Spoon Thai

All,

After becoming a mainstay on my personal "Wanted to Try" list for much too long, the GF and I walked down to Spoon for some Thai food this past Friday night. Given the general noteworthy praise not only on this forum but also from other Chicago publications and websties we expected a wait when we arrived around 7 p.m. - but we seated immediately. We had first stopped at the licquor store on Leland and Western to grab a couple bottles fo wine to honor the BYOB aspect of Spoon.

We started off with the Mini Chicken Egg Rolls with sweet and sour dipping sauce. The GF thought the egg rolls were barely OK while I felt they were "pretty good".

Next, we shared a bowl of Tom Yum soup - this was "good". Not great, not spectacular but good. There aren't too many Thai places I've been to that can't make at least a pretty good Tom Yum soup.

For the entree portion I opted for:

1. nãem khâo thâwt (a deep-fried rice salad, with Northern Thai-style "pressed ham"). If you could find the ham in this dish please let me know, I sure couldn't. I don't know if a micro-biologist could've found the ham, there was none. Fried rice with no ham made the dish really dense and mushy without flavor. Tasted like fried lard without the balance of any meat to offset it. Very disappointing what with no less than about 10 recs for this specific dish on various sites including here.

2. a shrimp dish named phla kûng - tail on smallish shrimp with sliced onions, hot chili sauce, cilantro and many other fresh spices. Here's the problem, this dish was so spicy I could not taste anything except the spice. I could not taste the other spcies which looked good, the shrimp, nothing. And, I like spicy foods; I even like really spicy dishes. But I do not like dishes that are so spicy that the hot spicyness is ALL you taste. What a waste. Sad.

The GF ordered the Chicken Pad Thai. I am not a big fan of what I consider to be a very boring dish in general. But, I must say, the CPT was very good.

All in all, very disappointing. The only place that LTH ever referred me to that I didn't at least "like". They must of had 7 or 8 awards displayed at the restaurant including our GNR. The GF and I had agreed that Spoon was down there with Opart Thai as our least favorite Thai place in the Lincoln Square neighborhood.

Now, it could have been a bad night or maybe I ordered wrong I don't know. But, there is no greater abundance of a type of food in my area more so than Thai food and this puts Spoon is the very difficult position of not being able to have a bad night. Ever. There are three other Thai places in a block: Rosebed(sp?); Opart Thai; and Thai Oscar. Plus about 15 more within a mile.

The only plus is that Spoon may be just a hair cheaper than the average Thai place but this is not enough for a return visit.

Bster


Spoon Thai Restaurant
4608 N Western Ave
Chicago, IL 60625
(773) 769-1173

I don't know if you ordered poorly, but I know I've never ordered anything you ordered... and you missed out on the some of the things Spoon does best.

But that doesn't excuse them for producing bad dishes.

nãem khâo thâwt is my favorite thing to order there and it's never been as you described. The deep-fried rice patty chunks have always been crunchy and there has always been plenty of half-circles of the pressed ham sausage. "Mushy" is a word I'd never use to describe the texture. As for flavor, there has always been plenty. It almost sounds like you got something completely different.

Sorry you had such a bad experience.

Bster,

Maybe you just don't like authentic Thai food. There's no crime in that.

stevez wrote:Bster,

Maybe you just don't like authentic Thai food. There's no crime in that.

If his description of the nãem khâo thâwt is on point, then I'm in the "horribly off night" camp. That's usually crazy crunchy and crisp, tons of ham, and bursting with flavor.

Dmnkly wrote:If his description of the nãem khâo thâwt is on point, then I'm in the "horribly off night" camp. That's usually crazy crunchy and crisp, tons of ham, and bursting with flavor.

And hot as hell -- he wouldn't have been complaining about the shrimp after this.

But I'm more in the "got something completely different from what he ordered" camp.

I'd have to go with off-night too. I was just there last week for the first time, and based on everything we ordered (pretty much all from the translated menu) I really liked Spoon. I'd probably go there all the time if TAC wasn't closer.

It's too bad that you did not enjoy your first Spoon Thai experience. I hate to hear of anyone having a bad meal at Spoon since it's one of my few favorite restaurants in all of Chicago . . . I live around the corner and eat there at least once every couple of weeks. I will say that I don't think that their specialty is standard Thai fare (that is, the items offered at many Thai restaurants like pad thai, egg rolls, etc.) The real gems here are the items found on the translated menu, and it appears you ordered at least a couple of these.

I love the nãem khâo thâwt and I can't explain why yours was not prepared well. As for the phla kûng, I would tell you just to ask for it less spicy. I was there with a friend and while I loved the dish, my friend complained about the spice level.

I would give Spoon another chance and try some more of the items on the translated menu . . . maybe it was just an off night because I think that Spoon is just fantastic. Some of the can't misses which are not spicy include:

banana blossom salad
fried chicken with tamarind dipping sauce
crepe with bean sprouts, tofu, shrimp, and coconut
crispy pork stir-fried w/ Chinese broccoli
shrimp paste rice w/ omelet, apples, dried shrimp and pork
green curry, especially with the fish balls

So I hope you give them another chance. I think you'll be happy you did.

All good suggestions from BR. Definitely give them another shot, Bster.

Dmnkly wrote:All good suggestions from BR. Definitely give them another shot, Bster.

I agree. Just know going in that the food is not dumbed down, but is usually quite flavorful, full of funk and spicy.

I am sorry you had a less than satisfactory experience at Spoon Thai. I live in Lincoln Square too and happen to think that Spoon is one of the best restaurants of any cuisine in the area. I have always ordered from the Thai menu, not from the regular menu, and love the ka pi or shrimp paste rice, the chinese broccoli with crispy pork, the one bite salad, the vietnamese crepe with coconut and shrimp, and the pomfret (which is a fish I grew up eating in Manila). I have never seen them having an "off night". I think people expecting Americanized thai food like pad thai might feel disappointed, because the Thai menu dishes are authentically prepared, just like in Bangkok.

Though I don't know about that, either - we ordered delivery from Spoon when we lived in the area, and as I had aliens from the planet Chicago with me, we ordered beef with peppers. It was, hands down, the best Amerasian beef with peppers I've ever had - big chunks of lightly cooked meat and veggies in a light, non-gloopy, delicious brown sauce.

Well, it could've been an off-night or maybe I like Americanized Thai food but I doubt my tastes had anything to do with it. I love ethnic food in general - especially Asian foods - Thai, Japanese, Chinese, Vietnamese, etc. and think I have a very open-minded palate.

Given the praise heaped upon Spoon, I'll tell you what. I'll give Spoon one more try later this week for carryout lunch and I'll get two items.

One of those items will be the Fried Chicken with Tamarind Sauce (looked good when I was there and rec'd herein) and I'm open for a suggestion on the other dish.

I'll post another review later in the week. Let's see if a second try reaps rewards.

Bster

HI,

This was long ago learned, Spoon Thai maintains two sets of cooks: one for the American menu and the other for the Thai. The Pad Thai and Chicken egg roll would have come from the American kitchen, the balance from the Thai. The menu BR outlined would have come entirely from the Thai kitchen.

Cultural note: Thais eat with fork and spoon. Only for noodles do they use chop sticks.

Regards,

Bster, did your naem khao thawt look like the first photo in this thread?

Bster, did your naem khao thawt look like the first photo in this thread?

Yes, it looked identical save the chunks of ham which I found bewildering. I actually looked that photo up before I went which made me order that dish.

Weird. Well, I do hope you'll give it another try. I've never taken anyone there who did not rave about the banana blossom salad, so I'd suggest that for the ultimate test of whether you and Spoon can get along.

yeah, the gai thawt/fried chicken is one of my favorite fried chickens in the city, and I eat a lot of fried chicken.

Bster,

I'd say you hit Spoon on the rare off night. I've been to Spoon dozens of times, know the menu fairly well and still I've experienced the few and very far between ~shrug~ meal at Spoon. Though overall it is one of my favorite spots to eat in the city of Chicago.

Enjoy,
Gary

cilantro wrote:Bster, did your naem khao thawt look like the first photo in this thread?

I also ordered this dish for the first time, but on Saturday, not Friday. It was delicious and very crunchy, and I'll absolutely order it again. Nevertheless, I'm with the original poster regarding the ham, it was absent in my order as well.

ews wrote:Nevertheless, I'm with the original poster regarding the ham, it was absent in my order as well.

This is troubling.

Just another data point: Since moving (alas temporarily) across the street, we've been in a half dozen times or so. Often, we're with Ameri-Thai ordering folks, so I've seen and sampled that side of the menu. I found it very competently, even deliciously executed, for what it is. (My 7 yr old loves a big bowl of broth and a big side of white rice to dump in. I eat up the all alien inegredients for him, known in our family as the Evil Flecks. Though he has figured out that both scallion and cilantro add something wonderful, and he will let those pass.)
Moving on- I have very much enjoyed some standard curries, fried tofu with dipping sauce, and pad thai.
On the other side I have never had less than a wow with Issan sausage, blossom salad, and the various other staples from that side. (Sadly, I don't get enough Issan sausage because my wife finds the funk so profoundly disturbing that even if I go there alone, she can scarcely admit me back to in the house without my taking an instand full shower and flossing.)
Haven't tried the rice disk so don't have a perspective on crispness or ham presence.
I would certainly give it another shot.

OK, I'm giving Spoon an unprecedented break and I'm gonna give them another shot TONIGHT! I'll be ordering takeout within the next couple of hours and I want to order two dishes from the authentic side of the menu.

I pretty much have my heart set on the fried chicken with tamarind dipping sauce as entree #1 and was wondering if anyone has thoughts for a second main dish?

How about any of these:

sâi kràwk isãan : grilled Isaan-style pork and rice sausage, served with chile, ginger, and peanuts

phàt phèt mũu pàa : spicy stir-fry with wild boar

phàt yâwt máphráo kûng : young coconut stir-fried with shrimp

I need a non-chicken dish.

Thanks!

{Edited to add}: As a guidelined regarding my spicy/hot threshhold let me givew some general guidelines. I'll eat Jalapenos like M&Ms but won't even touch a Habanero pepper anymore. I love Tabasco original and Jalapeno brands; I like spicy chile; I like the spice or kick to be a substantial part of the dish but not to overwhelm other flavors present in the dish. Also, a dish need not be spicy at all for me to like it but if it is spicy then these guidelines give you an idea of what I like. Thanks

Bster

I really like the néua tàet dìaw--dried “jerky” beef served with a sweet and salty dipping sauce. It has a great crispy/chewy texture and lots of flavor. Makes for a good appetizer. You can't go wrong with the Isaan sausage either. Their version comes in smaller, ball-shaped pieces (compared to Sticky Rice, e.g.) which means more surface area of that slightly charred casing. Good stuff. Hard to not order the banana blossom salad also.

Good luck! Hope your open-mindedness pays dividends.

tapler wrote:I really like the néua tàet dìaw--dried “jerky” beef served with a sweet and salty dipping sauce. It has a great crispy/chewy texture and lots of flavor. Makes for a good appetizer. You can't go wrong with the Isaan sausage either. Their version comes in smaller, ball-shaped pieces (compared to Sticky Rice, e.g.) which means more surface area of that slightly charred casing. Good stuff. Hard to not order the banana blossom salad also.

Good luck! Hope your open-mindedness pays dividends.

I also love the néua tàet dìaw, but I wouldn't recommend it for carry out. I don't see it traveling well. I have similar (though not as significant) concerns about the kài thâwt.

mrbarolo wrote:... known in our family as the Evil Flecks.

We should get your seven-year-old and my seven-year-old together; they'll be like the Thai version of Jack Spratt and his wife.

The tamarind dipping sauce that goes with the chicken is somewhat tart. The jerky and sausage can also be tart, so if you pick two of those, you might be getting flavors that are too similar.

The boar and coconut with shrimp are both very good selections.

If you are a pork fan, the crispy pork and Chinese broccoli is always fantastic, and I think you'd be surprised just how good the omelet with shrimp paste rice, apples, dried shrimp and pork is. I also think they do a great job with curries, especially the green curry.

Don't miss the one bite salad. I can't not order it!

Josephine wrote:Don't miss the one bite salad. I can't not order it!

Another one of my favorites -- such a huge portion size though -- perfect for sharing.

I've never been to Spoon and am probably hitting it up tomorrow.

Two questions:

1) It's BYOB, this may be a silly question, but do I need to bring glasses? (I've actually never been to a BYOB place, I know most places you need not.)

2) This secret menu, I know I have to ask for it, but it's in Thai right? No English, so I need to bring the menu that "Food First" translated to have a clue?

Thank you thank you.