Still the best Thai cuisine off the beaten path in Ventura
By JR Grant 09/03/2009
Sawasdee Thai Cuisine
2887 Johnson Drive
Ventura
642-8879
$6.95 - $16.95
Restaurants come and go, and often, like so many other situations, it is about location, location, location. When Nittaya Mahamongkol opened Sawasdee Thai Restaurant in a hard-to-get-to-location off Johnson Drive on the Ventura-Oxnard border almost six years ago, friends, relatives and many others said she didn’t stand a chance because of the location. And then the reviews started coming in: “surprising find,” “best kept secret,” “Best Restaurant — 2005.” Nittaya was on her way, and recently it seemed a good time to see if any of the early magic has stayed.
Sawasdee means “Hi” in Thai; and from the moment you enter this restaurant, you feel welcomed and treated as if you are a guest in someone’s beautifully furnished, tidy and comfortable home. The tables are immaculately set, the staff personally greets you, and judging by the number of long-time regulars, this old-fashioned hospitality is much appreciated.
I always have Thai iced tea here; the sweet blended combination of tea and cream is outstanding, and a step above so many other offerings in Ventura County. As in many Asian restaurants, the abundance of selection makes choice difficult, but I nearly always start with wrap lover chicken (or tofu), a specialty of southern Thailand on a buttery flat bread wrapped with caramelized mangoes, basil and cashews. At $6.95, this has got to be one of the most delicious bargains anywhere. The honey chicken satay (topped with ginger, garlic, Nitta’s special sauce and honey and sesame) is also a delight.
Although there are so many salads on this menu (and the many I have tried have all proved tasty and satisfying), I can’t resist the mango salad. Thai-style frilled mango, shrimp, carrots and red onion in a spicy lime dressing topped with cashews. Words fail to explain how tasty this is — this is a truly outstanding dish not to be missed ($9.95). The soups here are wonderful as well; if coconut is pleasing to your palate, you must try the tom kha, a light but slightly spicy refreshing soup with chicken, coconut milk, button mushrooms, galanga (kind of a piney, blue ginger with a unique taste), lemongrass and fresh lime juice. ($8.50).
Always ask about the chef’s special; Nitta loves to present unique Thai specialties, and her preparation and presentation never disappoint. On a recent visit, she prepared a lime steamed lobster (served over a bed of spinach, napa cabbage, lettuce and carrots, steamed in a homemade garlic lime sauce.) A little pricey — $16.95 — but out of this world in flavor. Another seafood favorite is the lemongrass fish, which is a whole deep fried pompano topped with crispy lemongrass and sautéed in a honey tamarind sauce.
So many people order Thai curry dishes, I would be remiss in not mentioning a few here. Personally, I prefer East Indian curry dishes, but the red curry at Sawasdee is truly worth sampling. A subtly spiced red curry, rich in coconut cream, vegetables and lots of basil, this dish shows the big difference in Nitta’s preparation from many other Thai restaurants. Her frequent use of fresh basil in so many dishes (as opposed to the more common usage of mint) brings out an aroma and flavor not often appreciated in the more common Thai fare.
Most entrees are accompanied by perfectly cooked jasmine rice, but I often order one of the fried rice dishes instead. The mango fried rice (I love how often mango is used in this restaurant!) is wonderful, but a truly noble dish is the basil fried rice: flaky jasmine rice, wok-fried with assorted vegetables, lemon grass and lots of basil. This is truly a great accompaniment to any main dish.
There are also a number of noodle dishes from which to build your meal. The frequently ordered phad Thai is good here, but the drunken noodles — kee mao-style wide rice noodles sautéed with vegetables and basil — are outstanding. My personal favorite, however, is the spicy ginger noodles — wok-fried wide rice noodles sautéed with egg, vegetables and a spicy ginger basil sauce. I ask for extra spicy, and the flavor is sharp and sublime at the same time.
The desserts are not extraordinary here: the mango sticky rice is great, but one is so full by the end of the meal that dessert seems unnecessary. A friend of mine loves the fried banana with homemade coconut ice cream, but I’m generally too satisfied with my meal for anything but a cup of jasmine tea.
DIGG | del.icio.us | REDDIT
Other Stories by JR Grant
Related Articles
Comments
Definitely, Sawasdee is the best Thai for miles around. When my Thai customers who visit me from LA come to Ventura, we always go to Sawasdee for a great meal!
Gene Rubin