation of the Vietnamese spring rolls which almost always use mint. Thai versions vary...some use mint, some do not. I have travelled or worked in almost every province in Thailand at one time or another, and believe me, the versions of every single dish varies. This is true of Cambodia, Lao and Vietnamese cooking as well.

VERY true. The same can be said for Chinese, which has even more regional variations - but easier to identify by name (Cantonese, Hunan, Szechuan, etc.)

Or BBQ Sauce for Ribs - Carolina, Memphis, North Carolina, Kansas, Texas.

Okay - now I'm off to think about dinner. :)

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Guest Gringal

I'd like to take my earlier comment and modify it to reflect what's been said here about the topic of what's good and what's not, which is a good objective way of looking at personal subjectives.

Uh...........huh? Sounds like some funny cookies made with Thai specialties. LOL>

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My apologies if my response was confusing. In my original post I wondered if perhaps one could never know how good a local food might be, if one always eats at the wrong places. Other responses were smarter than my social-philosophy question (which I'm surprised no one took me up on), and suggested instead that it's just a matter of taste, if I can boil it down to one concept here. And they were right, so my next post indicated that I wanted to "upgrade" my thoughts by incorporating theirs. And to me, those posts were objective views of a very subjective topic.

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My apologies if my response was confusing. In my original post I wondered if perhaps one could never know how good a local food might be, if one always eats at the wrong places. Other responses were smarter than my social-philosophy question (which I'm surprised no one took me up on), and suggested instead that it's just a matter of taste, if I can boil it down to one concept here. And they were right, so my next post indicated that I wanted to "upgrade" my thoughts by incorporating theirs. And to me, those posts were objective views of a very subjective topic.

Maybe nobody responded because nobody understands what is being said.

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