ema Posted January 14, 2011 Posted January 14, 2011 www.bangkokgolden7corners.com 6395 Seven Corners Center Falls Church, VA 22044 Tom Sietsema did a piece on this small Thai place back in November ( http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/11/18/AR2010111805045.html ). I am happy to report that the secret menu is secret no more. When we entered the small place this afternoon, we were handed two menus, one Thai and one Laotian. I never had Laotian food before, it was like Thai, but more rustic. Like other southeast Asian cuisine, Laotians make heavy usage of fresh vegetables and herbs as evident by the numbers of salads on the menu. We ordered the Laotian sausage, orm beef, crispy rice salad, and an order of chicken satay for the kiddo. My favorite dish was the crispy rice salad, consisted of herbs (probably cilantro and lime leaves), coconut, onions, scallions, julienne pork skin, ham, peanuts, and crispy rice in a refreshing spicy lime dressing with large lettuce leaves served on the side. You are suppose to eat it like a bulgogi by wrapping the salad inside the lettuce leaves. It was a prefect balance of savory, sour, and spicy, with bites of crispy rice and peanut for textural contrast. The flavor was incredibly complex and words do not do justice in describing this dish.
DonRocks Posted January 14, 2011 Posted January 14, 2011 www.bangkokgolden7corners.com Same strip as Hong Kong Palace, btw. Thank you very much for starting this thread. Regarding the third picture: is anyone as SICK as I am of raw, red onion or unmitigated garlic in dishes? Sometimes, it seems that there's nowhere to turn for healthy food that doesn't permeate through your pores eight hours later. Does anyone know the relationship of the Seven Corners Bangkok Golden with the Fairfax and Fort Washington locations? The carryout menu lists all three (so obviously there is a connection), but when you go to the main website, you find a link to a second website for the Seven Corners location, which seems to be the only one with a Laotian menu.
DonRocks Posted January 16, 2011 Posted January 16, 2011 Same strip as Hong Kong Palace, btw. Thank you very much for starting this thread. Regarding the third picture: is anyone as SICK as I am of raw, red onion or unmitigated garlic in dishes? Sometimes, it seems that there's nowhere to turn for healthy food that doesn't permeate through your pores eight hours later. Does anyone know the relationship of the Seven Corners Bangkok Golden with the Fairfax and Fort Washington locations? The carryout menu lists all three (so obviously there is a connection), but when you go to the main website, you find a link to a second website for the Seven Corners location, which seems to be the only one with a Laotian menu. The problem: A bottle of expensive, way-too-young, way-too-old, way-too-tannic, way-too-prematurely-bricking (purchased from MacArthur several years ago) 1996 Oddero Barolo which was something not unlike drinking a metallic Band-Aid with the faintest hint of black cherry. The solution: Orm Pork.
hmmboy Posted January 30, 2012 Posted January 30, 2012 You should try the Laotian menu at Bangkok Golden. Hottest damned food I can recall eating (and liking), with the possible exception of the vidaloo at Haandi. Chef and I along with Adam and Justin and a couple of others literally tried the entire Laotian menu last week - most of it excellent and spicy. The next day even spicier.
dcandohio Posted January 30, 2012 Posted January 30, 2012 We ate here the last time I was in town. The bamboo salad, ordered "Lao hot," was in fact, insanely hot. We orderd the Orm Lao hot, too, after being assured by our server that the heat is tamed in the Orm. True. The Orm was spicy, but in a warming kind of way, not in a burning kind of way. We also had tilapia - it seemed to be steamed under a lot of herbs. Very mild, but the piece of fish itself was huge and fresh. The Lao sausage on the appetizer menu were tasty. I liked it a lot, but given our general lack of wheels, it's not likely to be a regular thing for us.
Kibbee Nayee Posted January 30, 2012 Posted January 30, 2012 Chef and I along with Adam and Justin and a couple of others literally tried the entire Laotian menu last week - most of it excellent and spicy. The next day even spicier. Ouch...!
DonRocks Posted January 31, 2012 Posted January 31, 2012 Ouch...! The real "ouch" is picturing the facial contortions, the beads of sweat welling up on the forehead, the huffing and puffing from having sprinted up the stairs, and the inevitable, liberating, primal moans of relief resulting from the climactic discharge, heard several houses down the street, as if a wounded elephant, shot in the testicle by a British colonial hunter using a dum-dum bullet, had trumpeted out a G-major octave study through his angrily engorged trunk. And this is *before* he needed to use the restroom. You really need to stop watching porn so early in the day, Mark.
Ericandblueboy Posted February 24, 2012 Posted February 24, 2012 Had lunch there by myself today. It was quite busy - but most people were chowing down on the buffet. I tried a couple of things that looked good on the Lao menu that we didn't try last week, namely: CHUNH NOK/CRISPY QUAIL $7.95 Quail marinated with lemongrass, ginger & black pepper TOMP PHO $8.95 Lao style pho noodle soup, Beef, tripe, meatball, topped with tomato & fried garlic. The quail was definitely deep fried. The skin was crispy, while the meat wasn't moist, it definitely wasn't dry and tough. The flavor was pleasant but could be more aggressive. A pretty good dish if you don't mind dealing with small bones. The pho was similar to the floating market noodle soup. I didn't see any tripe, but there were beef and meatballs, serve with a spicy and sour broth. For those that had the chitlin soup last week, this soup wasn't quite as intense - not nearly as sour or salty, but definitely more spicy (but not as spicy as floating market noodle soup at Nava Thai). Again, pretty good, certainly a good substitute for those who don't want to drive to Wheaton.
jsfairfax Posted April 13, 2012 Posted April 13, 2012 Went for lunch and it was excellent!!! Started off with the Tum Marg Huong/Papaya Salad, which was spicy.....then came Ping Moo/Grilled Pork and Orm Chicken. Both dishes were wonderful, much more flavorful than usual Thai restaurants. They were accompanied with Stick Rice - a great meal for excellent price. I highly recommend for a cheap eat in Falls Church.
deangold Posted May 2, 2012 Posted May 2, 2012 Had out 4th meal there. After a slow start with meal #1, this has been superb. One large lunch with a lot of folk and too many dishes to remember. Then we did the fermented pork belly and the pounded fish with the innards soup and all were great. The soup was most notable for the broth which was really dank and earthy. The pounded fish was a larb like dish in texture with the fish being seasoned, cook, dried and pounded {who knows which order}. It was addictive, especially when we ordered up more veggies to scoop it up. The fermented pork belly was very flavorful and intense, with lots of red chiles and garlic. It is usually made with shoulder or neck, but the use of belly was great. Last night we had the mango salad {think Som Tum with a slightly sweeter and softer unripe mango filling in for the usually green papaya}, lao sausage {house made, earthy and served with peanuts, ginger slices, cilantro and a pounded chile paste that had sneaky heat} followed by a stwe of beef which was great. Filled with lots of chopped black beans, the liquid was like a light gravy with mostly onions, soft, almost melted, bits of eggplant and chewy beef. We made little balls of the sticky rice to drop in the spoon full of stew. Beer Lao accompanied. Great dinner with three beers, a 25% tip and $50. We were sent a free sticky rice dessert with taro root, beans, some sort of black grain like short wild rice and coconut milk topping.
Ericandblueboy Posted July 14, 2012 Posted July 14, 2012 Ate dinner here last night. Using my knowledge from the get together, we emphasized that while we don't want to the food "Lao hot," we want the foot pretty hot. Last time when we requested it medium hot, it wasn't really hot. The waitress said "Thai hot"? That turned out to be hot enough to make me sweat buckets and yet remain very much edible. I suggest anyone who goes there to really emphasize how much heat he/she wants. We asked for the hot sauce tray just in case but didn't need to use it. We ordered: Sai Oua - Lao Spicy Sausage - pork sausage stuffed with lemongrass, herbs and fresh dill. Notwithstanding its name, the sausage isn't hot but nonetheless delicious. Tum Marg Huong- Papaya Salad - julienne green papaya, tomato, lime juice in a savory Lao style spicy sauce. The sauce distinguishes this from a Vietnamese papaya salad - it was fiery hot, one of the hottest dishes of the night. Kaing Keuang Nai - beef tripe, chitlin, & beef broth. Love this non-spicy soup. The predominant flavor is sourness but there are many components to this soup. I believe they make this soup to order, which results in this soup being one of the last dishes to arrive. While the organs were clean and tasty, they could've used more cooking time. A big vat of this simmering all day would've been even more awesome but I don't think enough people order it to justify such treatment. Larb Seen (Beef) - we asked for it raw. Minced beef seasoned in spicy sauce, Kaffir lime leaves, rice power, shallows, garlic, green onion, cilantro, and mint. They did not bring an extra basket of lettuce, so if you want it, you must ask. This dish was also very spicy but fabulous. I'm not a fan of eating raw beef (such as kibbee nayee, beef tartare, Kitfo, etc.) but this is such a classic Lao dish everyone who wants to eat Lao should try it. Moak Normai - steamed bamboo, pork, Lao style curry with coconut milk. Not spicy but one of my favorite dishes here. Moak Pha - steamed fish with lemon grass and dill - not sure what kind of fish they used this time, probably tilapia. The kitchen had forgotten about this dish so it came out last and we were already full. I tried a couple of bites - found the fish a little fishy. The dish was not spicy. Orm Chicken - Lao curry with chili paste, lemongrass, galangal, eggplant, dill, and sliced chicken breast. Unfortunately many Asian restaurants use sliced chicken breast because of American demand. The result is tough flavorless chicken. I would not order the Orm with chicken again. The dish was slightly spicy. The place was packed on Friday evening, with many diners opting for the buffet though. Next door, at Hong Kong Palace, there were also people waiting to be seated. We washed our dinner down with Beerlao - which comes in light or dark, but both are lagers. The dark is a very smooth lager. 4 people, 3 beers each, $29 per person with tax but not tip.
Rhone1998 Posted July 22, 2012 Posted July 22, 2012 Damn the food here is good. My first experience with Bangkok Golden was through a large takeout order last weekend. Early on a Sunday night this place was only about 25 minutes from DC and was mostly empty. Easy peasy. Most of our dishes were ordered "Thai hot" following advice above, and that was just about right for us. One day I'll have to experience exactly what Lao hot tastes like but none of us were bold enough to try. Standouts for me were the Lao pork sausage (which is not really hot as advertised but is very herbal and very good), the shrimp cakes, which unlike so many versions in Thai restaurants around here were not rubbery, but had a very tender texture, which, for me at least, allowed me to appreciate the flavor of the seafood and spices, duck and beef larb (in hindsight I would have ordered only one since the flavor profile is the same), both of which differed from standard local Thai restaurant versions by being not just spicier, but more herbal (more pronounced lemon grass and mint coming through) and including minced rather than ground meat. The only things I don't think I would order again are the Moak - steamed fish - which wasn't that flavorful except for dill, and the crispy honey wings, though that may have just been a bad choice for take out. I love how enthusiastic and proud they are about serving good Lao food, and I tried to convince the guy I spoke with while waiting for my order to join donrockwell.com and post about their restaurant. One thing he told me to do on future visits was to always ask about specials (that night they had an interesting sounding jackfruit curry I would have tried had I not already put my order in based on the website menu).
Ericandblueboy Posted December 21, 2012 Posted December 21, 2012 I had read about a top secret Lao menu. When I asked for the Lao menu, I got the normal one. So I asked for specials - nothing. So we ordered the Lao Spicy Sausage, Koi Pah (mediurm rare fish) Thai hot, Ping Seen (grilled beef), and Mieng Viengchanh (flounder fillet - self wrapped with lettuce, steamed noodle, ginger, galangal root, tomato, fresh lemongrass and bean sprout serve with house tamarind sauce). The sausage here is pretty good, so is the Koi Pah. Thai hot is enough to make me sweat profusely. The Ping Seen had good flavor but it's tough. The Mieng Viengchanh is interesting. If the fish was grilled at all, it was then wrapped and steamed. It came out looking like a Moak, except we also received a plate of lettuce, peanuts, steamed noodle, ginger, Thai eggplant, fresh lemongrass, and some other stuff (but not exactly the same stuff on the menu described above). The fish was mild, not fishy. The texture is tender. Throw everything into a lettuce wrap and it's pretty tasty.
thistle Posted December 21, 2012 Posted December 21, 2012 That sounds delicious. I had lunch at Thai Ghang Waan, in Springfield recently & after hearing about the special Thai menu, really wanted to try the yum Pla dook foo ( crispy catfish), but it wasn't available at lunch, so I had to settle for gai pad krapow & larb gai, both were good, but I guess if you want to sample the special dishes, you have to come out at night.
DonRocks Posted December 22, 2012 Posted December 22, 2012 I had read about a top secret Lao menu. When I asked for the Lao menu, I got the normal one. So I asked for specials - nothing. So we ordered the Lao Spicy Sausage, Koi Pah (mediurm rare fish) Thai hot, Ping Seen (grilled beef), and Mieng Viengchanh (flounder fillet - self wrapped with lettuce, steamed noodle, ginger, galangal root, tomato, fresh lemongrass and bean sprout serve with house tamarind sauce). The sausage here is pretty good, so is the Koi Pah. Thai hot is enough to make me sweat profusely. The Ping Seen had good flavor but it's tough. The Mieng Viengchanh is interesting. If the fish was grilled at all, it was then wrapped and steamed. It came out looking like a Moak, except we also received a plate of lettuce, peanuts, steamed noodle, ginger, Thai eggplant, fresh lemongrass, and some other stuff (but not exactly the same stuff on the menu described above). The fish was mild, not fishy. The texture is tender. Throw everything into a lettuce wrap and it's pretty tasty. It's not a Laotian menu so much as a Laotian section (they have a different website than the other Bangkok Goldens, and the menu is here (note the Moak, Orm, etc.)). JC Gibbs works closely with this restaurant, and she's an awesome cook (albeit a vegan) - she can definitely steer you in the right direction. (JC can you chime in?)
Ericandblueboy Posted December 22, 2012 Posted December 22, 2012 It's not a Laotian menu so much as a Laotian section (they have a different website than the other Bangkok Goldens, and the menu is here (note the Moak, Orm, etc.)). That's what we always order from. There's supposed to be another top secret Lao menu according to Chowhound. I'm just not sure how to get it.
Rhone1998 Posted December 22, 2012 Posted December 22, 2012 So I asked for specials - nothing. Strange. I've only been twice, but both times, when I asked for specials, they rattled off 4-6 things that weren't on the menu.
Ericandblueboy Posted December 22, 2012 Posted December 22, 2012 Strange. I've only been twice, but both times, when I asked for specials, they rattled off 4-6 things that weren't on the menu. They have a board out front. Maybe she meant those are all the specials....I was hoping she'd whip out the the TOP SECRET LAO MENU. She wasn't a particularly good waitress - I went over the order several times to make sure she got it right. Maybe it's not even her fault. I can't pronounce Lao dishes properly and her English wasn't very good.
zoramargolis Posted January 25, 2013 Posted January 25, 2013 www.bangkokgolden7corners.com 6395 Seven Corners Center Falls Church, VA 22044 Tom Sietsema did a piece on this small Thai place back in November ( http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/11/18/AR2010111805045.html ). I am happy to report that the secret menu is secret no more. When we entered the small place this afternoon, we were handed two menus, one Thai and one Laotian. I never had Laotian food before, it was like Thai, but more rustic. Like other southeast Asian cuisine, Laotians make heavy usage of fresh vegetables and herbs as evident by the numbers of salads on the menu. We ordered the Laotian sausage, orm beef, crispy rice salad, and an order of chicken satay for the kiddo. My favorite dish was the crispy rice salad, consisted of herbs (probably cilantro and lime leaves), coconut, onions, scallions, julienne pork skin, ham, peanuts, and crispy rice in a refreshing spicy lime dressing with large lettuce leaves served on the side. You are suppose to eat it like a bulgogi by wrapping the salad inside the lettuce leaves. It was a prefect balance of savory, sour, and spicy, with bites of crispy rice and peanut for textural contrast. The flavor was incredibly complex and words do not do justice in describing this dish. I missed this thread entirely, but intrigued by the mention in the mystery restaurant thread, we went here for dinner last night. As it happens, we ordered almost exactly what ema did: the sausage, crispy rice and grilled skewered chicken. And Lao dark beer. We enjoyed all of the dishes, and our favorite was the crispy rice salad, for just the reasons above.
B.A.R. Posted January 25, 2013 Posted January 25, 2013 Had lunch here today. Really great and the waitress was so sweet when I ordered everything "Lao Spicy". "Are you sure?" she asked. And then she checked back on me a few times to make sure I was happy. They had a fermented Lao sausage appetizer special, which was outstanding, served with a dipping paste of fire roasted chilis ground with lime juice and fish sauce. Really good. A salad of bamboo shoots, cilantro, lime, chilis, etc was just fabulous. Very spicy and cooling in the same bite. Loved this. Orm Pork - a hearty portion with a spice component that builds. The broth was delicious and this stew really hit the spot on a chilly, windy day. Larb Pork - My favorite dish of the afternoon, very spicy and really bright flavors. I didn't ask for extra lettuce as I was more than happy to utilize my sticky rice as the delivery vehicle. A delicious lunch, and enough leftovers for dinner too (and probably lunch tomorrow)!
Jonathan Posted March 24, 2013 Posted March 24, 2013 Having been to both restaurants several times, I don't understand the comparison - Little Serow is serving a seven-course tasting menu based on northern Thai cuisine, and has a fantastic beverage program with stellar service; Bangkok Golden is a typical app-entree suburban strip mall mom-n-pop, most interesting for its Laotian cuisine, and probably does a substantial carryout business. One is a play with multiple acts; the other is a nostalgic folk song. You said all seven courses at Little Serow tasted good (which is no small feat) - and at $6.50 per course, I don't know how much more you could ask for. Bangkok Golden isn't a "typical" strip mall restaurant. Having just eaten there last night and having eaten there many times...it makes food every bit as delicious as one of the very best restaurants in this country. To my knowledge you can't walk into any random strip mall and get a dish as good as the Lao style Larb or Crispy rice salad. And the Thai menu, which I have been exploring lately too, is also delicious.
DonRocks Posted March 24, 2013 Posted March 24, 2013 Bangkok Golden isn't a "typical" strip mall restaurant. Having just eaten there last night and having eaten there many times...it makes food every bit as delicious as one of the very best restaurants in this country. To my knowledge you can't walk into any random strip mall and get a dish as good as the Lao style Larb or Crispy rice salad. And the Thai menu, which I have been exploring lately too, is also delicious. In *format* it most certainly is a typical strip-mall restaurant. I have Bangkok Golden in Italic in the Dining Guide, so if you're looking for a detractor, look elsewhere. That said, you won't find me comparing it to the "very best restaurants in this country," that's for sure.
hmmboy Posted March 24, 2013 Posted March 24, 2013 I will say this - it is my favorite place to eat Thai (and Tai Lao/Lao Isan) food in the city - by far - at least among restaurants where I'm permitted to choose my own dishes ;-) In fact, I have preferred my meals there to those I have eaten at the standard bearer of Thai/Tai Lao cuisine in the USA - Pok Pok. So I dont think it is going out too far on a limb to say it is among the country's best at these cuisines. If you accept that, I don't think Jonathan's evaluation is implausible. I am convinced that 2 Amys is one of the "very best restaurants in the country" but I suspect that evaluation would be scoffed at by the JBF. In my interview with Todd Kliman last month regarding the opening of Doi Moi, I talked about the bias faced by Asian restaurants. Here is what I said and I will throw it out to the group for discussion: "I think in the past there has been an economic bias against regional Asian cuisine—not only in DC and but in the country as a whole. It was fine to spend $30 on a bowl of noodles and shrimp at an Italian restaurant, but an Asian restaurant should offer strip-mall pricing on a comparable dish. Yes, there were Asian “ fusion” restaurants that attempted to elude this strip-mall mentality, but without the foundation of authenticity their success was generally hard to sustain. With the recent commercial and critical success enjoyed by restaurants like the Slanted Door, Fatty Crab, Pok Pok, Little Serow, and several others, restaurants serving authentic regional Asian cuisine are starting to level the economic playing field with other mainstream ethnic cuisines. " [Continuation of discussion here]
DonRocks Posted March 26, 2013 Posted March 26, 2013 I had read about a top secret Lao menu. When I asked for the Lao menu, I got the normal one. So I asked for specials - nothing. Here is Bangkok Golden's "top secret" menu: This week, the special they're featuring is a (warm) entree of Pickled Pork Belly. Enjoy (and make sure to try the pork neck), Rocks 1
Ericandblueboy Posted March 26, 2013 Posted March 26, 2013 Can someone translate? And why don't they provide it when asked? Probably going for lunch on Friday, anyone else?
Ferhat Yalcin Posted March 26, 2013 Posted March 26, 2013 I am very curious: what is the purpose of these `special menus`? Why not still serve it when somebody asks for the `special menu`
Fishinnards Posted March 26, 2013 Posted March 26, 2013 This menu is in Thai (not Lao). Which means I can read it. I'll translate it to the best of my ability when I get a chance (I'm not fluent).
hoosiereph Posted March 26, 2013 Posted March 26, 2013 I am very curious: what is the purpose of these `special menus`? Why not still serve it when somebody asks for the `special menu` It's so baffling that this menu is so hard to get -- even when you know to ask for it! Here is Bangkok Golden's "top secret" menu: Bangkok Golden Thai Menu.jpg This week, the special they're featuring is a (warm) entree of Pickled Pork Belly. Enjoy (and make sure to try the pork neck), Rocks Thanks, Don! I am very curious: what is the purpose of these `special menus`? Why not still serve it when somebody asks for the `special menu` So baffling that they make it so hard to get this menu, even when you know they have it and try to ask for it!
Ericandblueboy Posted March 26, 2013 Posted March 26, 2013 Since it's not translated, they would have to spend time to translate for each table. I guess it's easier to only give it to native speakers or real persistent buggers.
sandynva Posted March 26, 2013 Posted March 26, 2013 these posts remind me that it's been far too long since i've had a meal here. i've loved the vegetarian larb and crispy rice salad. does anyone who goes there more frequently have a reccomendation for other vegetarian dishes i should try?
B.A.R. Posted March 26, 2013 Posted March 26, 2013 Having been there half dozen times, and eaten anything they have given me, I have never seen this menu. Did not even know it existed. Secret menus make me angry.
DonRocks Posted March 26, 2013 Posted March 26, 2013 these posts remind me that it's been far too long since i've had a meal here. i've loved the vegetarian larb and crispy rice salad. does anyone who goes there more frequently have a reccomendation for other vegetarian dishes i should try? #46 Mieng Muang Luang (I got mine with fried pork rinds, but you don't have to) I'm hoping a native speaker will be able to translate this menu pretty much as fast as they can type. Using Google, it's easy to translate regardless (Google "Tom Zaap" for example). If you really want to know ... I'm friends with someone who used to work for them, and asked her on FB what to order. She told me, and the staff seemed sufficiently impressed with a very insider-y order (I knew to ask for the pork rinds with my Mieng Muang Luang (an unusual dish to begin with), and asked if they had the Pork Neck which is not on the regular menu). I struck up a brief conversation with the very kind manager, and asked *politely* <--- (key word, there) for the separate menu. There are only several copies, and she told me it will go onto their website the next time they update it, but that she'd go ahead and give me one. That's when she urged me to come back and try the Pickled Pork Belly. She was extremely nice, but she thought twice before giving this menu out - not because she didn't want to (she'll love the business from this), but because there are limited copies, and they don't always have everything on it <--- (this alone should quell any discontent). I suspect she knows nothing about this website, and I didn't mention it because it would have been awkward, but I figure if they're eventually going to put it on their own website (presumably after translating it), then this isn't exactly a state secret. One other thing: it makes a big difference if Chef Seng is in the kitchen. Also, my friend (who somehow knew that Chef Seng was working last night) told me the Chef refuses to use MSG, so take that, dare I say, with a grain of ... salt? I raised Bangkok Golden several notches, right behind Rice Paper (for now) in the Dining Guide. Comparing those two restaurants gives me the shivers because it seems almost pointless. 1
Fishinnards Posted March 26, 2013 Posted March 26, 2013 I'm hoping a native speaker will be able to translate this menu pretty much as fast as they can type. Using Google, it's easy to translate regardless (Google "Tom Zaap" for example). Som Tum Lao "“ green papaya salad with raw pickled crabs and pickled fresh water fish Som Tum Thai "“ green papaya salad with peanuts, palm sugar and dried shrimp Tum Teng "“ som tum made with cucumber Tum Sua- Som tum made with thin fresh rice noodles Som Tum Kai Kem "“ som tum with salted duck eggs Tum Mama Talay "“ seafood noodle salad (mama brand instant ramen) Tum pho tohu pla "“ fish tofu rice noodle (pho noodles) salad Peek Gai tord/yang "“ chicken wings fried/grilled Kor Mu Yang "“ grilled pork neck Mu Yang "“ grilled pork skewers Nam Tok Kor Mu Yang "“ grilled pork neck salad Sai Oua - sausage Gaeng Om Gai "“ herbal chicken curry/stew Gaeng Om Si Krong Mu "“ herbal pork rib curry/stew Gaeng Om Krueng Nai "“ herbal curry/stew with innards Gaeng Om Pla kot "“ herbal cod fish curry/stew Tom Sap Si Krong Mu "“ hot and sour pork rib stew/soup Tom Sap Tilapia "“ hot and sour Tilapia fish stew/soup Tom Sap Pla Kot "“ hot and sour cod fish stew/soup Tom Sap Flounder "“ hot and sour flounder stew/soup Tom Sap talay "“ hot and sour mixed seafood stew/soup Laap Mu Krueng Nai "“ chopped pork and pork innards salad Laap Nua Krueng Nai "“ chopped beef and beef innards salad Laap Gai Krueng Nai "“ chopped chicken and chicken innards salad Laap Pla Krob - crispy cod fish laap Kao Soi Kai "“ chicken curry noodle soup (Northern Thai) Keap Mu + Nam Prik Noom "“ pork rinds with roasted green chili sauce (Northern Thai) 3
Ericandblueboy Posted March 26, 2013 Posted March 26, 2013 Given that I've been eating at BG3 daily since Sunday, I am somewhat familiar with their "open" Lao menu. It seems like there are some repetition between their open and secret menu? For example, sai oua (sausage) appears on both menus. Most larb appear on both menus. Most curry stew (orm) appear on both menus. I assume they are in fact the same dishes, or are they somehow different?
DonRocks Posted March 26, 2013 Posted March 26, 2013 Given that I've been eating at BG3 daily since Sunday, I am somewhat familiar with their "open" Lao menu. It seems like there are some repeition between their open and secret menu? For example, sai oua (sausage) appears on both menus. Most larb appear on both menus. Most curry stew (orm) appear on both menus. I assume they are in fact the same dishes, or are they somehow different? I've seen a lot of repetition on "secret" menus, and not only repetition, but "common" dishes as well. I think that Gaeng Om Gai, for example, is just plain old Green Chicken Curry - I had it the other night at Sweet Rice (they call it Gang Gai there, but I'm pretty sure it's the same thing). As for Gaeng Om Style, you'll have to ask Psy. My hypothesis about these "secret" menus is that they're inclusive, not exclusive. I wonder if they're written mostly for older natives who want only the dishes they'll find at home, and don't even want to bother seeing the westernized stuff. That would explain the redundancy, though wouldn't explain why some dishes aren't on the regular menus. It would be an interesting article for City Paper to write, going around and asking ... "Why?" In fact, I'm going to write Jessica Sidman right now.
Ericandblueboy Posted March 26, 2013 Posted March 26, 2013 Looking for a few good men (or women) who want to join Steve and me for lunch here on Fri 3/29 at 11:30 a.m. If interested, just PM me and I'll look for you on Fri. I have one taker so far and two tentatives. I'm guessing it's going to be between $20 to $25 per person with tax and tip.
TheMatt Posted March 26, 2013 Posted March 26, 2013 Looking for a few good men (or women) who want to join Steve and me for lunch here on Fri 3/29 at 11:30 a.m. If interested, just PM me and I'll look for you on Fri. Interested yes, but sadly it's a bit impossible for me to get there from NASA Goddard (Greenbelt) for lunch. Maybe I can borrow a rocket? That said, please let us know what you have as maybe I"ll go there on the weekend to try out some dish I haven't had yet solo!
Fishinnards Posted March 27, 2013 Posted March 27, 2013 After consulting with a Thai friend, I have updated the translation above. I transliterated the Thai on the menu and used that for each dish name. The English on the menu is mostly transliterated Lao with some English words.
Ericandblueboy Posted March 28, 2013 Posted March 28, 2013 Interested yes, but sadly it's a bit impossible for me to get there from NASA Goddard (Greenbelt) for lunch. Maybe I can borrow a rocket? Maybe you will catch a cold tonight. Today I brought my own secret menu. When they brought me the regular Lao menu, I told them to piss off. I ordered the Tom Sap Flounder – a large bowl of hot and sour flounder soup, with mushrooms and some other goodies. There's quite a bit of fish but neither the fish nor the soup was fishy. The soups here, as well as at Little Serow, tend to be very salty. I also had the crispy cod laarb. I think the fish was dried before being fried and tossed with herbs This dish actually didn't have alot of sauce and lacked the spiciness of other larbs I've had at BG3. Looking forward to going back tomorrow (let me know if you want to join).
Ericandblueboy Posted March 29, 2013 Posted March 29, 2013 My mouth was on fire from (i) the papaya salad with raw crab and fish, although we didn't see any crabs in the dish. We also got some (ii) pork rinds, steamed broccoli and 3 dips, (iii) a free dish of fried river weeds, (iv) sausage, (v) grilled chicken wings, (vi) larb of beef innards (mostly tripe), (vii) orm of beef innards (tripe, intestine, etc.), (viii) sour cod soup, (ix) grilled pork neck, and (x) pork belly (mostly fat). I think that's all. With beer and tip, it was $30 for each of the 5 of us. I really like the beef innards orm, as the offal absorbs the flavor of the stew. The grilled pork neck is fairly sweet, reminding me of Korean BBQ. I feel like I need a nap but this may become a regular outing (given the size of the dishes, 5 or 6 people allowed us to sample lots of different food and yet being able to have more than 1 bite of each dish). P.S. Thanks to Fishinnards for showing up and ordering all the food in Thai. Without him, we wouldn't have received all the dips and the free dish of fried river weeds, which tasted very good. It's very much like kelp.
thistle Posted March 29, 2013 Posted March 29, 2013 It was a delicious lunch, I thought I didn't like offal, but liked the beef laap, so maybe I like it if it's not recognizable. My absolute favorite was the soup-big chunks of fish, enoki mushrooms, nicely sour & not sweet (which is sometimes a problem w/ the Vietnamese version of this soup). The seaweed was also delicious, much better than my kale chips, & although the place was packed, I thought the servers did a great job of keeping our drinks topped off & removing plates (we needed every inch of table space, we each had pots of sticky rice). I am also recovering nicely from being the bonehead who touched too closely to her eye w/ a capsaicin-loaded finger (flushed it w/ water, & will remember in the future not to get careless around peppers). It was great seeing everyone & I'll definitely try to make any future outings.
thistle Posted March 29, 2013 Posted March 29, 2013 Speaking of which, don't *ever* buy the CVS brand of "Disinfecting Lens Care Solution" (the one with the platinum disk). The disks don't work - yesterday morning, I was hopping around the house and screaming obscenities with boric acid in my eye. Well, I'm an old-school hard contact lense person (rigid gas permeable), I had a doctor tell me once, 'you guys have nerves of steel, you'll touch anything to your eye', at lunch I just felt a little silly, w/ my left eye almost swollen shut...I ate almost everything we ordered, I abstained from the orm (not a dill fan), the pork belly (just fat, I'm getting flashbacks from pulling 30 lbs. of pork), & the wings, but I did eat a lot of the veggies (cukes, cabbage, & carrot spirals)-they may be used as a garnish, but interspersed w/ spicy meats & dips, & the som tum lao, they enable me to keep eating....
Ericandblueboy Posted April 1, 2013 Posted April 1, 2013 I had the cod fish orm today. There's a lot of dill in the orm, which makes the dish pretty unique. The only other Asian dish with dill that I recall is the cha ca thang long (Vietnamese fish dish with turmeric and dill). Unfortunately I don't know what other seasoning goes into these wonderful stews. The fish in this preparation, as in others, are tender and not fishy. I also tried the tofu larb. I'm finding "Thai" hot not so spicy these days, but Lao hot was too hot. I wonder if I can convince them to find another level in between.
sandynva Posted April 2, 2013 Posted April 2, 2013 " I also tried the tofu larb." Just out of curiosity, how does the tofu larb compare to the non-veg larb in terms of flavor? i always wonder how the veg dishes stack up to the non-veg versions...
Ericandblueboy Posted April 2, 2013 Posted April 2, 2013 I believe all the larbs use the same seasoning. In the case of tofu larb, they use chopped up fried tofu. It's served at room temperature, and I find it a good substitute to the meat larbs.
Fishinnards Posted April 2, 2013 Posted April 2, 2013 I believe all the larbs use the same seasoning. In the case of tofu larb, they use chopped up fried tofu. It's served at room temperature, and I find it a good substitute to the meat larbs. No fish sauce (nam pla) or Lao fish sauce (pa dek/pla rah) in veggie laap, she uses soy sauce instead, so it will taste a little different, but still good. Here's a pic.
sandynva Posted April 2, 2013 Posted April 2, 2013 oh, i've had it and am very fond of it. i was just wondering if the pork version was very different (and if i was just getting a pale imitation). good to know that they're pretty similar flavor-wise. thank you!
Fishinnards Posted May 24, 2013 Posted May 24, 2013 P.S. Thanks to Fishinnards for showing up and ordering all the food in Thai. Without him, we wouldn't have received all the dips and the free dish of fried river weeds, which tasted very good. It's very much like kelp. I just learned that this seaweed is called Kaipen a specialty of Luang Prabang. The Wikipedia link was in this article about Jeaw Bong , the Lao chilli paste dipping sauce, which was linked from this article about fermented seafood products used in Thai and Lao cooking.
Fishinnards Posted May 25, 2013 Posted May 25, 2013 I just learned that this seaweed is called Kaipen a specialty of Luang Prabang. The Wikipedia link was in this article about Jeaw Bong , the Lao chilli paste dipping sauce, which was linked from this article about fermented seafood products used in Thai and Lao cooking. FYI I was just checking the latest Little Serow menu and the first thing is Jaew with Kaipen.
DonRocks Posted May 31, 2013 Posted May 31, 2013 Now that I've had several meals at Bangkok Golden 3, the flavors of Little Serow have become familiar rather than unique. ... All of the dishes tasted good; however, LS is not serving better food than Bangkok Golden 3 (but at several times the price). Som Tum Lao – green papaya salad with raw pickled crabs and pickled fresh water fish Tom Sap Pla Kot – hot and sour cod fish stew/soup As time goes by, I have more and more respect for what was a genuinely gutsy comment about the food at Bangkok Golden being just as good as it is at Little Serow. This is by no means a knock on Little Serow which is one of my absolute favorite restaurants in DC. If you're sick and tired of fattening, butter- and cream-based European cooking, or cowboy-fried <whatever>, ordering the above two items (which are in front of me as I type) is your perfect antidote. Unless you're a certified masochist, make *sure* to order the Som Tum Lao "medium." Even medium (which is what I have) facilitates post-nasal drip, and has you looking around for something - anything - to extinguish the fire. This is the cruelest of all cuisines. There was a table of 25 people there tonight! 3
zoramargolis Posted May 31, 2013 Posted May 31, 2013 We were at B.G. on Sunday night, introducing our daughter to the Lao menu. She's all "I love spicy food" but I managed to talk her down to Thai-hot (medium) instead of Lao-hot (inedibly spicy AFAI am concerned). Even so, I would have been happier with less heat. I love chiles and spicy salsa and mole, but I like to have the option of making something spicier by adding more condiments, rather than having the whole dish be borderline hotter than I can tolerate. Once again, the crispy rice salad was everyone's favorite dish.
Fishinnards Posted May 31, 2013 Posted May 31, 2013 If I may make some sweeping generalizations, I don't think (some) Mexican food is really hot at all compared to some of the cuisines of South and Southeast Asia. At least that's what we joke when one of my friends is gasping from the heat of my Thai food (She is Mexican). Of course it depends on the cook. I even know some Thai people who don't like spicy food. Of course not spicy for Thai food is very different than, say, not spicy for many Americans. I know my mother cannot tolerate chili at all, and I've heard in some places in the Midwest, food with any black pepper is considered too spicy. Over the past 30 years or so, the average American's tolerance for chili pepper has increased significantly though. For that I am grateful. When we were at BKG I did order the som tam "very spicy" in Thai. I was indeed super hot. It's nice to be able to get it that way without needing to convince the staff that you enjoy and can eat lethal food.
DonRocks Posted May 31, 2013 Posted May 31, 2013 If I may make some sweeping generalizations, I don't think (some) Mexican food is really hot at all compared to some of the cuisines of South and Southeast Asia. At least that's what we joke when one of my friends is gasping from the heat of my Thai food (She is Mexican). Of course it depends on the cook. I even know some Thai people who don't like spicy food. Of course not spicy for Thai food is very different than, say, not spicy for many Americans. I know my mother cannot tolerate chili at all, and I've heard in some places in the Midwest, food with any black pepper is considered too spicy. Over the past 30 years or so, the average American's tolerance for chili pepper has increased significantly though. For that I am grateful. When we were at BKG I did order the som tam "very spicy" in Thai. I was indeed super hot. It's nice to be able to get it that way without needing to convince the staff that you enjoy and can eat lethal food. It's the lack of dairy. Even an Indian vindaloo has raita to cool it down; Laotian/Thai and Korean have nothing comparable except rice, and a pinch of sticky rice is inadequate when the chemical-like burn begins to emanate from your eyes and ears. There are two things you do *not* want to do after eating these cuisines. One of them is taking out your contact lenses.
monavano Posted May 31, 2013 Posted May 31, 2013 Is there a difference in the heat-inducing ingredients (peppers etc. ) between Thai, Indian and say, Mexican and how they work in your mouth and with your tasting? I hear many people saying that they love it HOT!!!, but for me, at a certain level of heat, my taste buds are absolutely blown out and I taste *nothing* anymore.
Sthitch Posted May 31, 2013 Posted May 31, 2013 It's the lack of dairy. Even an Indian vindaloo has raita to cool it down; Laotian/Thai and Korean have nothing comparable except rice, and a pinch of sticky rice is inadequate when the chemical-like burn begins to emanate from your eyes and ears. There are two things you do *not* want to do after eating these cuisines. One of them is taking out your contact lenses. Capsaicin is also alcohol soluble, so instead of dairy take a shot of Mekong whiskey to dampen the heat. By the way, I did the other after making a batch of homemade chili powder.
TheMatt Posted June 7, 2013 Posted June 7, 2013 Just came back from having the vegan tasting dinner to celebrate the anniversary with my girlfriend. Eight amazing dishes with a variety of flavors. Started with the crispy rice salad, then some soub pak (steamed vegetables). After these two dishes (which had a little spice) came a cooling mango salad. Next up was bamboo steamed in a banana leaf, followed by larb tofu. The meal then ended with a very light soup with great flavor (I want to say lemongrass), and the topper was khao mao avocado, sticky rice with avocado, coconut...mmm. All that food? $25 a person. An amazing meal, an amazing value. Next time my vegetarian sister or father are in town on a weekday, I think I know where I'm taking them! Now back to digesting and dreaming about the khao mao... 3
Marty L. Posted June 7, 2013 Posted June 7, 2013 Was this tasting dinner on the menu, Matt, or was it special-ordered? And do you know whether Chef Seng would prepare a vegetarian but not necessarily vegan version? Just came back from having the vegan tasting dinner to celebrate the anniversary with my girlfriend. Eight amazing dishes with a variety of flavors. Started with the crispy rice salad, then some soub pak (steamed vegetables). After these two dishes (which had a little spice) came a cooling mango salad. Next up was bamboo steamed in a banana leaf, followed by larb tofu. The meal then ended with a very light soup with great flavor (I want to say lemongrass), and the topper was khao mao avocado, sticky rice with avocado, coconut...mmm. All that food? $25 a person. An amazing meal, an amazing value. Next time my vegetarian sister or father are in town on a weekday, I think I know where I'm taking them! Now back to digesting and dreaming about the khao mao...
TheMatt Posted June 7, 2013 Posted June 7, 2013 Was this tasting dinner on the menu, Matt, or was it special-ordered? And do you know whether Chef Seng would prepare a vegetarian but not necessarily vegan version? It's a "special order" that she'll do with a week's notice Monday through Thursday. Most of the dishes are on the main menu I think (or, in some cases, meat-ful versions). The joy of this was getting to taste so many different things. And technically it's vegetarian but sort of vegan by default perhaps. Not exactly a lot of butter, milk, eggs, &c. in Laotian food anyway. What were you thinking of that might be included but not technically vegan?
Popular Post B.A.R. Posted August 15, 2013 Popular Post Posted August 15, 2013 (edited) I placed a relatively large carry-out order today as a treat to some of my co-workers. Halfway to the restaurant, I received a call that my 6 year old hit her head and was being taken to Inova Fairfax. I made a detour to the hospital, and en route told Bangkok Golden that I would NOT be picking up my food. I asked them to take my CC number and charge me. "We cannot charge you if you did not get your food". I persisted, explaining that the food was ready (it was) and that I was more than happy to pay. After much protestation, they toom my credit card number. Half an hour later, they called me on my cell phone and informed me that they would only charge me half-price, because I did not get the food and this would cover their expenses. I again reiterated that I would be happy to pay for it all. They said no, and expressed hope that everything would be OK with my daughter. Good for you, Bangkok Golden. I loved you before, and will attempt to share this act of kindness with as many people as possible. ETA - A few minutes after posting this, they called me again to inform me that they did not charge my card AT ALL, that they appreciated my business, and wished me well. Edited August 16, 2013 by B.A.R. 11
DonRocks Posted August 15, 2013 Posted August 15, 2013 Good for you, Bangkok Golden. I loved you before, and will attempt to share this act of kindness with as many people as possible. Brian I'm so sorry. What a wonderfully inspiring story. It's sad that what should be ordinary human behavior is worth drawing attention to, but it's true. This reminds me of what Old Hickory Grill in Burtonsville did for me when my father passed away (it was 18.5 years ago, and I still haven't forgotten it). I'm sure your daughter will be fine, but nothing is more terrifying than something like this happening to a parent - you'll remember it long after your daughter is laughing, and smiling, and running around playing with her friends. 1
cheezepowder Posted August 17, 2013 Posted August 17, 2013 Bangkok Golden will be closed for their employees' summer vacation from Aug. 20-27.
The Hersch Posted August 28, 2013 Posted August 28, 2013 Bangkok Golden will be closed for their employees' summer vacation from Aug. 20-27. I had forgotten this piece of information, but luckily today is the 28th. While having a new battery installed in my car at the Sears at 7 Corners, I toddled across the pike for lunch. I was thinking either Hong Kong Palace or Bangkok Golden. I've never eaten at either place in their current incarnations. I chose BG, more or less by eeny-meeny. I ate at the Thai place maybe ten or eleven years ago (not sure if it had the same name), and the food was without any appeal whatsoever. Not so today! I would have liked to try several dishes, but I was lunching solo and didn't want to end up with buckets of leftovers. After looking at the buffet it was, ahem, easy to decide to order from the menu. I ordered the orm pork (or is it pork orm?) and a Lao dark beer. Unfortunately, they didn't have any Lao beer, so I had a Chang from Thailand, which is inoffensive if nothing better. The pork stew was one of the most delicious dishes I've had all year. I ordered it Thai hot, which turned out to be perfect for my taste: emphatically hot, but not painfully so. The dill is right there in the menu description, but surprised me anyway. Not a taste I associate with Asian food, but nice. I was glad I hadn't ordered more than one dish, since I totally stuffed myself and had fully half the orm left, which they packed up for me. I'm tempted to have it for dinner. It's sitting on my kitchen counter, just beckoning. And the people who work there seem so terribly nice.
TheMatt Posted August 31, 2013 Posted August 31, 2013 After Chef Seng had touted her Labor Day specials this week, I decided to stop in and give some a try. I started with the tapioca balls (sakoo yad sai) as an appetizer, and they were quite good. The contrast between the tapioca, the pork, some crunchy peanut within, wrapped in lettuce leaves? Mmm. But, not much can top the ping gai, grilled chicken with green papaya/rice noodle salad and sticky rice: Ping Gai by Fortran, on Flickr This might have been the most flavorful, juiciest chicken I've ever had. Apparently it's marinated in green lemongrass leaves...whatever it is, the skin was addictive! 4
zoramargolis Posted September 28, 2013 Posted September 28, 2013 Anyone who loves the crispy spinach chaat at Rasika needs to get to Bangkok Golden for the crispy watercress salad with tamarind dressing, shrimp and cashews. It was on the specials menu as an appetizer along with an interesting sounding grilled eggplant with duck egg. But OMG that crispy watercress was light as a feather and shattered under the teeth, with sweet, slightly sour tamarind vinaigrette, perfectly cooked freshly battered fried shrimp and toasty, crunchy cashews. We almost cancelled the rest of our order so that we could get another plate of this fabulous confection. But then, the special sour grilled sausage came to the table and that was so savory, fresh and engrossing. Crispy rice salad and grilled pork shoulder were satisfying, and we left full and happy. But oh, that crispy watercress! We were told that even if the watercress salad isn't on the specials menu, we can request it, and they can make it for us. you must try this dish. 1
naxos Posted September 28, 2013 Posted September 28, 2013 I had chef seng make the watercress dish for my birthday last year and when I had a friend visiting from Cambodia- a real hit!! 1
dcandohio Posted September 28, 2013 Posted September 28, 2013 Zora, thank you! We took advantage of having a car and drove to Bangkok Golden for lunch today. The watercress salad beats the palak chaat at either Rasika or Bombay Club. It is a great dish, at a great price. $10 for a huge serving which includes two perfectly fried shrimp.
Marty L. Posted September 29, 2013 Posted September 29, 2013 Zora, thank you! We took advantage of having a car and drove to Bangkok Golden for lunch today. The watercress salad beats the palak chaat at either Rasika or Bombay Club. It is a great dish, at a great price. $10 for a huge serving which includes two perfectly fried shrimp. Yes, it really is that good. Seng told me that she brought it back by popular demand and that it will be a "regular" special, in the sense that it will be available whenever she is in the kitchen . . . which will typically be Friday through Monday, and most evenings (but only occasional lunches) Tuesday through Thursday.
JimCo Posted January 17, 2014 Posted January 17, 2014 On a previous trip, my mother-in-law (a Texan) complained that the food in DC wasn't spicy enough for her tastes. So with a sense of hunger and an eye toward revenge, we brought her here for the Laos menu. The crispy honey wings were good so far as wings go, but didn't really take things to another level like so many dishes here. The house special was a spicy sausage that delivered spice with herbal notes. A lot has been said on this board about the Watercress salad, and it is deserving. It seemed a tad sweet that night but was still devoured. It is the crispy rice salad that has captured our hearts. I cannot imagine going here and not ordering it. For entrees we split the beef larb, grilled chicken and chicken orm. All were ordered thai hot (their middle ground), and I cannot imagine what the orm would be like if it were laos hot. Damn. We couldn't finish it. We took it home and it became a running gag as to who would eat it. The flavors were great, but my scalp was tingling and forehead dripping. However, my mother-in-law did say that she thought it was spicier than anything she's ever had. With that, mission accomplished. 4
Simul Parikh Posted January 17, 2014 Posted January 17, 2014 Their Papaya Salad made Lao Spicy, is the spiciest dish I have ever had, and I ate extensively in Thailand and India and Mexico. And, they can go hotter, I was told. Their grilled whole fish on special is fantastic, it has this mango sauce that is delicious. I think this is my favorite restaurant in all of DC/MD/VA. S
zoramargolis Posted January 17, 2014 Posted January 17, 2014 We were there on Tuesday night, and were not able to order the watercress salad--because Tuesday is Chef Seng's night off. So be forewarned. I suggested the possibility that we leave and come back the following night, but was overruled. We stayed and had green mango salad (medium hot), duck larb, crispy rice salad, chicken wings, and grilled pork shoulder. It was all good, but now that I've had the watercress salad, a meal at BG without it is going to be a tad flat.
hapatite Posted January 17, 2014 Posted January 17, 2014 Everytime I go back, we only order from the Laotian menu -- it just looks more tasty for some reason. I want to keep trying more dishes, but I keep levitating back to the same dishes. I do like the watercress salad (it DOES remind me of Rasika's palak chaat!), but the crispy rice salad is definitely my favorite. That's great to know that they do tasting menus with a week's notice. I can't believe that I've lived this close to BG for so long and just recently discovered it. It's definitely my new go-to fix. Has anyone tried the lunch buffet?
The Hersch Posted January 18, 2014 Posted January 18, 2014 Has anyone tried the lunch buffet? I didn't try the lunch buffet on my one visit to Bangkok Golden, but as I mentioned up above, looking at it caused me to decide immediately to order from the menu. The buffet offerings looked very tired and very sloppy.
DonRocks Posted January 18, 2014 Posted January 18, 2014 I didn't try the lunch buffet on my one visit to Bangkok Golden, but as I mentioned up above, looking at it caused me to decide immediately to order from the menu. The buffet offerings looked very tired and very sloppy. I agree with you - I've seen the buffet several time, and can't bring myself to order it. I mean, it doesn't look *bad*; it's just that I know the regular Laotian menu offerings are going to be better.
Josh Posted January 18, 2014 Posted January 18, 2014 It's surprising to me that given all the attention their Lao menu, and Chef Seng have received, they still put out what, from all accounts, is a pretty middling lunch buffet. I guess there must be someone eating it. Of course, with the age of Obamacare now upon us, no buffet is safe. (Sorry, but I had to!) 3
DonRocks Posted January 18, 2014 Posted January 18, 2014 It's surprising to me that given all the attention their Lao menu, and Chef Seng have received, they still put out what, from all accounts, is a pretty middling lunch buffet. I guess there must be someone eating it. Of course, with the age of Obamacare now upon us, no buffet is safe. (Sorry, but I had to!) There's no way Chef Seng can work both lunch and dinner, seven days a week - there's almost surely a line cook making the lunch buffet, cooking "safer" cuisine. The really far-out Laotian stuff doesn't have as much general appeal (the Moak, maybe, but that's too expensive to put on a buffet - it's like playing Mozart (*) in a mall). That said, this is steam table food, much of which has probably been long-cooked, so who knows? I've never had it, and have only taken cursory glances (as I type, I couldn't tell you a single thing on the lunch buffet), so I may be completely wrong. (*) And what I mean by that is the steamed meats are very "naked." Musicians will understand.
naxos Posted January 18, 2014 Posted January 18, 2014 I love BG and the Lao menu and have had Chef Seng create birthday meals for my friends- a correction about the buffet,tho - Moak is almost always on the dinner buffet as is a larb dish! I am lucky I live so close but a warning is warranted- reservations are needed for weekend dinners - the restaurant has been full for the past 2 months and our drop in behavior needed to change.
DonRocks Posted January 18, 2014 Posted January 18, 2014 I love BG and the Lao menu and have had Chef Seng create birthday meals for my friends- a correction about the buffet,tho - Moak is almost always on the dinner buffet as is a larb dish! I am lucky I live so close but a warning is warranted- reservations are needed for weekend dinners - the restaurant has been full for the past 2 months and our drop in behavior needed to change. Well, I guess it makes sense to have steamed items on a steam-table buffet. I thought these dishes might be too expensive to have on a buffet since people can cherry pick out the meat, but I guess not!
astrid Posted February 11, 2014 Posted February 11, 2014 Their Thai buffet is pretty good, but we find it hard to resist the Lao and "secret Lao" menus. The grilled pork neck from the "secret Lao" is outstanding and we order the duck larb every time we go to BG.
cheezepowder Posted April 9, 2014 Posted April 9, 2014 Chef Luangrath tweeted a link to their new hours and buffet schedule: Loyal Customers, please note the changes in schedule and buffet. New Hours: LUNCH Mon to Fri 11am to 4pmDINNER Mon to Fri 5pm to 10 pmSATURDAY TO SUNDAY 12 to 10 PMBUFFET WEEKDAY ONLY FROM MON TO FRIDAY FROM 11 to 3PM The link in her tweet leads to her website, which includes her biography and blog entries about lao food. 1
Bart Posted April 16, 2014 Posted April 16, 2014 There's no way Chef Seng can work both lunch and dinner, seven days a week - there's almost surely a line cook making the lunch buffet, cooking "safer" cuisine. The really far-out Laotian stuff doesn't have as much general appeal (the Moak, maybe, but that's too expensive to put on a buffet - So does this mean one should avoid Bangkok Golden for lunch if you want the full Lao experience? Has anyone gone there for a LaoLunch? 1
goldenticket Posted April 16, 2014 Posted April 16, 2014 So does this mean one should avoid Bangkok Golden for lunch if you want the full Lao experience? Has anyone gone there for a LaoLunch? I wouldn't avoid it at lunch. We had an excellent group lunch there a while back with only dishes from the Lao menu. Reading back through the thread, it looks like that's been the case for others as well. Just be sure to order off the Lao menu and ask for the 'secret' menu (bringing Fish Innards translation would be a good idea), instead of going for the buffet.
B.A.R. Posted April 16, 2014 Posted April 16, 2014 I have ONLY eaten there for lunch and itt has always been great. That being said, my wife and kids are out of town the next couple nights so I might try dinner for the first time.
Bart Posted April 16, 2014 Posted April 16, 2014 Thanks folks! If anyone wants to do an impromptu DR lunch there today, head over. We'll be there around 1 - 1:30! ;-)
ktmoomau Posted April 16, 2014 Posted April 16, 2014 Wish I was working from home today and could scoot over!!!
deangold Posted April 17, 2014 Posted April 17, 2014 They have a "Temple Plate" dinner for two for $29.99. You get 6 dishes: a larb and a chopped fish, both fabulous, a soup (OK) and a beef stew (Nice but a little boring), sausage and dried beef, plus three dipping sauces, and two bowls of veggies. Its a nice combo but i owuld have rather come with twomore people and ordered our own $60 combo of plates. But if you have not been yet, or just want to explore the Lao side of the menu in an effortless fashion, go for it. THe veggies with the dips wre perhaps the highlight!
Bart Posted April 17, 2014 Posted April 17, 2014 Lunch was great. The flavors were so bright and different from "normal' food (whatever that means). We just threw ourselves on the mercy of our server and asked for the best loved dishes. What we got was sort of a blur, but we had to ask for the watercress salad which wasn't on the menu. LIke Dean above, our least favorite dish was the noodle soup. It was fine, but it didn't stand up next to the rest of the dishes. Bottom line"¦"¦.at lunch or dinner, this place is a winner. 1
zoramargolis Posted April 17, 2014 Posted April 17, 2014 A few months ago, we went on a Tuesday evening and were told that watercress salad was not available because Tuesday was Chef Seng's night off. We've been avoiding Tuesdays since then.
Simul Parikh Posted May 22, 2014 Posted May 22, 2014 I went again last night alone, and I've already expressed how I felt about this place, but I had something I never tried and it may be one of the single best dishes I've had in the DC metro area. It's in the soup section - Mee Kathi - Rice noodle soup, ground pork, coconut milk, eggs, mung bean paste, ground peanut & chili paste. Served with julienne cabbage, bean sprout & carrots. Oh my god. It was delicious. It reminded me of khao soi, but not as much curry flavor. It is rich, the egg is apparent, the coconut milk isn't too heavy like tom kha kai. The noodles are perfectly cooked. I asked for it Lao Spicy, and it wasn't inedible (like the Tom Yum, the single spiciest dish I've had stateside). I also ordered chicken larb, but I didn't even want it any more. This soup was freakin' perfect. It's $9.99, and definitely makes a full meal for lunch or dinner. If you haven't had it yet, next time you go, get it. It's absolutely amazing. Simul 5
Tweaked Posted July 3, 2014 Posted July 3, 2014 Very interesting development. Chef Seng announces plans to open a Lao restaurant called Thip Khao.
Simul Parikh Posted July 11, 2014 Posted July 11, 2014 Had a feast last night here. Interestingly, the Lao hot papaya salad was not at it's typical level of heat. I could eat it easily. Also, the mee kathi soup I raved about was not the same. It was way less broth, way more noodles. It was not a soup. Not sure what happened. Bummed, because I hyped it to my eating partners. Chicken orm, fish moak, nam khao were all at their typical high level. They have a separate Thai menu for Thai people. It has variations of many of the dishes. They have a noodle version of the papaya salad, a few intestine heavy dishes. They may or may not go through it with you. Yesterday they did.
Fishinnards Posted July 11, 2014 Posted July 11, 2014 They have a separate Thai menu for Thai people. It has variations of many of the dishes. They have a noodle version of the papaya salad, a few intestine heavy dishes. They may or may not go through it with you. Yesterday they did. Somewhere above in this thread you will find a translation of the Thai menu that I did awhile back. [it's here. DR]
cheezepowder Posted July 21, 2014 Posted July 21, 2014 Closed for vacation from July 24 to 30 (via @ChefSeng's tweet).
Bart Posted August 1, 2014 Posted August 1, 2014 You know what's weird? There's a whole other Bangkok Golden(s) it Ft. Washington and Fairfax that is NOT this one. http://www.bangkokgolden.com/Home.html (not the one you want) http://www.chefseng.com (the one you want)
DonRocks Posted August 1, 2014 Posted August 1, 2014 You know what's weird? There's a whole other Bangkok Golden(s) it Ft. Washington and Fairfax that is NOT this one. http://www.bangkokgolden.com/Home.html (not the one you want) http://www.chefseng.com (the one you want) Yes, my impression has been that there was a split a long time ago. I never did find out exactly what happened, but that was my guess.
Jimmy Chandler Posted August 2, 2014 Posted August 2, 2014 I realize now I've never posted about this restaurant, which is a grave error on my behalf. From last July until this June, I was splitting my time about 50-50 between Arlington and Brooklyn NY. When in Arlington and eating out during that period, I easily ate at BG more than any other establishment. I think it is the best value restaurant in NoVA right now. The staff is always friendly and generous. I've chatted with Chef Seng twice and she was quite gracious and enlightening -- she wants me to try the one Laotian restaurant in NY -- Khe Yo (website) -- and compare for her (she notes that her cooking is more home style than Khe Yo). I love visiting here with friends, especially people who've never been there before. One problem I have with BG is I always want the crispy rice salad, so if I'm dining alone I will only order one other item. When dining with a group of four or more I love to order a whole variety of dishes. Like Zora I love the crispy watercress salad. Other favorites include the fried chicken wings, larb duck, tomp pho soup, grilled chicken, grilled pork, pork sausage, and the lemonade (which is a little effervescent to me, different from other lemonades I've had). I almost never order Thai here, but when I have I think it does rate as some of the better Thai food in the area. But I like the Lao better. 1
DonRocks Posted August 2, 2014 Posted August 2, 2014 I've chatted with Chef Seng twice and she was quite gracious and enlightening -- she wants me to try the one Laotian restaurant in NY -- Khe Yo (website) -- and compare for her (she notes that her cooking is more home style than Khe Yo). Jimmy, I hope you realize what a compliment this is! Thanks for posting - you sound like you know what you're doing. Do they deliver? Hong Kong Palace does, but their food doesn't always hold up very well.
Jimmy Chandler Posted August 2, 2014 Posted August 2, 2014 Here's the story (there's play button, kinda hidden, above the photo of the shrimp salad): "Laotian Chef Helps Diners Feel The Burn Of Her Native Cuisine" by Emily Berman on wamu.org And here's the transcript. The interview indirectly answers Don's question about the split -- Chef Seng bought the Seven Corners restaurant in 2010, which I assume is when the split happened.
DonRocks Posted August 2, 2014 Posted August 2, 2014 Here's the story (there's play button, kinda hidden, above the photo of the shrimp salad): "Laotian Chef Helps Diners Feel The Burn Of Her Native Cuisine" by Emily Berman on wamu.org And here's the transcript. The interview indirectly answers Don's question about the split -- Chef Seng bought the Seven Corners restaurant in 2010, which I assume is when the split happened. Great post, Jimmy. I hope Chef Seng eventually gathers enough confidence to rename Bangkok Garden (maybe to "Chef Seng's?"), and to switch over to an even more Laotian menu. And boy, would I *love* to hear what she thinks of Little Serow (*). You know what? I'd bet she's critical of it (I mean, come on, she's a cook!), but that she likes it, too. Could this be Peter Chang in miniature? I'm not convinced the answer is yes, but I haven't seen her best stuff. (*) I also want to remind everyone that Little Serow is a *great* restaurant. Certain individual items may be better at Bangkok Golden, but don't make the mistake of thinking that Bangkok Golden is a better restaurant because it isn't - there is a lot of "good but not great" at Bangkok Golden and don't think otherwise (it may not be found in Chef Seng's Laotian dishes, but it's there, I assure you - I've eaten here no less than 10 times, and I promise you that it's true).
naxos Posted August 3, 2014 Posted August 3, 2014 Just finished another great Lao meal at Bangkok Golden- duck larb was best ever - amazing texture and so many flavors - watercress flash fried with shrimp and mango snd cashews and tamarind- and chicken soup with rice noodles and cilantro garlic and more... A delicious meal.
Jimmy Chandler Posted August 3, 2014 Posted August 3, 2014 (*) I also want to remind everyone that Little Serow is a *great* restaurant. Certain individual items may be better at Bangkok Golden, but don't make the mistake of thinking that Bangkok Golden is a better restaurant because it isn't - there is a lot of "good but not great" at Bangkok Golden and don't think otherwise (it may not be found in Chef Seng's Laotian dishes, but it's there, I assure you - I've eaten here no less than 10 times, and I promise you that it's true). I haven't eaten at Little Serow and don't have plans to -- The Wife and I tend not to eat tasting menus due to certain dietary restrictions. Are there *any* suburban strip mall restaurants at BG's price point that can do better than "good but not great" with such a setup? It would be interesting to see what Chef Seng could do in a tasting-menu only environment. But again that wouldn't be for me or The Wife. 1
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