sphere777 Posted October 31, 2011 Posted October 31, 2011 PoP reports that the downstairs space is almost ready.. looks pretty minimalist to me- any idea what the concept is going to be? Lots of two-tops and a bar- so I'm guessing it's not the regular Komi experience. Follow-up from a PoP poster named "anon" claimed that it was a separate concept called Little Saroh or Little Sarah. It is supposedly having a "very soft opening" and allegedly has a Thai prie-fixe menu of $45 for walk-ins only. Rob
chaofun Posted November 2, 2011 Posted November 2, 2011 PoP reports that the downstairs space is almost ready.. looks pretty minimalist to me- any idea what the concept is going to be? Lots of two-tops and a bar- so I'm guessing it's not the regular Komi experience. Looks like it will be a Northern Thai restaurant. From Metrocurean
sphere777 Posted November 2, 2011 Author Posted November 2, 2011 According to UrbanDaddy, the name of the place is Little Serow and it will be probably opening tomorrow night. They also claim their Thai prix-fixe meal will be seven courses for $45. However, these folks burned me before on Fiola IIRC so take their word for what it's worth. Rob
Fishinnards Posted November 2, 2011 Posted November 2, 2011 Northeastern Thai (isaan) food is furiously hot and uses pickled fresh water fish instead of regular fish sauce (Pla rah, which even some central Thai's find too pungent). They also eat sticky rice instead of jasmine rice, which needs to be eaten with your hands (just your right hand, actually). He'll probably have to make some serious concessions to the local palate. A really cool idea though. I'm kind of excited. Isaan food is good country food, maybe closer to Laotian food than the central Thai food most people are familiar with.
Joe H Posted November 3, 2011 Posted November 3, 2011 Representative photographs of Isaan food - I am getting very hungry...
Tweaked Posted November 8, 2011 Posted November 8, 2011 Opening week's menu... Week of November 8, 2011 nam phrik num eggplant / crispy pork / herbs tam mak taeng cucumbers / bla rah / dried shrimp laap pla duk catfish / shallots / chiles yaam het pet mushroom / cured egg / lime sai oua pork sausage / kaffir / basil jin tup beef / charred & hammered khanom paak khah radish cake / fermented cabbage / egg $45
Fishinnards Posted November 9, 2011 Posted November 9, 2011 Opening week's menu... Week of November 8, 2011 nam phrik num eggplant / crispy pork / herbs tam mak taeng cucumbers / bla rah / dried shrimp laap pla duk catfish / shallots / chiles yaam het pet mushroom / cured egg / lime sai oua pork sausage / kaffir / basil jin tup beef / charred & hammered khanom paak khah radish cake / fermented cabbage / egg $45 This looks to be northern Thai food, which is different from Northeast Thai (Isaan) food. That makes more sense to me. This is the type of food Andy Ricker has been doing successfully (much less spicy, a lot of pork, Burmese influence, great stuff). But the metro curean article said "Monis will prepare family-style menus of Isaan cuisine from Northeastern Thailand" and "Isaan food has a flavor profile that I love eating on our days off and have been cooking for our staff family meal and behind the scenes for the last few years. Traveling through northern Thailand with Anne (my wife and the other half of Komi) furthered solidified the fact that we wanted to do this." Isaan is northeast Thailand. Northern Thailand is considered a separate cultural (and culinary) region. I am confused by his quote of wanting to make Northeast Thai food (and specifically saying Isaan food) and presenting a menu of Northern Thai food.
DonRocks Posted November 9, 2011 Posted November 9, 2011 This looks to be northern Thai food, which is different from Northeast Thai (Isaan) food. That makes more sense to me. This is the type of food Andy Ricker has been doing successfully (much less spicy, a lot of pork, Burmese influence, great stuff). But the metro curean article said "Monis will prepare family-style menus of Isaan cuisine from Northeastern Thailand" and "Isaan food has a flavor profile that I love eating on our days off and have been cooking for our staff family meal and behind the scenes for the last few years. Traveling through northern Thailand with Anne (my wife and the other half of Komi) furthered solidified the fact that we wanted to do this." Isaan is northeast Thailand. Northern Thailand is considered a separate cultural (and culinary) region. I am confused by his quote of wanting to make Northeast Thai food (and specifically saying Isaan food) and presenting a menu of Northern Thai food. May I just say that I LOVE LOVE LOVE this website and our members who comprise it?
jparrott Posted November 9, 2011 Posted November 9, 2011 Guys, it's good. It's really, really good. Jill Tyler (ex-Proof, amongst other places) and Kat Bangs (sommeliere sensational) worked the floor and dispensed all manner of useful potables, along with Johnny's wife Anne and a couple other folks. The food comes quickly, and you'll have multiple dishes in front of you at a time, able to mix and match (the puddle of dressing on the cucumber salad is an excellent dipping sauce for the laab and the sausage, for example). If you touch your utensils, you're doing it wrong. Use the herbs, use the sticky rice, use your fingers. They have plenty of napkins for you. Not cheap, but good value given the precision of the cooking and the well-curated selection of beverages. Also NB that there is a counter (10 seats? 8 seats? I forgot to count), so it is single-diner friendly.
Tweaked Posted November 9, 2011 Posted November 9, 2011 This looks to be northern Thai food, which is different from Northeast Thai (Isaan) food. That makes more sense to me. This is the type of food Andy Ricker has been doing successfully (much less spicy, a lot of pork, Burmese influence, great stuff). But the metro curean article said "Monis will prepare family-style menus of Isaan cuisine from Northeastern Thailand" and "Isaan food has a flavor profile that I love eating on our days off and have been cooking for our staff family meal and behind the scenes for the last few years. Traveling through northern Thailand with Anne (my wife and the other half of Komi) furthered solidified the fact that we wanted to do this." Isaan is northeast Thailand. Northern Thailand is considered a separate cultural (and culinary) region. I am confused by his quote of wanting to make Northeast Thai food (and specifically saying Isaan food) and presenting a menu of Northern Thai food. and speaking of Andy Ricker, the NY Times has a profile piece on him eating around Chiang Mai...they even discuss some of the dishes featured on Little Serow's opening menu (sai oua and jin tup). Also has a brief discussion on the difference between Northern Thai and Issan cuisine.
mdt Posted November 10, 2011 Posted November 10, 2011 Northern Thai or Isaan? I have no idea, but what I ate was damn good. Each dish is packed with layers of flavor and I wanted more. The highlights for me were the tam mak taeng (cucumber salad), sai oua (pork sausage), and the jin tup (beef). And Jake is right about the dressing from the cucumber salad. Now I need to get me some of that sparkling falanghina they are serving.
thetrain Posted November 16, 2011 Posted November 16, 2011 Based on what I ate I'd say its both Northern Thai and Issan - started with a lot of sour and spice and the last two-three courses mellowed into sweet, less spicy Burmese influenced dishes. Everything was excellent, but the highlights were the mushroom salad, the crispy rice/peanut/lime dish that was like a refreshing pad thai (tons of lime and chili), and the hammered beef. Drinks are very reasonable given the prixe fix price - $5 for beer, $40-42 for bottle of wine (really interesting selection - including a Rose Chinon)/$10-12 per glass (very big by the glass selection) and $4 small pours of Belgian/Imperial IPAs. Atmosphere-wise it skews young, minimalist farmhouse design and everyone appeared to be in their 20s-30s. Any guy with a crush on Zooey Daschel will love the service....and if you don't have a crush the service is still great, attentive and casual. Overall, this is Komi's cool little sibling - trendier and cheaper than Komi but with the same attention to detail.
DonRocks Posted November 16, 2011 Posted November 16, 2011 Any guy with a crush on Zooey Daschel will love the service....and if you don't have a crush the service is still great, attentive and casual. Sounds like Kat was working.
thetrain Posted November 16, 2011 Posted November 16, 2011 Sounds like Kat was working. Ha! Yes. The all-female service staff had the hipster look down pat.
marketfan Posted November 17, 2011 Posted November 17, 2011 Week of November 15, 2011 jeow dtap bpet crispy pork / duck liver / shrimp paste yaam het pet mushroom / cured egg / lime laap pla duk catfish / shallots / chiles khao tod fermented cabbage / lime leaf / peanuts sai oua pork sausage / kaffir / basil jin tup beef / charred & hammered kaeng hung lay pork rib / tamarind / ginger $45 As you can see, the menu has changed a bit from last week and it will continue to change every week. Jill told me that they will have one or two new dishes every week. I had dinner there alone at the bar tonight and I can testify that it is a pleasant place to be a solo diner. And the staff is friendly and knowledgeable. I was so enchanted by the dishes that I did not even want to talk to anyone. I just wanted to sit there, slowly eating and marveling at the complexity of the many layers of flavor.--and textures. And the length of those flavors. They make all their own spice pastes and sauces including the fish sauce. I think I have been ruined for any local Thai restaurant I know. The hammered beef is made with a Texan Wagyu beef. The new pork rib is so flavorful and tender that I munched the bone right down to nothing. Some of it is spicy but the side platter of cooling cabbage, cucumber, eggplant, cabbage and lettuce provided good interludes as did making little balls of sticky rice. Definitely eat with your (right) fingers food. I liked it all and right now I don't have any favorites but the rice salad pad- like dish was the most interesting interplay of textures and flavors ---perhaps. On the other hand, I am still thinking about the pork sausage made with kaffir leaf, each slice you eat with a leaf of Thai basil. Very exciting food.
SSK Posted November 29, 2011 Posted November 29, 2011 Not being experts on either northern Thai or Issan, my husband and I really, really enjoyed our first meal here two weekends ago--cooking style was very reminiscent of a marathon cooking lesson we had in Chiang Mai some years back (11 dishes over an eight-hour day). The mushrooms were his favorite, it was a toss up between the beef and the pork rib for me. Service was very friendly and down-to-earth. Unlike other places where we might go on rare occasions for a set meal, this could very well become a regular on our rotation.
anhdeluxe Posted November 29, 2011 Posted November 29, 2011 I really enjoyed the hammered beef and was happy to see the shrimp paste and duck liver! That's a starter that is pretty polarizing - either you love it or hate it! The pork rinds were much more fun to dip into everything than the sticky rice, which seemed a bit mushy. I loved the side salad of cabbage and herbs - fresh and crisp and fun to roll up little bundles of food in. Service was great - casual and smart but attentive. My friend and I were lucky to snag a spot at the big bar/table in the middle at 6:30 on a Tuesday night - everyone else after us had to wait a bit...
qwertyy Posted December 1, 2011 Posted December 1, 2011 Does anyone know if they offer a vegetarian option? (Not for me--for a teetotaling, meat-eschewing [but otherwise awesome] friend.)
leleboo Posted December 1, 2011 Posted December 1, 2011 Does anyone know if they offer a vegetarian option? (Not for me--for a teetotaling, meat-eschewing [but otherwise awesome] friend.) The info page online says:"Little Serow serves an Isaan-style family meal for $45 per person. Each week's menu will be posted online Monday.Unfortunately, no menu substitutions are possible. Menu items may include nuts and shellfish, even when not listed."That makes me think they can't accommodate a vegetarian, even by bringing just the vegetarian options. Still, you could ask specifically; when I was there, I overheard a couple asking a cilantro issue, so maybe they could at least tell you which of the dishes are truly vege/pescatarian.
qwertyy Posted December 1, 2011 Posted December 1, 2011 Thanks! I didn't realize they had a website. But double drat. Now I need to find someone else to take AND find another place for dinner tonight...
leleboo Posted December 1, 2011 Posted December 1, 2011 How crowded is this place during weekdays? Can we get a table at 6 p.m. for 2 without waiting? I think it really depends. I was there on a Friday and was actually waiting outside before the doors opened, as were about 6-8 other people. My +1 didn't get there til about 5:45 or 5:50, and we were one of the last groups seated before it was full (I think one other two-top and a four-top got seated after us). However, anhdeluxe mentions getting the last few seats at 6:30 on a Tuesday ... so I think it's very much luck-of-the-draw.
JoshW0615 Posted December 1, 2011 Posted December 1, 2011 How crowded is this place during weekdays? Can we get a table at 6 p.m. for 2 without waiting? I went last night for the first time. We arrived around 7:15 without a wait, and when we left around 8:30 there were still about 4 spots open at the counter.
Ericandblueboy Posted December 7, 2011 Posted December 7, 2011 Went there prior to 6, had no problem getting a table. Even around 7:30, I saw 2 counter seats available. The food is pretty interesting, and generally pretty good. Our 3 hot dishes were sausage, meatball, and ribs. I think they were all pork products. Would've liked different proteins. Some of the dishes were pretty hot. Since their opening, I think their menu has offered lots of variety. That would definitely bring me back. Does anyone know if they have a limit on table size?
astrid Posted December 8, 2011 Posted December 8, 2011 Very happy with my meal here last night, probably happier than after my meal at Komi almost exactly two years before. Superb quality of ingredients and a lot of care in preparing the ingredients. The whole place felt very ethereal, like something out of a TV writer's fevered dream, just a wonderful atmosphere all around. My favorites of the night were the eggplant, the shrimp and clam salad, and the ribs.
apatel Posted December 19, 2011 Posted December 19, 2011 I had a fantastic meal at Little Serow a few nights ago. Every dish was beautifully executed and perfectly seasoned. The service was good, not great. The waitress was really friendly and informative, but we had to flag someone down continuously for water or drink refills, which was a bit irritating. Other than that though, I'm counting the weeks before I can revisit the place. I'll probably wait until closer to spring in hopes that the menu will significantly change with the season. Looking forward to seeing how the menu evolves over time.
Ericandblueboy Posted December 19, 2011 Posted December 19, 2011 Does anyone know if they have a limit on table size? Forgot that I had posed this question and since no one responded, I sent a note to Little Serow and received the following reply: For the time being, the largest group we're able to seat is four (though we're hoping to add a table for six in the first part of the year). They do have a bar but I forget exactly how many seats were at the bar.
Simon Posted January 1, 2012 Posted January 1, 2012 Ha! Yes. The all-female service staff had the hipster look down pat. But not the attitude. The service was endearingly friendly (cf. Zooey Deschanel and the MPDG). I do have to say I was somewhat underwhelmed by the overall experience. While I enjoyed most of the dishes and thought the quality of ingredients good and the kitchen well-drilled, there wasn't a single dish that had me dying to come back. Slight (and I mean slight) imbalances of flavor in some of the dishes prevented them, for me at least, from fully satisfying; these appeared to be issues of conception rather than execution. I did enjoy the atmosphere, except for the aggressively loud soundtrack (though understand the rationale for it). My one suggestion: I'd like to see the kitchen really showcase seafood in one of the courses, instead of using it just in preparations like the catfish or the shrimp toast.
Lori Gardner Posted January 1, 2012 Posted January 1, 2012 My experience at Little Serow was fantastic. A couple of the courses we had were standouts, specifically the meat courses - sai oua pork sausage / kaffir / basil neua grapao Wagyu brisket / duck egg / basil si krong muu pork ribs / Mekhong whiskey / crispy garlic The wait staff was fully engaged with our table and enjoyed the fact that we were being so expressive about the food. I also think it was a great value at $45. I will happily go back - and hope to do so very soon.
Rhone1998 Posted January 8, 2012 Posted January 8, 2012 I started writing a review of our Thursday night meal at Little Serow and then realized it was going to be nearly verbatim what foodobsessed6 wrote just above. Our meal was fantastic as well, particularly the meat (or should I say, the meatier) dishes. I wasn't a huge fan of the Laap Pla Duk (a crispy catfish salad--I honestly couldn't taste the catfish, though the accompanying flavors we're great, intense combinations of herb, spice, and sour that you see in a lot of dishes here) or the shrimp toast, but the pork sausage, the brisket, and the ribs were all amazing. I think my favorite was the sausage, just wonderfully juicy and meaty and intensely spiced (and by the way, this is seriously spiced and often spicy food...not the place to bring timid eaters). Two other things to mention. First, the wine and beer list, though not extensive, is pretty interesting. I loved the Stillwater Celar Door Saison (one of several beers available in 4 oz tastes) and thought it went very well with the spicyness of the food. Second, by a wide margin, the staff at Little Serow is the most wildly enthusiastic and, can I say, happiest that I've ever seen at a restaurant. You get the sense that they are passionate about their project, and they really made our evening enjoyable. Can't wait to go back.
mdt Posted January 20, 2012 Posted January 20, 2012 Wow, a 3-star review in the Post and no comments? http://www.washingto...tic-review.html BTW, that chicken is damn good!
Waitman Posted January 20, 2012 Posted January 20, 2012 Wow, a 3-star review in the Post and no comments? http://www.washingto...tic-review.html BTW, that chicken is damn good! I think Mrs. B, myself and two friends were probably literally the last four people not to have to go through a lengthy and painful wait to get into Little Serow, showing up at precisely 5:30 the evening before the print version of the review hit sidewalks and newsstands and getting the last of the three fourtops available I will leave to others the detailed analysis of flavor balance, authenticity and such stuff, and focus instead on how much I enjoyed the all-country soundtrack and the all hot (if a little chatty, at times) chick floor staff. And note that, even in and era of high-style,stripped-down decor, there might have have been something that could have been done to make the room look like a friend's unfinished basement after being painted by his bike-courier/stoner older brother. OK, a little more. In my moderately informed opinion, I thought the dinner was well worth $45, if not the three hour wait that will now become inevitable. The tofu salad was a fine and well-textured dish, I quite enjoyed the shrimp toast despite a definitely downscale feel to it -- oily, crunchy, scrumptious. The (braised? it had texture similar to pulled pork) duck with holy basil and raw duck egg was the standout dish for me, gooey and multi-leveled in taste. Because we were with a local celebrity, we got hold of a spice-roasted baby chicken which was tasty but not overwhelming, and a papaya salad ("the hamburger and french fries of Thailand") which proved a refreshing diversion. I thought the story behind the ribs (there is a story behind everything, that chatty stuff I mentioned) about the Mekhong whiskey and the long preparation was more interesting then the ribs, which were nonetheless pretty good in a generically Thai sort of way. Falling off the bone and all that. I found the spicing to be a little tame, not that there's any value in fire for the sake of fire, just that if you're looking to get your brains blown out, this isn't likely the place. And, one downside was that the flavor palette with which Johnny paints is a little limited. A seven course meal doesn't offer the variety of spices and combinations that seven courses elsewhere would offer -- it's more variations on a theme. And, it's not a place to linger -- the courses come quickly and the guilt would be overwhelming if you tried to camp. Nonetheless I quite enjoyed the meal, it does raise the bar for quality and care -- if not always for exuberance -- in the local Thai restaurant scene, and there is much to be said for a moderately priced, high-quality bistro of any type. Get there early.
DaRiv18 Posted January 26, 2012 Posted January 26, 2012 Some practical notes: Last night, I arrived solo at 5:29pm to stand briefly in line. I asked the hostess about how long the meal would last -- it certainly isn't a 3 hour thing like KOMI, right? She assured me it was more like a 90 minute jaunt, and that was right on target. Obviously it is impossible to order poorly here -- all the food I had was excellent. But I did manage to eat poorly here. One might wonder what eating "family style" as a solo diner means. Around course #3, I realized it just means that the dishes come as soon as the kitchen plates them (which is actually how I like it). Unfortunately, at first I tried to eat at a pace to finish before the next course arrived. This is a bad strategy, because around course #4 I began to notice that the portions seemed moderately larger for the solo diner, compared to those for the couple next to me. I've checked with Rocks and he agrees. I ended up heavily grazing courses #2-5 in front of me for a while, but by the time I was 90% done with these plates, I was pretty stuffed and ready to really slow down. But no. Course # 6 arrives, a killer ped grapao (duck ragu noodle dish with a fried duck egg on top). First tastes blew me away, but I could only try 2 bites at that point, as it was a heavy, rich, involved affair. And then the whiskey ribs arrive! Impossible. I inhaled the dill aroma, sampled a minuscule bite of the deliciousness, and then boxed up three of my remaining dishes. Trust me, I am not complaining about having leftovers, but I absolutely will reallocate my intakes next time, because I imagine the kitchen wants me to substantially experience all of the dishes while I'm actually in the restaurant. Now, if you plan to dine solo, please use my testimony and go enjoy some of the most memoriable/enjoyable foods I've had in awhile. I hope this helps. Great food and value.
sunshine Posted January 29, 2012 Posted January 29, 2012 Being big fans of the original Komi which was more of a homey, casual neighborhood joint with great vision, delicious food and quirky character, and watching its transformation into one of the best fine dining spots in D.C., we are thrilled to see some of that original vision and unique character shining through at Little Serow. Little Serow's Thai dishes knocked our socks off. Perfect family-style portions for 4 hungry adults. Frequently filled water cups, sticky rice served and refilled in cute little woven baskets, and a selection of raw vegetables (cabbage,lettuce, endive, daikon, lime radish, thai eggplant) and herbs (thai basil, purple basil) to both scoop and wrap courses, but also to soothe the taste buds from the at times incendiary heat from the dishes. The meal seemed deliberately designed to take our taste buds on a wild ride of crescendoing spice and flavors, then bringing us down gradually to a rich and mellow finish. Started with pork rinds and plantains with a duck liver dipping sauce, then the Northern style green curry with a strong dill component and shrimp (the curry was so good by itself that we slurped it like soup without rice), two kinds of spicy salads (a green papaya salad with tomatoes, green grapes, baby dried shrimp and the crispy catfish salad-both with several kinds of chiles that set our tongues afire and caused perspiration), followed by a rice noodle dish with ground duck ragu and fried duck egg, and then last but not least, tender, falling-off-the-bones pork ribs with Mekong whiskey, palm sugar and herbs. For dessert, we were served little bites of not too sweet sticky rice with coconut cream and sesame seeds. The waitstaff were very friendly, knowledgeable and helpful, giving suggestions for how to eat/enjoy the dishes and even recommending an awesome hard apple and cherry cider to go with the salad course (the spiciest items) to offset the heat and complement the flavors. It was a fun, fantastic meal, and a good deal for the number and variety of dishes served. We enjoyed the overall vibe and experience as well -- the rock-country-folk soundtrack, lime green walls with intimate lighting and seating, and a view of the open kitchen in a simple spartan basement space. There was a line down the block before the restaurant opened at 5:30, but by the time we left between 7-7:30, there was no line and a few open seats.
RWBooneJr Posted January 30, 2012 Posted January 30, 2012 I found the spicing to be a little tame, not that there's any value in fire for the sake of fire, just that if you're looking to get your brains blown out, this isn't likely the place. 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.
DanielK Posted January 31, 2012 Posted January 31, 2012 Anyone know what the waits are on a weeknight (post-review) if you *don't* get there right at 5:30? Want to go next week, but arriving at 6:30-7 is far more likely.
jparrott Posted January 31, 2012 Posted January 31, 2012 Anyone know what the waits are on a weeknight (post-review) if you *don't* get there right at 5:30? Want to go next week, but arriving at 6:30-7 is far more likely. Last Tuesday, all the 4-tops were taken by 6. I didn't see a ton of folks coming in, so (on Tuesday) you might get in second seating if you got there by 6:30. YMMV.
DanielK Posted January 31, 2012 Posted January 31, 2012 I'm just looking for a 2-top, so might be easier still. Thanks.
jparrott Posted January 31, 2012 Posted January 31, 2012 I'm just looking for a 2-top, so might be easier still. Thanks. Might.
DanielK Posted February 9, 2012 Posted February 9, 2012 Decided to take advantage of everyone fleeing the city because of a few snowflakes, and gave it a run tonight. Arriving at 6:20, we were told a 60-minute wait, and it landed up only being about 35 minutes. Note that this is unusual - the hostess confirmed that if you aren't there by 5:20, the average wait, on a weeknight, approaches 2 hours right now. nam prik makheua (eggplant/green banana/shrimp paste) - nice start to the meal. An eggplant and shrimp paste dip, with fried green banana chips and pork rinds. mmmm pork rinds. Can't go wrong with fried pork. ma hor (catfish/dried shrimp/palm sugar) - this dish is all about the crunch, and the deep flavor of the seafood without being the least bit fishy. Not a drop left on the plate. om gapi baan (shrimp/green curry/no coconut) - here's where the heat started to build. Several gorgeous giant shrimp in a green curry with NO COCONUT as the waitress made a point of reinforcing. Tried to get all of the sauce out of the bowl with sticky rice, failed, and used the spoon. Just pretend it's soup... gai thiang kheun (chicken/sawtooth/shallots) - omg hot hot hot. I love spicy food, and eat a fair amount of Sichuan, and this was pretty up there as far as spice levels goes. However, there's so much crack in this dish I also couldn't stop eating it. Just like larb except it's nothing like larb. Lettuce to wrap it works well; cabbage is a surprisingly good mouth cooler. nam tok tow hu (tofu/mint/rice powder) - Tofu, mint, rice powder - this dish should cool you off from the chicken, right? Forget what I said about the last dish holy f*ck is this dish hot. I'm nearly crying as I lick the last of the rice powder from the bottom of the bowl, after eating the best fried tofu I've ever had. ped grapao (duck/duck egg/basil) - Finally the heat begins to recede. A beautifully barely cooked duck egg on top of noodles and ground duck - this is Thai Duck Bolognese Ragu. si krong muu (pork ribs/Mekhong whiskey/dill) - Richness of this dish cuts away the last of the lingering heat, as our mouths return to normal. I could eat twenty of these, except I was stuffed two courses ago and barely make it through these braised beauties. A final gratis bite of coconut cream sticky rice was the perfect end to this meal. I think beer is the way to go, but skip the awful Thai lager they have on the menu. The pilsener works well with the first 3 courses, the IPA cuts the heat of the two spicy dishes, and the smoked porter is a perfect foil for the richer ending plates. Get there at 5:15, but go soon because the crowds are only getting worse and the price I'm sure will rise quickly.
TheMatt Posted February 9, 2012 Posted February 9, 2012 I'm beginning to think I try to go here this weekend (or next week). Mmm. Which doorway should one wait at? It's been awhile since I've been near Komi, so I'd hate to wait at the wrong door. Or have they labeled the door now?
DanielK Posted February 9, 2012 Posted February 9, 2012 Still unlabeled. Down and to the left of Komi's front door.
DMVDining2 Posted February 9, 2012 Posted February 9, 2012 We went last week on a Wednesday. Got there around 6 and was able to get a table for four around 7:45. The ped grapao with fried duck egg was probably my favorite course, but I really enjoyed everything outside of the om gapi baan (shrimp curry soup). It was just too strong for my taste buds, but other than that, it was well worth the money spent. I love the minimalist atmosphere as well as the friendly, welcoming staff. It doesn't even feel like you're in DC when you step inside. Will hopefully write a post about it soon, but with no pics, it's not nearly as fun. Bottom line, I'd definitely go back.
The Doctor Posted February 9, 2012 Posted February 9, 2012 with no pics, it's not nearly as fun. Do they forbid photography as they do at Komi?
DMVDining2 Posted February 9, 2012 Posted February 9, 2012 Do they forbid photography as they do at Komi? That is correct.
goodeats Posted February 9, 2012 Posted February 9, 2012 Do they forbid photography as they do at Komi? Plenty of rule breakers then. Cf. yelp site
Mark Slater Posted February 10, 2012 Posted February 10, 2012 Last night's late dinner couldn't have been more fun. New flavors and textures. Incredibly savory food with lots of soul. The fried chicken was rock n roll on the plate. A couple of bottles of Gruner Veltliner quenched the fire. Super warm and friendly service from Amy and crew. It was great to see Ann and Johnny having so much fun.
baczkowski Posted February 13, 2012 Posted February 13, 2012 A couple of bottles of Gruner Veltliner quenched the fire. Mark, which ones did you pick? I'm very wine ignorant and the last Gruner Veltliner I had was a bottle I got at Chevy Chase Liquors on their recommendation for pairing with my home-cooked Thai food and it was just too damn sweet. I do know barely enough to realize that the sweetness is meant to cut the heat (thank you The Splendid Table), but this was too much like juice with a little alcohol. Sorry, can't remember the producer. I really just want to know what you chose anyway Pax, Brian
Mark Slater Posted February 13, 2012 Posted February 13, 2012 Mark, which ones did you pick? I'm very wine ignorant and the last Gruner Veltliner I had was a bottle I got at Chevy Chase Liquors on their recommendation for pairing with my home-cooked Thai food and it was just too damn sweet. I do know barely enough to realize that the sweetness is meant to cut the heat (thank you The Splendid Table), but this was too much like juice with a little alcohol. Sorry, can't remember the producer. I really just want to know what you chose anyway Pax Brian Brian, it was 2 bottles of the GV they are serving by the glass. Nice and dry with good acidity and fruit.
giant shrimp Posted February 14, 2012 Posted February 14, 2012 Brian, it was 2 bottles of the GV they are serving by the glass. Nice and dry with good acidity and fruit. There is a really good half bottle ($34) of gruner veltliner worth trying; i should have written it down, but i am sure the restaurant would be happy to tell you. gobelsburger is good, too, and i have seen it recently at tenleytown whole foods; it's also at the cork store, along with a higher-priced reserve version. haven't encountered problematic sweetness in any of these three
Deac Posted February 14, 2012 Posted February 14, 2012 Hello, there. First time poster, long time reader. I'm interested in heading there tonight to do it solo since my girlfriend lives in Fredericksburg and we'll celebrate Valentine's this weekend. Since my office is practically across the street, I can go reasonably early. A couple of questions: are they doing the normal menu for tonight? how hard will it be for a solo diner if they show up before 5:30? If there's a wait, I don't mind going back to my office to do so.
mdt Posted February 14, 2012 Posted February 14, 2012 Hello, there. First time poster, long time reader. I'm interested in heading there tonight to do it solo since my girlfriend lives in Fredericksburg and we'll celebrate Valentine's this weekend. Since my office is practically across the street, I can go reasonably early. A couple of questions: are they doing the normal menu for tonight? how hard will it be for a solo diner if they show up before 5:30? If there's a wait, I don't mind going back to my office to do so. From post #39 above ...the hostess confirmed that if you aren't there by 5:20, the average wait, on a weeknight, approaches 2 hours right now.
DonRocks Posted February 14, 2012 Posted February 14, 2012 From post #39 above Honestly, I'd get there early today - better 30 minutes early than 1 minute late.
Deac Posted February 14, 2012 Posted February 14, 2012 That's what I'm thinking. Step out at 5 or so and go across the street. Basically I wanted to treat myself to a nice meal that wasn't a set V Day meal, and this seemed like the perfect solution, especially since my girlfriend doesn't dig the spicy stuff.
DonRocks Posted February 14, 2012 Posted February 14, 2012 That's what I'm thinking. Step out at 5 or so and go across the street. Basically I wanted to treat myself to a nice meal that wasn't a set V Day meal, and this seemed like the perfect solution, especially since my girlfriend doesn't dig the spicy stuff. Sit at the bar (my "regular" seat has become the one closest to the entrance), say hello to Sarah or Anne or Jill for me, and enjoy a sparkling Gruner Veltliner (or let them do the full pairings for you - it's worth it) - it's going to be a perfect solo meal, and I'm willing to bet you come bounding out of the restaurant feeling like a million bucks. I definitely think you want to get there at 5 today, just to be safe. Let us know how it is?
Deac Posted February 15, 2012 Posted February 15, 2012 Got in last night and I think as the last person in the first seating. Arrived a little after 5, but was lucky to snag a seat. They said the bar would be about an hour and half but they offered up a table; I felt bad taking a 2-top on Valentine's Day, but they were like "don't worry about it, you got here before others and can have the seat no problem." From there it was an utterly fantastic meal. Everything was extremely delicious, but I think the highlight for me was the crispy tofu salad with mint and peanuts. I'm not normally a huge fan of peanuts nor tofu, but this dish absolutely opened my eyes. The crunch on the tofu was sublime. I took home leftovers of several other course (will make a fantastic dinner tonight!) so as to save stomach room, but I couldn't let this salad go by the wayside. I managed to eat 2 of my three succulent and delicious ribs, but was able to clear enough stomach space by the time I got home to put away the third. Was grateful to the staff for packing up my meal, including some of the veggie basket and rice which the server said most people don't ask for. Another nice treat was having a complimentary glass of Johnny's housemade vermouth which he's still experimenting with. To my palate, it seemed to match perfectly with the gai thiang kheun and the tofu salad. I also took your advice and had the Gruner to start the meal, then went with a small pour of an imperial IPA midway through dinner, all to be capped off with a pour of Stone Porter to match well with the ribs. I told Anne after the meal that they've given me two of my three best meals in the city, hands down, counting their place upstairs and minibar. Looking forward to that wagyu curry for dinner tonight...
darkstar965 Posted February 22, 2012 Posted February 22, 2012 A group of us made a first visit to LS last night. I don't want to repeat everything that's already been posted above in the 56 posts already made so will just offer a few of my own observations on menu, vibe/service and logistics in case helpful to others who have yet to go. FIRST, LOGISTICAL NOTES On the entrance DanielK already addressed this upthread but somehow I'd missed it so was just very briefly confused on arrival. Little Serow, as Daniel wrote, is below street level and on the left of the same building in which Komi is housed. So not directly underneath Komi unless you're looking for the dry cleaners. LS is entirely unmarked with a large gray metal door that opens from the left side. Two small lanterns frame the door at the top giving the only sign of a possible commercial establishment inside. On wait time Seems pretty clear that, even in the wake of TS's 3-star rating, waits are pretty variable making strategizing a little tough. We arrived at 5pm yesterday and were the first four on line. By 5:30, when the door opened, there were maybe 22 or so online. We counted capacity as about 28 once inside. By the time we were greeted and seated--say around 5:45--the place was full and we saw a crowd outside. I guess from all I've read and now experienced, my guidance would be to get here not later than 5:10 or 5:15 on a weekday if you want to avoid a couple of hour wait. SECOND, FOOD & MENU As with most everyone else who has been here, we all really enjoyed the food. On one hand, it isn't a top 3 or whatever spot for me but that's in large part because it's definitionally a more narrowly defined and faster-service concept. But, I loved it because it's a rare spot that combines three attributes: Uniqueness of cuisine, absolute deliciousness in some courses (with the others being quite good) and real value. The service for us was great also--bit more on that below. Someone upthread reported that they'd be changing a dish or two each week and that tracked for the most part with what we experienced. Two of the courses are the same or very similar to their opening menu in early January. In any event, and purely for reference, here is the menu from yesterday, Tuesday, February 21st: nam prik makheua (eggplant/crispy pork skin/shrimp paste): really enjoyed the combination of the innovative eggplant tapenadish type dip with the always-appreciated pork rinds. Clearly others do too as this dish dates back to the opening. ma hor (sour fruit/dried shrimp/palm sugar): this is one of the new dishes as best I can tell and it was a top 3 for us. The sour fruit wasn't that sour -- grapefruit and pineapple I think -- but paired with the rich, salty yet velvety shrimp, it was a winner. Tough to really describe this well. it was a perfect example of why using fingers is the way to go here. trying to lift a section of this with a fork or spoon is likely to yield falling explosion and mess. Really delicious. om gapi baan (shrimp/green curry/no coconut): this is served in a bowl with a very thin broth and was the dish most reminiscent of southern Thai cuisine. good sized fresh shrimps, cilantro and lemongrass among other things. very nice. laap pla duk (catfish/shallots/sawtooth): definitely a top 3 for me. I'd never in a million years have guessed the protein as catfish if I didn't know since it is served piled high on the plate and chopped finely. Forgot to ask what "sawtooth" was. Fabulous dish. nam tok tow hu (tofu/mint/rice powder): someone has already reported on this dish with particular emphasis on the tofu and I agree with that. The crispy brown tofu was fantastic with mint and rice powder less perceptible. I think this may have been a dish our server described as having some crazy high number of spices/herbs. Whatever was in this, it rocked. Another top 3 for me and, with the catfish, maybe the two most innovative dishes. khao soi (chicken/fresh tumeric/fermented cabbage): another new dish that I think replaced a wagyu beef brisket that others have had on prior visits. We all agreed: nice but bring back the wagyu! This dish was served with two different kinds of noodles (dry and wet) and was very tasty but it wasn't as eye-opening as the other dishes. Sort of seemed like a green curry taste but now I'm not sure if I'm mixing up the recollection with the third course above. Unlike that one, this one was a thicker consistency. si krong muu (pork ribs/Mehong whiskey/dill): our table loved this with at least two proclaiming it their favorite of the night. Not my fave because it was more familiar but I did really enjoy these ribs a lot. Lots of fresh dill and a comforting, barely sweet flavor to the not-quite-falling-off-the-bone pork. I thing decent or better ribs are always a crowd pleaser in most any cultural context. Clearly these are as they've been on the menu awhile and get lots of deserved raves. Other Stuff As hard as I tried to convince my table to get a bottle of the gruner veltliner recommended on this thread, I was over-ruled in favor of a Finger Lakes Hermann Wiemer Riesling. And it was an excellent match for the largely moderate heat of most dishes. Crisp and not as sweet as many Rieslings. Really enjoyed it. Sarah also brought us a nice beer for one of the dishes (wish I could remember what it was). Definitely try to avoid overdoing it on the glutinous sticky rice given all the wonderful proteins, veggies and herb/seasonings. And, the fresh crisp Thai vegetable basket is awesome with most everything in place of the ubiquitous and usually mediocre western bread basket. For dessert, they brought a small plate with four square sweet coconut cream/gelee/tofu? type petit fours. Nice and a good capstone for a wonderful meal. THIRD, SERVICE AND VALUE Service for us was outstanding. It was great to see both Sarah and Jessie (both formerly from Palena--geez, seems like we're running into former Palena staff at nearly every restaurant in town lately) and to meet Anne. From dish interpretation and wine selection to water refills and catching up more generally, they and their colleagues took great care of us. Agree with others that it's wonderful to see a crew so enthusiastic about what they're doing. It's really infectious and near-ensures a great time from even before the first dish hits the table. Have to call the value here outstanding at the $45 (or $50?) fixed price. Simply a wonderful experience on all dimensions and, with the thoughtful menu changes, easily one we could do once or twice each month. Then again, seems like everyone else has already figured that out too so, agreeing with Don and others, yes, get here soon if not already.
Fishinnards Posted February 22, 2012 Posted February 22, 2012 Forgot to ask what "sawtooth" was. FYI it's culantro I enjoyed your report and I love that Khao Soi is on the menu. I'm actually cooking that tomorrow for a large group. I really need to go here.
porcupine Posted February 23, 2012 Posted February 23, 2012 For those with food allergies, don't be put off by the note about substitutions of the website (best restaurant website ever); you can email them and ask if certain things are in any of the dishes.
DMVDining2 Posted March 6, 2012 Posted March 6, 2012 Finally got around to writing up our meal at Little Serow. I was a fan of the bold flavors sans the curry, just too strong for me. Everything else was great, though the ped grapao was my favorite dish of the evening. Excellent service and inviting atmosphere. Sorry about the lack of pics! More here: http://www.dmvdining...t-little-serow/
mbalaver Posted April 1, 2012 Posted April 1, 2012 There's been a lot of talk about when to arrive for an early seating. Has anyone had experience arriving later -- say 7:30 to 8:30? Is it just nonstop people from when it opens, or does it slack off after that?
msnolan04 Posted April 1, 2012 Posted April 1, 2012 does anyone know if Little Serow offers a vegetarian option (no meat, but seafood is fine)?
mbalaver Posted April 1, 2012 Posted April 1, 2012 does anyone know if Little Serow offers a vegetarian option (no meat, but seafood is fine)? I've never been, so others may be able to respond more definitively, but their website says: ** sorry, no substitutions; many dishes contain pork, shellfish and nuts, even when not listed
AlexC Posted April 2, 2012 Posted April 2, 2012 does anyone know if Little Serow offers a vegetarian option (no meat, but seafood is fine)? I've been there a few times and both Palaver and the website pretty much tell the story -- no substitutions, very limited special requests and even things that don't have meat listed as an ingredient may include beef stock, pork fat or the like.
hapatite Posted April 2, 2012 Posted April 2, 2012 But not the attitude. The service was endearingly friendly (cf. Zooey Deschanel and the MPDG). I do have to say I was somewhat underwhelmed by the overall experience. While I enjoyed most of the dishes and thought the quality of ingredients good and the kitchen well-drilled, there wasn't a single dish that had me dying to come back. Slight (and I mean slight) imbalances of flavor in some of the dishes prevented them, for me at least, from fully satisfying; these appeared to be issues of conception rather than execution. I did enjoy the atmosphere, except for the aggressively loud soundtrack (though understand the rationale for it). I whole heartedly agree about being underwhelmed and the reasons for it. I'm glad I went to see what the hype was about and had a delicious meal comprised of food and dishes that I've never had. I wish there were cocktails too---though the hibiscus tea and salted pineapple soda were refreshing (even though the hibiscus tea was too sour for me), a nice cocktail would've sealed the deal. After glimpsing menus from other weeks, I was hoping for some interesting ingredients and combinations, but all of our dishes had either pork or shrimp in them. No duck, which is my favorite protein! I had the same type of experience at Komi -- slowly started getting full after a few courses, then all of a sudden it seems the courses get bigger and bigger! Thankfully, just like at Komi, we were able to take leftovers (and the cucumber and thai basil made excellent pimms cups no. 13later that night), but I just wish the meal was a tad more balanced in size and flavor. I also asked if we could take pictures since I had an awkward (& painful) experience earlier at Komi. I have a horrible memory, so like to take pictures so I can look back and remember experiences (I'm not one of those that uses the flash or lets the food get cold while I set-up the shot; it's purely documentation). I'm not intrusive to others at the table, let alone others in the restaurant. Since everything was shared, I was also wondering that single diners experience at LS, thanks DaRiv18 for clearing that up!
baczkowski Posted April 5, 2012 Posted April 5, 2012 For those who can afford it ($45 dollars a person sounds pretty reasonable at first, but add a $40 bottle of wine, tax, and 20% tip and you're at $170 for two), get to this place every month-and-a-half to experience a brand new and most likely amazing menu. What my wife and I ate last night was just exciting stuff. While we've dined well over the last 5 years, I don't think a meal has resonated with me on such a deep, personal level since we ate at Maestro in 2007. As someone who enjoys cooking Thai at home, I particularly loved that Chef Monis took familiar ingredients like Kaffir lime leaves, bird's eye chilis, and dill (fucking dill!) and expanded my palate in enlightening ways. If the servers' repeated assurances that these dishes are all "authentic", then much of the credit goes to the people of the Issan region who originally created these dishes, but thank you, Chef, for bringing this food to us. Your kitchen's skills were artfully in the background (the precision of the kaffir lime cuts in the curry alone were proof of the skills) while the high-quality ingredients and bold flavor combinations stepped to forefront. And thank you to all of our servers who endured my bazillion questions and comments with smiles and a shared passion that added to the whole experience. I loved almost everything about last night, and if only I could afford to go back sooner than later... Pax, Brian
sandynva Posted April 5, 2012 Posted April 5, 2012 It's posts like this one that make me so sad that they don't have a vegetarian option. i understand that given the set menu etc it's hard to make substitutions, but i keep hoping that maybe, with them changing the menu almost weekly, that one of these weeks there'll be a vegetarian option, or even just a menu with at least half veg dishes, so i could at least sample some of the cuisine!
hapatite Posted April 5, 2012 Posted April 5, 2012 oh yes, to mention about the wait: the line starts at about 4:45 or 5 for their 530 opening on Saturdays. I got their once a little late and was quoted a 10:15 seating time! I've heard it's much easier to get seatings during the week, especially the earlier ones since a lot of people are still working.
SeanMike Posted April 5, 2012 Posted April 5, 2012 And now according to Washingtonian, Kat Bangs is in NYC: http://www.washingtonian.com/blogs/bestbites/food-restaurant-news/kathryn-bangs-out-at-komi.php
Waitman Posted April 21, 2012 Posted April 21, 2012 I suppose I'm just being an asshole but, having eaten there twice and confirmed this with others, I'm thinking that LS has a significant flaw: every dish is remarkably like the others. We can talk texture and spicing nuance, but really, you get some spice and some fish sauce and maybe a little sweet, and there you have it. I like it, but compared to a normal tasting menu, where you might jump around a dozen remarkably different flavors or styles, most LS dishes are singing in the same key.
DonRocks Posted April 21, 2012 Posted April 21, 2012 I suppose I'm just being an asshole but, having eaten there twice and confirmed this with others, I'm thinking that LS has a significant flaw: every dish is remarkably like the others. We can talk texture and spicing nuance, but really, you get some spice and some fish sauce and maybe a little sweet, and there you have it. I like it, but compared to a normal tasting menu, where you might jump around a dozen remarkably different flavors or styles, most LS dishes are singing in the same key. You're not just being an asshole; you're also observing that there is a limited palette to work with within this region of Thailand. (I'm not sure about this, or even quite sure I agree ($45 is the cost of one deluxe sushi platter, after all), but I think I see what you're trying to say. If I went to Little Serow once a week, would it grow tiresome? Maybe, but I'd sure like to find out - I was actually thinking something similar about the Laotian food at Bangkok Golden this week. Seriously, your point is well-taken, if a bit harshly made.) All Mozart sort of sounds alike, from Eine Kleine Nachtmusik to the dreaded K626. And that last Grateful Dead concert? Man, all those damned songs sounded like they were performed by the same bunch of non-talented hillbillies. That ought to evoke a response.
Waitman Posted April 21, 2012 Posted April 21, 2012 You're not just being an asshole; you're also observing that there is a limited palette to work with within this region of Thailand. (I'm not sure about this, or even quite sure I agree ($45 is the cost of one deluxe sushi platter, after all), but I think I see what you're trying to say. If I went to Little Serow once a week, would it grow tiresome? Maybe, but I'd sure like to find out - I was actually thinking something similar about the Laotian food at Bangkok Golden this week. Seriously, your point is well-taken, if a bit harshly made.) All Mozart sort of sounds alike, from Eine Kleine Nachtmusik to the dreaded K626. And that last Grateful Dead concert? Man, all those damned songs sounded like they were performed by the same bunch of non-talented hillbillies. That ought to evoke a response. So, it's not a bug, it's a feature? Given the paroxysms of praise Little Serow has drawn, it strikes me that it's flawed on a fundamental level. This hasn't presented me from enjoying it, but I'm not sure it's quite "all that." Just another tile in the mosaic- style review that threads like this become. I am too shallow to argue Mozart, but one of the delights of a good Dead show was that they might wander from classic blues to bluegrass to country to psychedelic jam stuff to a crisp little bit of left coast rock and roll in a single show. (This possibly explains Rougue 24 leaps with alacrity from Japanese to Southern to French during its meals). It's all the Dead -- that's why you showed up, after all -- but the aural palate never gets tired.
Tweaked Posted July 2, 2012 Posted July 2, 2012 WSJ features Johnny Monis and his recipe for Northern Thai Grilled Pork Salad (Nam Tok)
Marty L. Posted August 5, 2012 Posted August 5, 2012 Went last night for the first time in a while. Menu below. Everything -- every single dish -- was really great. The corn and the pork in particular. Contra Waitman, not a single one of them tasted anything like any of the others (but perhaps this was a lucky menu week). And whereas on my last visit the portions seemed a bit skimpy for a table for four (but not really -- because of the fantastic sticky rice, herbs, eggplant, etc.), this time there was, if anything, too much food: Because it was all so good, I kept eating and just about didn't have room for the best chicken wings I've ever had. (I'm not suggesting the kitchen cut back on the portion size -- just warning readers not to fill up on rice!) And that's in addition to all its other virtues -- impeccable pacing, warm hospitality, genuine enthusiasm (even at the very end of the week), great wines and beers (even post-Kat), a fantastic soundtrack, etc. (Helpful hint: If the noise level deters you, go later at night, when the music and the crowd are quieter -- conversation was very easy, even whilst being serenaded by Television (Marquee Moon, not the Olympics) and the Clash (both released before Johnny and Anne were born, btw!).) I can see why some people think it's a bit steep as compared to, say, Bangkok Golden (another wonderful meal, but really, a different thing entirely); but the first-timers with us last night thought $45 was a steal for food and a dining experience of this caliber. It might be $30 if it were in Falls Church; but it'd be $80+ if it were in Manhattan. Methinks $45 is just right. 1. kaap muu green chilies / shrimp paste / shallots 2. som tum khao pod corn / dried shrimp / bla rah 3. tom sap shrimp / mushroom / lime leaves 4. laap chiang mai pork / lemongrass / sawtooth 5. khao tod crispy rice / mint / peanuts 6. pla duk nueng ma nao catfish / garlic / khi nu chilies 7. gai tod chicken / holy basil / crispy garlic 8. nibbles of coconut cream/coconut cake concoction -- perfect ending
Robert Rymarz Posted August 21, 2012 Posted August 21, 2012 Was packed and ready for long drive to DC solely to visit Little Serow tomorrow. Good thing at the last minute I decided to check their website. "Closed for summer break"
jrichstar Posted September 5, 2012 Posted September 5, 2012 Advice needed: if going on a Saturday night, what time is the latest you can get on line to get in without a wait (party of 2)? Thanks!
TheMatt Posted September 5, 2012 Posted September 5, 2012 Advice needed: if going on a Saturday night, what time is the latest you can get on line to get in without a wait (party of 2)? Thanks! Back when I went a few months back, I got there a hour or so before it opened. I also had an iPhone full of podcasts and a nice day to wait, so I didn't mind. Saturday night will be a big night so think earlier rather than later.
Bart Posted September 6, 2012 Posted September 6, 2012 With their "we'll text you when the table is ready" policy you can turn your wait to your advantage. Put your name on the list and then explore Dupot, get a drink at another place, visit a bookstore or just take a walk. I love the fact that you're not chained to a small waiting area with one of those things with the red flashing lights.
New Foodie Posted September 16, 2012 Posted September 16, 2012 Finally made it to LS last night (a Saturday night on arguably one of the nicest Saturday nights since Spring). We got in line probably close to 4:50pm and were the last ones seated in the first setting (by pure luck since two couples in front of us opted to get a drink elsewhere and come in for the second seating). One of the waitresses said the line last night was the longest she'd ever seen, and apparently they had to turn people away (as in they couldn't even get a seat later in the night because so many people had showed up early). Crazy! The funniest thing was waiting in line and having no fewer than 4 people stop and ask us, or the people right around us, what we were waiting in line for...and subsequently expressing intrigue that this was all for a restaurant. I had somewhat lowered my expectations after some average reviews (contrasted with the rave reviews) and was a bit worried about the spice level, but we ended up being blown away. An excellent meal on every level. The service was fantastic, the space was quirky and different, sitting at the bar was great, and the food, of course, was delicious and interesting. We were told that the heat would build from the beginning to crescendo in the middle and the come back down again, so we were prepared for the meal. We also had a basket of sticky rice beside us for the whole meal, along with a basket of Thai eggplant, daikon, watermelon radish, basil, cabbage, romaine, cucumber, etc) to use with the food as we saw fit. The waitresses were great explaining each dish as it was brought out and the best way to tackle it. Week of September 12, 2012 1) nam prik kapi (shrimp paste / palm sugar / crispy pork skin) - Housemade pork rinds with a funky tomato/shrimp/chili dipping sauce. This was spicier than we thought the first dish would be, which made us wary about the rest, but the heat on the next two was actually less than this. Good, but down on our list of favorites for the evening (mostly because everything else was so good). 2) som tum khao pod (corn / dried shrimp / bla rah) - This came out at the same time as #3 and was basically a salad of corn, tomatoes, and beans, topped with dried shrimp and blah rah, a fermented fish sauce. This is one that we seemed to like more the more we ate it, which I feel is rare (usually I love the first few bites of a dish and then get bored). This continued to build in flavor and was so good. The dried shrimp were more toothsome than I expected. 3) tom kha pla duk (catfish / galangal / khi nu chilies) - This seemed like one of the most familiar dishes as it reminded us of other Thai soups with coconut milk and lemongrass. The catfish was tender and complimented by the herbs. The sticky rice was great to dip in the broth as well. Delicious. 4) laap chiang mai (pork / lemongrass / sawtooth) - This may have been our favorite dish of the night, and was the 2nd hottest, but it was a heat that sort of came after the first few bites, so it didn't overwhelm the flavors. Chopped pork and "pig pieces" topped with sawtooth, endive, and crispy shallots. Particularly good in a lettuce wrap or on a cabbage leaf. 5) khao tod (crispy rice / mint / peanuts) - The hottest dish of the night, this was good, but not our favorite. The crispy rice patties had a great crunch though, and some interesting flavors. 6) phat fuk thong (pumpkin / egg / holy basil) - The name of this dish cracked us up since we have a middle school sense of humor. This was tender fried chunks of tofu topped with ribbons of sauteed pumpkin and basil. A little sweet, a little spicy, very very good. 7) si krong muu (pork ribs / mekhong whiskey / dill) - As described a number of times above, these were a rich, but nice ending to the meal. We were pretty full at this point, but managed to eat the whole thing. The meat literally fell off the bone, and the sauce was a nice sweet ending to the spice from the previous dishes. The sticky rice was great in this sauce as well. 8) sweet rice, coconut cream, sesame seed bite - Not that we needed anymore food, but this was the perfect ending to the meal. A little bite of what tasted like a more firm and more flavorful version of rice pudding with a bit of salty sesame on top. Not thrilled with standing around 45 minutes to get seated (and eating at 5:45 on a Saturday night), but I have to say it was worth it. We won't visit often, but will be back.
lindzjax Posted October 11, 2012 Posted October 11, 2012 Looking for some guidance from folks that may have gone recently. Aiming to try Little Serow on Saturday for my birthday. We would prefer to eat in the later setting. What time should we go? Should we go ahead and line up before they open and then just request to be seated in the second go round?
Marty L. Posted October 11, 2012 Posted October 11, 2012 Looking for some guidance from folks that may have gone recently. Aiming to try Little Serow on Saturday for my birthday. We would prefer to eat in the later setting. What time should we go? Should we go ahead and line up before they open and then just request to be seated in the second go round? Yes
New Foodie Posted October 12, 2012 Posted October 12, 2012 Looking for some guidance from folks that may have gone recently. Aiming to try Little Serow on Saturday for my birthday. We would prefer to eat in the later setting. What time should we go? Should we go ahead and line up before they open and then just request to be seated in the second go round? Yes Agreed. When we went there were at least two couples in front of us that would've gotten in on the first seating but chose to basically be first for the second seating and went to get drinks somewhere. If you show up later you risk not getting in at all.
Queequeg Posted December 11, 2012 Posted December 11, 2012 Do all members of the party need to be there in line at 5:30 PM when the doors open? Or can we send one person and meet up when our table is ready?
Lori Gardner Posted December 11, 2012 Posted December 11, 2012 they will not seat you unless everyone in your party is there. Someone can get in line earlier but if you are not all there by 5:30 you will lose your spot.
lindzjax Posted December 11, 2012 Posted December 11, 2012 However, if you are wanting to put your name if for a later seating rather than going ahead and sitting at 5:30, I don't believe your whole party has to be there just to put the ask in. You certainly do all have to show back up as a full party when they indicate your table is ready.
DaRiv18 Posted December 11, 2012 Posted December 11, 2012 I was given 10 minutes for our entire party to claim our table, once they texted me from the waitlist. Also, your party can be no bigger than 4 people.
DonRocks Posted December 12, 2012 Posted December 12, 2012 I was given 10 minutes for our entire party to claim our table, once they texted me from the waitlist. Also, your party can be no bigger than 4 people. Four is four, and that will not change although I don't see why they can't join things together to make six, or eight. Maybe Johnny could chime in and explain. Having been in there, I see no reason why a six-top can't be formed. Maybe it's the platings. Johnny? Ten minutes seems pretty Draconian to me, considering you were turned away from the restaurant to fend for yourself for ... how long? And what amenities do they provide while you wait?
DaRiv18 Posted December 12, 2012 Posted December 12, 2012 My wife didn't take me seriously that we needed to arrive at 5:15, so we arrived at 5:40 on a Thursday, waited 5 minutes in line, and were given an 8:15 seating. Headed over to Sushi Taro for some half price bar sushi and drinks to wait. Finally decided if we couldn't make a 7:00 seating then we would be imposing on the goodwill of our babysitter. Headed over to Estadio for a great dinner there. No amenities, I'm not the sort to expect amenities for non-reservation waits. To be clear, it was just the 2 of us, just wanted to provide the 411 about 4 tops.
Albert Yi Posted January 17, 2013 Posted January 17, 2013 Finally got a chance to dine here with a meetup group. To be fair I ate a croissant an hour before waiting in line and I was still recovering from a flu so my sense of smell was impaired. The menu was: nam prik khai (duck egg / roe / shrimp paste) This was served with pork rinds but the condiment in my opinion was just not strong enough to balance the oiliness of the rinds. It needed something acidic or more pungent/salty. I'm not a huge pork rind fan in the first place and the egg/roe/paste didn't improve anything. som tum polomai (sour fruit / dried shrimp / bla rah) Too sour. This was basically sitting in a pool of vinegar. It'd probably be okay paired with a huge amount of rice but since this is the second course I was expecting something a bit more balanced. My companion also said that the ratio of fish sauce to acid tasted off to her. bla chorn lom kwan (snakehead fish / kaffir lime / rice powder) This was a winner. Balanced flavors, decent amount of heat. Meaty, salty, fishy, like eating a good anchovy. Great paired with basil and rice. laap chiang mai (pork / lemongrass / sawtooth) I was starting to get full at this point because I was eating a large amount of rice to balance the flavors of the above courses. This dish didn't really stand out in my memory other than that I found the texture offputting. Some of my companions liked it the best however. naem khao tod (crispy rice / sour pork / peanuts) This would've been amazing if it wasn't so sour. The fried rice cakes had amazing texture, but the acid just overpowered everything. phat ga lam (cabbage / basil / khi nu chilies) Braised brussel sprouts. This was a winner but I was so full at this point that I could only eat one. Nice and sweet with a subdued amount of heat. si krong muu (pork ribs / mekhong whiskey / dill) Compared to the strong flavors of the above courses this was almost dull in comparison. Tender and fatty pork with a hint of smokiness and sweetness. But again, I was stuffed at this point so I could only eat one. General observations: heat level was good for everything. Nothing was overpoweringly hot. The heat tended to build up which I think is the best way to present spiciness in a dish. Two dishes were too acidic I thought. I think seven courses is perhaps too much. You can realistically eat maybe 2-3 bites of each course, and for the amount we were given that was not how I rationed my rice. Next time I'll plan accordingly. No complaints about service or the beer selection. Overall my companions and I weren't that impressed with the meal considering the amount of hype LS gets. However. This meal costs $50. For seven courses, that's a damned good bargain. I will probably visit again next month when I'm feeling better to form a second opinion.
ad.mich Posted January 19, 2013 Posted January 19, 2013 After eating at LS this evening I'm going to have to disagree with the last post. The 'sour fruit' dish was not too sour for us, and was not in a pool of vinegar. In fact it was a favorite. The egg/roe/shrimp dip for the pork rinds was better imo than the previous 2 dips I've started with (which I thought in the past were too sour). The real hits of the recent revisions are the brussel sprouts and the snakehead salad. The sprouts are wok fried and come crispy in a sauce of cane sugar, tamarind, fish sauce, and 'a few other things'. They are the best I've had by a decent margin in a fall/winter where they seemed to be unavoidable. That snakehead salad had the perfect balance of sour/spicy/sweet/savory. And the pork ribs remain badass. I do have to agree on the new rice cake prep though... the sauce was pretty sour and between that and the heat the sum was a little too wild for me. The fermented sour sausage had killer flavor but it was buried under the napalm of hot/sour.
Ericandblueboy Posted March 24, 2013 Posted March 24, 2013 Now that I've had several meals at Bangkok Golden 3, the flavors of Little Serow have become familiar rather than unique. The flavors, as Waitman suggested, are similar from dish to dish, mostly sour. The proteins used are generally of the cheap variety (pork, chicken liver). At least the prices haven't gone up. Today two of us had to share a soup (tom kha het) from one bowl. I haven't been to Thailand, but I have never had to involuntarily share soup with someone. I like Steve but I wasn't keen on swapping spit with him. The chicken liver (gai laap chiang mai) was my favorite, the slight sweetness of the liver matched well with the spiciness and sourness of the sauce, and a dish of ground pork (nan ngeow) was visually slop on a plate. All of the dishes tasted good; however, LS is not serving better food than Bangkok Golden 3 (but at several times the price). The most important info is that I got in line by 4:20 p.m. on Saturday and there was already a line. By 4:30, I'm not sure you would've gotten in the first seating.
DonRocks Posted March 24, 2013 Posted March 24, 2013 Now that I've had several meals at Bangkok Golden 3, the flavors of Little Serow have become familiar rather than unique. The flavors, as Waitman suggested, are similar from dish to dish, mostly sour. The proteins used are generally of the cheap variety (pork, chicken liver). At least the prices haven't gone up. Today two of us had to share a soup (tom kha het) from one bowl. I haven't been to Thailand, but I have never had to involuntarily share soup with someone. I like Steve but I wasn't keen on swapping spit with him. The chicken liver (gai laap chiang mai) was my favorite, the slight sweetness of the dish matched well with the spiciness and sourness of the sauce, and a dish of ground pork (nan ngeow) was visually slop on a plate. All of the dishes tasted good; however, LS is not serving better food than Bangkok Golden 3 (but at several times the price). 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.
Ericandblueboy Posted March 24, 2013 Posted March 24, 2013 One course consist of 4 pork rinds (with a dipping sauce that has no hint of catfish as described by the menu), another is a bowl of soup shared by two people. $13 for 4 pork rinds and $13 for a small bowl of soup? I'm not sure why smaller portions of food justifies a higher price. I can go to BG3 and order 7 courses and spend less than $90. My point is that LS is no better than a mom-n-pop, so what makes it so special? If BG3 changed to a 7 course format, would people start going and pay $45 per person and jump into a top 10 restaurant? BTW, I've never had anything that didn't taste good at BG3 either. I think LS is a novelty, much as BG3. The more familiar you become with the cuisine, the less exciting it becomes. 1
Popular Post Fishinnards Posted March 24, 2013 Popular Post Posted March 24, 2013 A couple of weeks ago I finally made it here. Now seems like a good time to share some thoughts. Little Serow is serving a seven-course tasting menu based on northern Thai cuisine, The “seven course tasting menu” is a clever way to get (non-Thai) Americans to eat this type of food (in its proper context, i.e several dishes with varying textures and flavors, lots of (sticky) rice and mounds of raw and blanched vegetables). I realize everybody is hung up on courses, as it is Johnny Monis (and it’s next door to Komi). It is not “based upon” Thai food but actually is Thai food. Our menu was a mix of Northern Thai (Lanna) as well as some Northeast Thai (Issan) with one central Thai dish as well. The normal eating arrangement for Thai food (and Southeast Asian food in general) is to have a large number of dishes all at once at room temperature. It is important to have many things to nibble with large helpings of rice. I imagine Chef Monis’ concept for Little Serow probably occurred while eating and drinking in Thailand at a restaurant and having food delivered to the table one dish at a time. This happens because a typical traditional Thai kitchen has only one or two burners. Since food is eaten at room temperature there is no need to have every dish ready at once so it’s not a problem to cook one thing at a time. Each item is sent to the table as it is ready. At home, everything would be put out on the table and then everyone would sit down to eat. At a restaurant dishes would come out as they are ready. There is no need to finish each dish before the next arrives. In fact, dishes can be mixed together on the plate by the individual diner to create novel flavors and textures (this mixing is called klook in Thai). The brilliance of the tasting menu conceit is that you are not overwhelmed with a table of unfamiliar food and you don’t have to choose dishes off a menu yourself, dishes with strange names and unhelpful descriptions. Because they arrive in sequence you try everything. Thai people would spend a large amount of time debating which dishes to get and would use their understanding of the food to decide which dishes to order. Considerations would include taste, but also texture and heat levels. Many dishes go together and there are broad categories (i.e. You don’t want too many Yum (salads) dishes unless you are drinking a lot of alcohol, you need a dense fried dish to offset the soupiness of a curry, you must have a nam prik with vegetables, but which nam prik will depend on which other dishes are selected). Little Serow takes the guesswork out of selecting unfamiliar food and gives you a properly composed set of Thai dishes. I really enjoyed my meal here. The servers are extremely knowledgeable about the food and can speak about it in depth. We enjoyed a bottle of Brasserie Dupont Cervesia a really nice Belgian Saison. I appreciated the variety of raw herbs and vegetables (they refilled our basket three times) and the nam prik (nam prik narok i.e. chilli sauce from hell). I have had hotter versions of this nam prik but this was hot enough to be enjoyable. In my dreams I wish I could go to a Thai restaurant here in the U.S. and get nam prik and raw vegetables. I think Thai restaurants learned long ago that nam prik is too strong and hot for the western palette and that Americans don’t eat vegetables, so they don’t even put this on the menu. Andy Ricker made the observation that when Thai people eat at Pok Pok they eat all the veggies and ask for more, while (non-Thai) Americans leave them on the plate and eat everything else. I like that at Little Serow people are eating their veggies (and nam prik!). They are an important part of the meal. In fact, veggies, rice and nam prik are all you need for a Thai meal. Everything else is extra. Also, the grilled fish is ground to a paste with everything else in nam prik narok. The dishes at Little Serow were normal size, not tiny “tastings”. Incidentally, in Thailand at a shared meal, soup is generally served in one big bowl for all diners to share, even Tom Yum and Tom Kha . The Thai concept of “soup” is different, as the word for soup and curry is the same (gaeng). Soup is just another thing to put on rice (or dip rice into, in the case of sticky rice). That being said, my two companions and I were served the Tom Kha Het (coconut milk galangal mushroom soup) in individual serving bowls, one for each of us. Other highlights were green mango salad with snakehead fish (pla chawn lom kwan or yum mamuang sai pla chawn), and “slop on a plate ” Nam ngeow. Nam ngeow is usually served with kanom jeen (thin rice noodles). It includes cubes of pork blood (blood tofu!) and pork ribs, ground pork, cherry tomatoes, garlic, shallots, shrimp paste and/or tua nuao (fermented soybean) lard or oil, with garnishes of bean sprouts, limes, chilli oil, and maybe mustard pickle. Here is a photo from photographer Austin Bush. The version at Little Serow was without the noodles and ribs and garnishes, but this does not mean it was inauthentic. This version was served to one of the chefs on their last visit to Northern Thailand, to be eaten with sticky rice as a curry. In this incarnation it is almost the same as Nam Prik Ong. I enjoyed it quite a bit. It was full of rich porkyness. Chef Monis’s take on neam khao tord was interesting. The salad itself had great flavor. Naem is a type of fermented ground pork (sausage). It is cured with cooked sticky rice, garlic and julienned cooked pork skin for about 4 or five days. It usually congeals into a solid mass. For this salad it is broken up by hand (it looks like this). It is eaten raw (usually). Little Serow’s naem was cubed cooked pork without any pork skin. The texture was crumbly, not dense. The fried rice balls (khao tord) were intact, instead of the usual crushed up. They had a texture similar to tater tots (and thus were awesome). I made this salad for the last Don Rockwell picnic. Maybe you remember. > I have also had Duangrat’s version (takeout at the back of the grocery), but not Bangkok Golden’s (yet). While this version was interesting, I like mine the best so far, but it’s a matter of personal preference. I can cook it the way I like it. I have high expectations for Chef Seng’s version. The stir-fry was good (radish cakes and bean sprouts). The ribs were tasty and meaty. Overall the food was about a 4 or 5 on the Thai heat scale of 1-10, nothing too serious, but hot enough to be traditional. It was fun and strange to eat Thai food in a restaurant the way I eat at home and the way I learned to eat at the Thai temple. We consumed much sticky rice (one basket each). I found the rice a little tacky, perhaps because it was steamed a little too long or because it was too warm when put into the baskets. It stuck to my hand a little when picked up. I prefer it to stay intact for easier forming and dipping (sorry to nitpick). The beer went great with the food. I drink mostly Belgian ales with my Thai food at home, so it was also very familiar, but I have not had the Cervesia before and I really enjoyed it. I am a fan of Brasserie Dupont. I have to commend what they are doing here. I’m glad people are enjoying the food. Chef Monis deserves credit for bringing this type of food here and creating a context that allows people to eat it properly (by tricking them into thinking of courses and tastings). The cooking was at very high level. This food, however, is not chef invented, but traditional everyday fare passed down through generations of Thai women (and men). This is Thai grandma food. I am biased in that I love this type of food so much that I eat this way at home almost daily. I also enjoy cooking more than eating, so there may be something wrong with me. Also, the pork rinds were nice and crisp and airy. I might go back soon because northern style laap is back on the menu. You won't find that anywhere else AFAIK. 12
Rhone1998 Posted March 24, 2013 Posted March 24, 2013 I don't have anything meaningful to add except to say that Finshinnard's message above is one of those posts that reminds me just how much I value this site. Amazing... 4
mdt Posted March 25, 2013 Posted March 25, 2013 I don't have anything meaningful to add except to say that Finshinnard's message above is one of those posts that reminds me just how much I value this site. Amazing... I agree, I cannot think of a better post on this board.
thetrain Posted March 25, 2013 Posted March 25, 2013 It includes cubes of pork blood (blood tofu!) and pork ribs, ground pork, cherry tomatoes, garlic, shallots, shrimp paste and/or tua nuao (fermented soybean) lard or oil, with garnishes of bean sprouts, limes, chilli oil, and maybe mustard pickle. Here is a photo from photographer Austin Bush. Chicken blood/noodle soup was one of my favorites when I was in Thailand. They served it to me at the school I was teaching at and I had no idea what the 'purple tofu' was for the first few days I was eating it. It was a very poor area and the soup was much simpler but I've missed it. Does any other place serve pork or chicken blood? Is it possible or conceivable to make it home?
cheezepowder Posted April 22, 2013 Posted April 22, 2013 This month's Food and Wine magazine has a recipe from Johnny Monis for Thai Catfish Salad (Laap Pla Duk) (link.) 1
youngfood Posted May 9, 2013 Posted May 9, 2013 Advice needed: if going on a Saturday night, what time is the latest you can get on line to get in without a wait (party of 2)? Thanks! Anyone been lately who can chime in on how crazy the waits are these days? We're planning to finally try it on Saturday, but almost will have to arrive after their 5:30 opening. I'm happy to grab drinks at Sushi Taro while we wait, but don't want to trek over there if the wait for 2 at 6:30 is going to be 3-4 hours.
hillvalley Posted May 9, 2013 Posted May 9, 2013 A few Saturday nights ago I got there at 4:45 and we were in the second seating, around 7. It was worth the wait.
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