The Boiling Shrimp: Basil Eggplant With Your Cajun Crab Sir?

I was made aware of this place by Angie of Ganda Thai Restaurant, the place that James Oseland of Saveur Magazine dubbed "the most authentic Thai Food in America".

After devouring some dry-braised, spicy catfish that wasn't too shabby there, she informed me that the same owner was about to open a sister restaurant down the street called The Boiling Shrimp really soon. I had a feeling it was going to be another knockoff of the The Boiling Crab. (damnit! still haven't been there!)


Thai-Cajun...Why Not?

It seemed to be virtually uncharted in the google world every time I tried to look it up, so I thought it was time to put my foodblogger boots on and take one for the team...why not? It was about time I was de verginized of a good ol' Southern style boil. And plus, I figured they would be able to get some basil eggplant on the side or something, haha.

Walking in mid week, the place was empty with only a birthday dinner already finishing. These two dudes had walked in at the same time that we did, thinking it was another branch of The Boiling Crab. They were quick to turn around but I told them it was our first time too, but had a feeling it shouldn't be that much different.


Table Side Bib Service: Now That's What I Call Service!

Immediately after sitting, one of the very delightful waitresses tie a bib on you as a precautionary shellfish-guts safety measure.


Crinkle-Cut Camote Fries!

The first thing to arrive were the sweet potato fries, I had never seen these crinkle cut before. I was quite excited until I bit into one. Aw man, not as crispy as they looked. Oh well, nothing to write home about, but here I am writing about it so ha! Its not like we didn't finish them or something--


Basil Eggplant With Your Cajun Crab Sir?: Why Not?!

Served with rice and salad with this sweet Thai dressing, it was a nice side to have in the meal. Too bad it was drowned in excess oil. Again, didn't stop me from devouring it along side with what was to come but kinda sucked still.


Gettin Down N Dirty With Dungeness Crab

I was excited to finally try some Crawfish for the first time but of course...they were out! The Dungeness Crab in their Original (Louisiana) seasoning mix was definitely not a bad compromise though. Arriving in a thick plastic bag, the crustacean was whole and bathed completely in that salty, oily, spicy Louisiana seasoning sauce. I will admit to being a little lazy in having to crack my own crab with a mallet and crab cracker, luckily it was worth it. Crab meat was tender and sweet, not overcooked.


Lobster Medley

We also got some lobster in the medley sauce, which is a combination of all their sauces (Garlic Butter, Lemon Pepper, Indian Spice). I haven't had lobster much in my life but think it didn't have to be that rubbery. Oh well, the bomb, butter and garlic intensive sauce made up for it. Albeit, a bit too rich even for me!


Basil and Curry Clams

My favorite seasoning mix of all had to be their unique Indian Spice mix, garlic and ginger nibs through out with only the slightest tinge of curry. Basil and peppers made a surprise appearance they always do when you order the clams or mussels in any seasoning mix. And you know, they kinda make anything taste better.

Now for what really makes this place special from the rest:


Thai Seafood Dipping Sauce: Reason Alone

A truly outstanding dipping sauce is served with whatever you get here and completes the meal beautifully. Choc full of Thai Chillies, garlic, lime juice, coriander and little sugar. And of course, super heavy on glorious fish sauce. Whiskey, the co-owner of the place was truly smiling to see me eating this without abandon. "Usually, only Thai people like!"...I should show him my fish sauce collection at home.

By the end of the meal, I just wish I had ordered a huge pile of jasmine rice to eat the salty remnants of the sauce and not those soggy fries. Also regret getting crazy and getting crab and lobster...seasonal seafood isn't cheap!

The Boiling Shrimp
5112 Hollywood Blvd #101
Los Angeles CA
90027

Extravagant Dinner for Two: $40-80

Taking L.A For Granted: Unveiling The New Chinatowns and Thai Taste Trekking

Living here in this daily struggle we have accepted as life--from home to work, anticipative activities to spontaneous situations--it can get quite easy to get stuck and not notice a lot of stuff around us, usually obscure to us, but brimming with history if given the chance.

All those Asian signs you pass by, in their native language with no translation next to them for example, are hinting at something. Most likely being Chinese or Thai since L.A is home to the biggest population of them outside of their homeland. Who knows, that factory in the corner that you pass by, while going around in circles looking for Jonathan Gold's latest find in the foreign lands (to most of us) of San Gabriel Valley might actually be the birthplace of Hula Hoops, Frisbees's and and those crazy, zany Water Wiggles (Wham-O toys first manufacturing plant was right off of San Gabriel Blvd).

We are lucky enough however, to have such diligent people like Kim and Richard Cooper from Esotouric, and the hard hands of Karen Mack over at L.A Commons to get us out of our routine vicious repetition though.

Of course, food was included somewhere in all this, nibbling on Dim Sum samples and taking it up several notches than it already is by taking whiffs--not drinks--of paired wine (damn "lily-white" protestant founders) brought to us by Wing Hop Fung's wine adept Dore Kraus, in Monterey Park. Enjoying the intangible experience of the the Thai "Yum" gastronomical philosophy (perfect balance of salty, sweet, spicy and sour flavors) courtesy of the mutually passionate Chef Jet Tila at Red Corner Asia in Thaitown. Yes L.A has a "Thaitown"...

Wing Hop Fung
725 W.Garvey Ave.
Monterey Park, CA 91754
Open 7 days a week
Tel: (626)227-1688
Fax: (626)227-8880
Email: info@winghopfung.com

Red Corner Asia
5267 Hollywood Blvd,
Los Angeles, CA 90027

Straying from "the usual": Thaitalian and the Alcove Cafe

Thai and Italian, how does that work you say?

Very Nice Actually

As for the latter...not so much unfortunately.

I understand how it can be hard to stray from your "usuals" every once in a while, sometimes we need some security in our lives. But there are so many great options out there, but along with those oppurtunities come great risks. Sometimes the oppurtunity cost is great as in Thaitalian in Pasadena, but more often, it is dissapointing as in the Alcove. (I usually don't thrash on places or write about bad experiences since stuff happens sometimes but just to prove a point...)

Thaitalian...man, a Squid Ink Risotto with a Thai Basil Seafood Stir-fry, a tart, authentically fish-y Tom Yum soup packed with cubed veggies. This was just one of those meals, the creamy, pallid pitch-black Risotto actually Al Dente, circling around tender mussels, clams, calamari, shrimp, scallops hell....i even swear their was one of those chewy "veggie shrimp" that they serve at those vegetarian chinese places. With my new veneration for bivalves, probably my new current "favorite dish" at the moment. They also have curry Pasta, Pizza and Mozzarella Egg Rolls if you're into that sort of thing.

Alcove on the other hand...*sigh*. I was dissapointed with this place, it was good....but just not as good as i expected. It sounded so promising. Don't get me wrong, i'm willing to come back and get their juicy Lamb Burger again with a cup of their Immortal Tea blend but maybe I'll go somewhere else for dessert, somewhere where they actually bake their Chocolate Dipped Coconut Macaroons on premises. A cool place to hang out for wine, coffee, tea and conversing though.

Thaitalian
49 E Colorado Blvd
Pasadena, CA 91105
626-585-8808

The Alcove Cafe
1929 Hillhurst Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 90027
(323) 644-0100

Thai Purple: Not Just Because it's my Favorite Color...

I've actually been coming here for a while already, being my first experience with Thai Food and the plethora of options available. Yeah, they have your standard Thai Fare: Pad Thai (which is what i usually have), Pineapple Fried Rice (another usual), and enough stir-fry and curry variations to almost cover all of the primary and secondary color huesl. All, which by the way, still superior in taste than any other thai place i've been to. But as you flip through the pages of their picturesque purple menu, you'll see some unfamiliar faces.

Pork Stuffed Cucumber Soup, literally. Tender Meatballs between pieces of cucumber with a light and clear broth and no MSG in sight, that's it. BBQ Whole Squid, again literally, served only with this authentically pungent citrus, chilli-fish sauce that's best eaten....not inhaled. Fried Rice Baked In Young Coconut....can you guess?

Things so simple, so easy but yet so damn delicious somehow gone AWOL at most Thai Restaurants around L.A.
It's always the simple things in life isn't it?

And there's a complimentary warm tapioca-coconut dessert with something different everytime for dinner, not for lunch.
I still bought 16oz. of this stuff and devoured it while watching Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles in the theater across the street though.

Thai Purple
27 N Garfield Ave
Alhambra, CA 91801-3545
626 300 9083

Serenaded at Saladong Song.

There's nothing worse than going to a place when you're starving only to find out that it's closed in between the peak lunch or dinner times. We are fortunate that we don't have it as bad as they do in Europe though. If you don't get nothing to eat at the standard lunch or dinner times, you're literally screwed. Everything is closed, it's either you eat or starve.
Luckily, not every establishment carries this, Saladong Song being one of these.


I had heard about this place but didn't feel the urge to go since no other place i tried compared to Thai Purple, in Alhambra.(not to mention the complimentary coconut dessert). But with Tibet Nepal House in Pasadena being closed and i've been trying to broaden my restaurant reportoire, i didn't care were we went anymore.


We didn't know were to go between Saladong and Saladong Song, but we ended up going to the Latter since i remembered it being mentioned alot. The place was really bright, since it had Windows instead of Walls, better alowing the food to showcase it's plentiful hues. The place was definetely health-conscious, offereing "steamed multi grains" if you wanted some. I sampled the "Limited Edition" Hah-mok-pla, a fish-curry cake steamed in a Banana Leaf. my brother ordered the Yum Eggplant Salad and also ordered their Pad Thai instead of rice.


The Hah-Mok-Pla is what makes this place different than any other Thai Places. The Fish Cake was faultless, with the essenses of Thai Basil, Cabbage and Sweet Peppers, it just dissolved in your mouth. This had a right to be a limited Edition Item. With the Eggplant being labeled under salads, i thought it was going to like an actual cold salad but was deceived when the dish came. A whole Japanese Eggplant grilled and cut into three slices topped with butterflied Shrimp and the perfect tangy dressing. Squishy, in a good way. I ended up dipipng everything else into the dressing also. The Protein-Rich Pad Thai was unusually served in a omelette style, with the noodles and everything else inside, but the change was a good thing, especially for me right now. Although i must of ate more than half of everything, i didn't feel stuffed.


Saladong Song had serenaded me.

363 S Fair Oaks Ave (Cross Street: W Bellevue Drive)
Pasadena, CA 91105View Map
(626) 793-5200
Fax: (626) 793-7030