We went here tonight, following a recommendation from a fellow Yelper, who told me their Massaman was good, and as that is my go-to Thai dish, i thought we'd give it a try.
Located in an unassuming strip mall, next to a Froyo place on E Tudor, I'd probably have never went here without the recommendation.
The interior is relaxed and casual, not what I'd call "posh" or fine dining, but equally, it's welcoming and nice, and we were greeted as we entered and ushered to a table. It was busy on a Friday at 6pm, so that's a good sign. I don't like places where the walls are cluttered with a ton of artwork, and this one has a few select pieces, and a TV which had a food program on. It was making me even hungrier.
I ordered a Lychee Honeydew bubble tea with boba, which I'd never had before. It was so good. I'd had the fruity popping boba, but not the tapioca chewy boba, so this was new to me, and i was pleasantly surprised. Fresh, creamy, yet a fruity refreshing taste. I had a boba accident. I got a boba blockage in my straw, and tried to blow them out - there was a mini explosion and i ended up covered in bubble tea, all over my face and shirt. So classy Wendy.
We ordered the mixed sampler platter of appetizers. Crispy fried Thai roll, fried tofu, fried shrimp, and fresh Thai roll with the wrap that is see through, but i wont eat them, because thy remind me of skin. They came with a fresh cucumber dip, and a sweet sesame dip. All was very good, hot and crispy. The wait was as expected, considering how busy it was, but i was starved, I tell you.
Husband ordered the chicken Panang, I ordered Massaman with Beef. I had super high expectations. I liked the serving dishes which were metal, with an engraved pattern. Mine came out first, And it was a resplendent, large serving, accompanied by a bowl of brown rice which I thought was unusual, as it usually come with white sticky rice, but i just thought that was how they did things here. So i dished it up. At which point our server came over with a container of white rice, explaining that the brown rice was a mistake - too late, it's already on my plate. We weren't charged extra for it.
It is at this point I have to express my frustration. I am now IMPALED on the horns of a dilemma. Just stuck.
Previously, I was firm, in my unwavering support of Tok Thai, Glenallen, as being the best Massaman in Alaska, but now, I'm SHOOK. To my core. This Massaman is different. Not better, or worse. Different. It has fantastic tender chunks of beef, in a rich, complex, Massaman sauce. The sauce is not as creamy and peanutty as Tok Thai, but it is equally flavoursome. It's a more layered flavour palate, I'd say, using more Massaman paste, and relying less heavily on peanut for the flavour. And it contained all the constituent parts that make Massaman such an appealing comfort food choice. There are more potatoes in this one, more beef, and the beef is of a "pot roast" tenderness, there are plenty of peanuts, and onions. And, I'd like to take just a moment to celebrate probably the more humble ingredient, and of course the one i worship most. The potatoes in this dish are superior. There. I said it. Perfectly cooked and seasoned. Starchy, and enough of them to satisfy even me, a potato aficionado. Lord I am torn tonight.
I'd not like to choose between the two, because i love them both. I'd say Tok Thai MAY take shortcuts to achieve the comfort food aspect of the dish, that I love so much, and maybe adds peanut butter and lots of coconut cream. And i love it, there's no denying it. But Thai Kitchen remains true to the actual recipe, i believe, because I've made it a few times, and mine tastes more like the one I had here.
My husband enjoyed his Chicken Panang, which was spicy, rich, and packed full of tender chicken. I didn't really bother tasting his too much, i was obsessing on my Massaman. I couldn't eat it all, there was a lot of food, and i do have a to-go box with actual meat in it. Meat, sauce and rice. I won't eat it, he can have it for his lunch tomorrow, as my diet is not going well, fellow Yelpers.
We will definitely come back here, i'm glad to know there is good Thai in Anchorage, and not having to drive 180 miles to Glenallen just for dinner, like we did yesterday! read more