Saturday, June 16, 2012

Bangkok Terrace: On the Edge

The Flowered Blue Ash Streets
Welcome Diners

      We were 12 characters in search of a restaurant after completing a few days of pulling off a regional conference.  Our group was mostly from out of town so Shelley and I were wanting to impress them with our local cuisine.  There were budgets, individual tastes, location, and schedules to factor in with our choice.  At last, Bangkok Terrace in Blue Ash was the winner (at least from our perspective).

The Comfortable Contemporary Interior
      Arrivals were intermittent.  Shelley and I showed up in the second group to a table tastefully set amidst the contemporary
interior and Thai Spring Rolls lightly wrapped, fried, and piping hot.  There was also nigiri sushi of eel, neat and pretty 
Thai Spring Rolls
and Eel Nigiri Sushi
for a picture.  Our final two guests arrived as we seriously considered the menu.  Orders taken, we were committed to a timeline that seemed ample considering the usual fast turnaround in Thai restaurants.  After a while, however, some of the characters were out of time and had to leave—their entrees packed up and shipped out.  Apologies ensued and the rest of us waited patiently for our orders.  I had chosen one of the house specialties, Mango Curry.  Other dishes surrounding me were Thai Spicy, Snow Peas and Shiitake Mushrooms, Pineapple Fried Rice, and Red Curry.  

Mango Curry
Thai Spicy
My curry dish was simmered with a generous amount of both chicken and shrimp with the sweetness of pineapple and mango.  I can't speak individually for the rest, but the general consensus was that all were filled with complex flavors and, for some, a little too much heat than requested.

Red Curry

Snow Peas and Shitake Mushrooms
      Prices were slightly inflated in comparison to other area Thai cuisine.  That's fine, but prove to me why you're worth more.  My order of Thai Iced Coffee was finally acknowledged (after inquiring) with "we're out of that right now".  Really?  Isn't that like being out of regular coffee at an American diner?  Large unannounced parties can throw off timing, but service seemed structured enough to accommodate our needs and it just didn't deliver.  Apologies are one thing, but actions (i.e. comped something) would create happy repeat customers.

Bangkok Terrace on Urbanspoon

I bet Shelley and Neil were a little embarrassed!

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