Comments on: Emica has a disappointment at Nahm

By: dogpossum

dogpossum — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 05:54:56 +0000

There’s a really good Thai joint in Summer Hill here in Sydney. It’s really, really good for suburban Thai. As in, nom. We had a gorgeous piece of poached salmon there recently. It was perfectly poached, squatting in a light, gorgeous broth and splottered with some sort of ginger/smashed up herb paste. It was fucking great.

By: Beck

Beck — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 22:04:39 +0000

That was a really interesting review on Nahm; you might have just helped me scratch off a place on my list of “dream restaurants I must visit”, so my wallet thanks you. Has anyone got the new David Thompson Thai Street Food book? Opinions? (particularly from you Thai food experts…)

By: Dr Sister Outlaw

Dr Sister Outlaw — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 07:29:42 +0000

Hey Emica, today’s Good Living featured a story on David Thompson, proprietor of Nahm. He’s got a book out on street food, a follow up to his self-described bible of Thai food (the hot pink covered book). I chuckled when I read it. Apparently he lives in Bangkok now. Suspect he should spend more time superintending the restaurant in London!

By: togram

togram — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 00:51:59 +0000

It sucks to be disappointed, especially when the place has been so built up.
My Thailand experience was very brief, but most of the best food I had was from street markets. We’re off to Chiang Mai after Christmas, so I’ll have to take notes.
The best Thai food I’ve eaten was cooked at home by my friend Tachawan – her Tom Yum is to die for. Tach reckons that the key to her cooking is the careful balance of hot, sour, sweet and salt. She is quick to condemn a dish that goes overboard on one of the four key elements to the detriment of the others.

By: Dr Sister Outlaw

Dr Sister Outlaw — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 23:01:50 +0000

I put the plates in the oven for the last 5 minutes, so they are warm, not hot – warming trays good for that too! I could also use my grill, which is separate to the oven … But I wouldn’t do that thing with the pasta water because it would make the bowls gluggy, wouldn’t it? Plus I hate drying up.

By: FDB

FDB — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 22:41:31 +0000

Beat me to it Helen. I had a bit all ready about eating dirt and shitting freedom, but time makes fools of us all, huh?

Very disappointing I’ll bet Emica. I’ve had a good run generally of late, but with Thai not so much.

I reckon it’s a funny one – mediocre Thai is still pretty delicious, but the step up from there to the top quality is gigantic. And you don’t want to pay the bill unless you’re getting the goods, obvs.

By: emica

emica — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 13:41:37 +0000

oh yeah, Who knew the relative warmth of plates could be so contentious?! My approach is to prop them at the back of the stove while I cook, so they are generally ‘not cold’ rather than at boiling point, so no misadventures with scalding.

Oh- one other thing on plate warming, does anyone else drain the pasta water over the pasta bowls, so they get warmed at the same time? Or is that just me???

By: emica

emica — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 13:40:08 +0000

Helen – ahahaha. Took me a while to get that. Funny. And wrong. but funny

Kelly – v jealous of your insider opps for Thai eating. Must have been great to get beyond just the tourist sites

Dr SO – you and Terry seem to be on song about Aussies’ affinity with Thai. I read somewhere that there are (say) 10,000 Thai immigrants in Aus… and 5,000 Thai restaurants! I like those odds :) And, as you point out, we’ve got the raw ingredients of produce and approach.

I’ll have to ask my sis about the cooking school she went to/ read about/ bought me the book of (??) when she was on hols over there a few years ago. Will get back on that one.