A sweet touch of modern Thai in Dundas
RESTAURANT REVIEW
When I first moved to Hamilton, the DeLuxe Restaurant was closed.
Although I had never been a customer, I soon gleaned enough to realize it was a classic. Though it had been empty, its retro diner interior largely unchanged for more than 30 years, people still enjoyed the nostalgia of this landmark that opened sporadically for movie shoots.
Time moved on when Bangkok Spoon Deluxe opened in that spot in 2009, with a sleek and modern facade. But in a nod to the past, two framed pictures of the old DeLuxe greeted my companion and me when we walked in. They are displayed next to a cabinet painted in bright hues with scenes of life in Thailand.
The inside is just as modern, done in shades of off-white and grey contrasting with dark wood accents and a banquette on one side that runs the length of the dining room. We were given a window seat, near one of the team of servers who shared duties. One took the order, and a couple of different faces dropped off the food. Team Bangkok was somewhat reserved in demeanour yet professional and helpful.
We began with drinks: a Bangkok Spoon martini for my companion; a strawberry smoothie for me. The martini came in the appropriate glass with a straw holding a lychee perched on the side. It had just the right amount of lychee juice to make it perky without being sappy. My smoothie, thick and full of strawberries, barely made its way up the straw.
The menu was voluminous. It took a few minutes to sift through several pages of choices with the typical headings (soup, seafood, noodles, etc.). We put our order together and gave it to one of the team, who advised us that we were ordering plenty for two people. We waited, chatting a bit.
Soon enough, the yum yai came to our table on a long white plate. It was packed with green leaf lettuce, cucumbers, carrots and onions; two tiger shrimp lay on top. This fresh salad had a nice balance of umami from the fish sauce, sweetness and a touch of heat. A very good start. The next dish, tofu tod (fried tofu and taro slices), was just as good. The tofu was light and springy, almost delicate when I bit into the soft curd. The taro offered a crispier, more substantial contrast. It had that light yammy quality that I love. The dish came with a tangy side cucumber and peanut salad which was a nice palate refresher.
The winter weather spurred us to order soups that arrived in white bowls, accompanied by small white spoons. Their version of tom yum goong, a traditional lemon grass shrimp soup with mushroom and chili, was delicious. The base had a strong hint of tomato while the curry’s subtle presence elevated the other flavours. My order of Thai squash soup was not as satisfying, however. It had the consistency of baby food and I felt that its sweetness diluted the squash flavour.
We were glad to be in such a cosy atmosphere on a night when pedestrians outside were clutching their scarves as they hurried along.
A long, white plate of curry pad Thai was set before us. Small juliennes of carrot and bean sprouts in neat piles plus chicken and gold
tinted rice noodles. This curry blend was less lively than the previous sauces and tom yum goong. On the whole, this dish was less complex and didn’t have the spike of acid or hint of fish sauce that made the others stand out. Eager to order a chef special, we tried the Full Moon, a home style stew of egg and pork ribs with cinnamon and star anise in soy broth with shiitake mushroom and babay bok choy.
A beautiful clay pot emerged from the kitchen covered by a disc with wooden slats. Opening the lid, I savoured the aromas of mushroom and star anise. The gentle hint of cinnamon complemented the two ribs. The perfectly cooked hard boiled egg rounded out the flavours. The taste was very nice but a bit sweeter than I prefer. We couldn’t leave without trying a dessert and so opted for the sticky rice with mango, and green tea ice cream with red beans. The sticky rice was excellent but the mango could have been more ripe, and I enjoyed everything about the green tea ice cream. The red beans were cooked but not gummy, as some can be, and the whipped cream was the perfect sweetness. Just the right touch to finish the meal.
After we’d paid and were passing through the foyer, I noticed a niche that held not one but five little statues of Brahma, the Hindu god regarded in Thai culture as a deity of good fortune and protection.
A lovely send-off as we stepped out into the night.