Good, Better, Best. From The Next 48 Hours
IN 1993, Chaiphorn and Kwanyao Lekcharoensuk opened Wangthai restaurant. At that time Thai food was a mystery to Cape tastes. In the years that followed, they have built a culinary empire that includes Wangthai and Taste of Asia restaurants around the country.
Nowadays its hard to find someone who doesn’t know their green curry paste from their red, or who hasn’t yet been seduced by the rich creaminess of coconut milk. I met Chai and Taang soon after they opened and handled their publicity for around five years seeing them expand their operations.
Joining them on Sunday for dinner to preview the menu for Songkraan – the equivalent of Thai new year celebrated between 13 and 15 April, was an extreme pleasure that awakened hard-wired feelings and taste recognitions.
Tasting the sweet and sour prawns with mixed fruits again (pictured) brought back the last time I’d enjoyed that dish – probably a decade ago. Some dishes I tasted for the first time. The spicy salmon soup with chilli and basil is fabulous. The salmon soothes the mouth after the astringent chilli-rich broth has seared it. The roasted duck with soy bean, ginger and coconut milk is another new dish to my taste buds.
Although visually there is a lot of brown, the flavours while eating are as colourful as any.
For R138 a four-course set menu is served. Best thing is to go with five friends so that each can select a main course to be shared with the table. For starters, you’ll select from calamari green-curry spring rolls (my recommendation) or corn fritters or very spicy steamed prawn with garlic and chilli.
Salmon soup follows. For main courses select from sweet & sour prawns with mixed fruits, pan-fried line fish with Chu-Chee curry sauce, Masala lamb, Chicken with lemongrass, roasted duck with ginger and coconut milk and Ostrich with black pepper. Sago with coconut milk is bejewelled by pieces of sweet corn and rambutan (Thai lychee). A sublime end to a celebratory menu.
Wangthai Lagoon Beach ,
Milnerton (021) 551 9254.
There is a type of hunger that gnaws at the insides when expected lunch is not forthcoming. Like Pavlov’s dogs, I begin to drool at 1pm, By 1.30pm, tummy acids are dancing a Charleston. Such a hunger needs quick quelling. I knew I wanted melted cheese and I knew where to get it.
The Fat Cactus in little Mowbray is the kind of place that attracts a certain type during the day – there are locals who go there for their favourite tipple; others know it will deliver high-fat food on the hop – with a jug or two to wash it down.
First the sangria: At R60 the jug provided all the booze we wanted. I especially enjoy their margarita jugs but they prove problematic if one has any intention of driving or doing any work in the ensuing hours.
Rather than order main courses, Roger and I selected from starters. They do a mixed starter for four at R100 which is good value, but neither he nor I likes chicken wings which is a main feature. The poppers (R30 for four) lacked the burn associated with chilli but still a cheese filled, battered and deep fried jalapeno as the first assault on a rumbling tum is effective.
The hush puppies (R43) were delicious and the best thing we ordered. Expect battered prawns deep fried with a sweet chilli dipping sauce.
Although the bacon/avo quesadilia (R35) was disappointing largely because we couldn’t eat it by hand which had been the great appeal of our selection, there are few other places that so perfectly meet that special hunger. The name says it all.
The Fat Cactus, (021) 685-1920.
[10-Apr-08]
Brian Berkman
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