According to Wikipedia, Sukhothai was once a thriving
Kingdom in central Thailand and translates to "dawn of happiness". There’s something wishful about using that
name for a restaurant: hoping to bring happiness to all your customers. By no
means am I implying this is why the Ottawa owners chose this name, it’s simply
my own romantic notion.
Tomato and red spices are left out of the restaurant’s tom yum goong ($5.50) so the broth
remains clear … rather deceiving … until you take a sip. Instantly, the spicy,
sour, salty and even mildly sweet flavours flood the mouth – how is such an innocent
looking soup so powerful? Even without the red spices the soup has a nice heat
level and lemongrass essence. As a warning, it’s a tad salty so this goes best
with rice.
Green curries are one of my favourite Thai dishes and
Sukhothai’s doesn’t disappoint. The gang
keaw warn ($16.95) has great rich flavours and the sauce light enough to
spoon liberally over rice. The mixture of crunchy vegetables (bell pepper,
carrot, bamboo shoot and baby corn) kept it fresh and the drizzle of extra
coconut milk on top an additional creaminess. I’d caution against ordering the
beef as it was a tad chewy, I still enjoy this dish best with chicken, shrimp
or simply in its vegetarian form.
If you can’t handle spicy curries, the gang khua sap pa rod ($18.95) is a safer alternative. Coconut milk,
tomatoes and curry are combined with shrimp and chunks of pineapple. The
sweetness from the fruit mellows everything, making the dish a mild
approachable curry. The shrimp's texture is different: not the crunchy
consistency found in other dishes; something about the acid makes it meaty and
tender but not rubbery.
If you thinking the gai
pad med ma muang ($15.95) is like kung
pao chicken, then you’re correct. This Thai dish is said to be derived from
the popular Sichuan version, except substituting the creamier cashew for
peanuts and incorporating a stronger heat. Overall, the cashew chicken has a
decent spiciness but not overwhelming.
During the warmer months, a lighter cold dish such as the yum-pla ($17.95) is ideal. Despite the
menu noting this Thai salad is generally served as a hors d’oeurve, it’s so substantial
that you should consider it a main. A large piece of grilled trout is topped
with green mango salad and cashews for crunch.
Sukhothai’s pad Thai ($15.95) was the first I’ve had that
grinds their peanuts into fine pieces so you experience its texture without too
much crunch. Overall, a good rendition of the popular dish: the stir-fried rice
noodles were springy and well covered in spices without becoming too wet; the
chicken and shrimp not over cooked; and the bean sprouts and red cabbage served
on the side so you can customize the amount of crunchy raw vegetables.
To end, we were treated with a dessert typically only served
on special occasions. The thong ek, which
translates to “gold prime”, is meant to bring wealth and advancement with a
person’s career. The dessert is
generally carved into a flower shape; at Sukhothai, they’re simplified into a
leaf beautifully adorned with a piece of gold foil. Made with sugar, coconut
milk reduction and egg yolk, the thong ek
reminds me of Chinese New Year cake, except softer and stickier.
Sukhothai, being the last restaurant we went to that day, was
a great ending. Not exactly the “dawn of happiness”, but I certainly departed
in good spirits having enjoyed a lovely indulgent meal with a group of great
people.
Disclaimer: The above meal was complimentary. Rest assured, as noted in my mission statement, I will always provide an honest opinion.
How To Find Them
Location: Ottawa, Canada
Address: 134 Robertson Road
Address: 134 Robertson Road
Website: http://www.sukhothairestaurant.ca/
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____________________________
Gastro World's Grading System
- Anything under 5 - I really disliked and will never go back
- 6 - decent restaurant but I likely won't return
- 7 - decent restaurant and I will likely return
- 8 - great restaurant that I'd be happy to recommend
- 9 - fantastic restaurant that I would love to visit regularly and highly recommend
- 10 - absolute perfection!
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