We'll put aside my very first look at the new Thai (sushi?) place next to my Publix at the Lake Ella Plaza because it involves a television front and center when you walk in. I hate that. It totally changes the atmosphere of a place, especially if one is trying to present a civilized and fine dining experience. No matter, I will ignore that for now. Anyways, I was only popping in to grab a to-go menu before one of my many trips to Publix during the week. I had a quick chat with a couple young gals who had been in for lunch who gave me a mixed review and I did note that the new interior left not an inkling of the former Hopkin's Eatery. Not a yellow patch of paint anywhere. Thank god...
Friends who dine with me or come to my house for food know that I can be brutally honest with my opinions when it comes to restaurant food, the atmosphere, the service. I'm not trying to be a pain in the ass but honestly, there are way too many so-so places in town that just don't quite get anything about what makes the dining experience a pleasure. They'll blindly take your money without really caring whether their food sucks or that their staff knows nothing about anything or that lighting does matter.
So on to the Siam Sushi. I'd already expressed, with smugness I'll admit, that the name: "Siam Sushi: Authentic Thai" doesn't make any sense. When did sushi get absorbed into Thai cuisine? Yea, yea we're all about fusing cuisines into one meal so maybe no one else cares. But because there is such a lack of new restaurants that aren't part of a chain here in the Capital City and I happen to really like good Thai (sushi) food I was ready to get down there and check it out, fusion or not.
Being open on a Sunday night is a good thing, first of all and the Siam is open 7 days a week serving continuously from lunch through the dinner hour until 10pm. We'll see how long that last. Tallahassee tends to roll up the collective dining carpet just about the time I start thinking about supper, like 9pm. Shame, really....
I know it's a bit daunting, the idea of dining in a strip mall but Siam has done a rather decent job of dressing the interior with Asian features and lots of wood. I love, love the booth and banquette system of dining. Privacy matters and I won't sit in the middle of a room if I can help it. Besides, my frequent dining partner is very particular with where he sits so I was pleased that we only had to change tables once and that was because the temperature was just above freezing in the first spot. Besides, I didn't care for the spot light angled on that table from afar. We moved to a booth on the wall with a nice red pendant light above the table. Once we settled in I had a look around- ignoring the silent TV above the full bar that is located in the center of the restaurant between the two rooms. I'm afraid that second room, like it was with Hopkin's, will be that back forty room that patrons may dread being sat in unless there's a full house. Or perhaps not as sensitive to atmospheres as I am they won't mind. Good for them. I wish that darn TV was facing into the other room instead of the main dining room. Oh well...
So what about the food? I loved seeing so many starters that were not fried and was happy to see that their version of the dumpling, or gyoza, was house made. Fish cakes, Curried Ravioli, Thai Mussels- not seen very often. Soups and Salads, House Specialties, Entrees- a lot of new and interesting dishes I don't see on other menus. I didn't pay any attention to the sushi side of the menu this time, wanting the full Thai experience.
I like when I have a hard time deciding what to order because so many dishes look appealing. We played it safe so I could try a few classics: the Thai Dumplings, the Tom Kha, the Pad Thai and a succulent version of Nam Tok, a sliced rib eye steak salad with roasted rice granules, avocado, red onion and pepper on a bed of mixed greens in a spicy green lime dressing.
Now, I am so over a certain Thai restaurant that shall not be named that resides on the southside that has the audacity to try to give you used chop sticks on occasion, now charges for every drop of sauce and has reduced what used to be the best Tom Kha Gai soup to thick coconut milk with tough pieces of chicken floating, lonely and sad. Used to be that the soup arrived with slivers of red onion, green onion, cilantro, mushrooms, chicken in a beautiful red coconut milk broth. Not anymore.... Well, I'm happy to report that Siam Sushi, on this night, served me a most delicious version of this spicy soup full of crisp, fresh vegetables: green beans, bok choi, straw mushrooms, red onion, pepper, broccoli. I opted for the vegetarian version but they offer chicken, shrimp or seafood as well. The broth was light and so flavorful, made with both coconut milk and tomato broth. Loved it, ate half of it and brought the rest home to eat for breakfast.
Those house made Thai dumplings? The best I've had in a long, long time. Ground chicken and shrimp are stuffed into open faced round dumplings topped with fried garlic and served with a fabulous mustard sauce with sesame seeds and a spicy soy garlic sauce that were drizzled on the plate. We had them pan fried. I requested several of the other sauces available and was presented, at no cost, with a trio of delicious sweet or spicy sauces-two house made and the other a favorite bottled one used in home kitchens. All 5 luscious dumplings were gobbled up and these I will order again as take-out to see how they hold up.
Oh, to be served a Pad Thai that is not cloyingly sweet and clumpy; soft noodles mushed into a blob, no vegetables in sight. I don't normally order this dish but my companion does so we thought we'd give it a go since so many people do know and feel comfortable with Pad Thai. A beautiful dish of these noodles was laid before us, the noodles separated and folded in with crisp vegetables; peanuts and lime on the side. My friend was used to a sweeter sauce but I thought it was very well balanced between sweet and salty. We added a bit of the house made dipping sauces that was on the sweeter side and that was all the dish needed to make the taste buds sing.
Beef was what I had been craving all day so I ordered the House Specialty: Nam Tok. This is that beef salad I mentioned earlier and I sighed with relief that it was nothing like the over spiced, over limed version down the road that has you hiding at home for the evening because you don't dare breath on anyone. Siam's version was meltingly delicious and mildly spicy. The avocado complements the beef and sweet red onion perfectly. A healthy choice.
And guess what? No rice anywhere on the table. Didn't need it, didn't miss it, but it's there for the asking.
A couple of asides: The restroom was beautiful, lighting soft. The bar could use some low lighting- it's way too stark, especially as it sits smack in the middle of the place. Anxious to see how patio dining is once the humidity doesn't swallow me. A couple fans would help.
The service: I was so happy with our server/guide for the evening. Rolf didn't feel the need to tell me his name so that made me
want to know what it was by mid meal.. He has the most pleasant demeanor, glides in and out of the scene with ease and seems to truly enjoy food. He was able to answer all my questions and was able to confirm that there was, indeed, the subtlest whiff of celery in one of the house made sauces. He's my pick for fine service and I'll ask for him again.
I was satisfied with this first look at Siam Sushi. And as my friends know, that doesn't happen very often. I'm going to keep my eye on this place and will be trying more of their dishes both for take-out and dining in. Hopefully this group from Destin won't feel the need to dumb down to the common denominator of diners who so often want the same old thing and staying true to their intuition about what good food can be wins out.
And that television? Well, after that meal and service it just faded to the background....
* I didn't have my beloved Canon camera with me. these photos are from my phone.
