24 JUNE 2020 | TheJournalNJ.com
WHAT WE LIKED
taste bud-awakening heat. I also want to send a shoutout to
our delightful makeshift off-site server who was armed with an
arsenal of clean plates and spoons to keep everyone safe, proving
you can still enjoy the simple pleasures of a meal together.
Dining
w it h Drazin
Compa s s ion. Change . Cure .
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BY LORI DRAZ
I never thought we would come together for the third
time without being able to share the details of dinner
in one of our area restaurants. Last month I said I miss
restaurants, and each week I miss them more. So this
month, we re-assembled the review crew at unnamed
destination, took a socially distanced seat and picked up
a big order of take-out from Muang Thai in Red Bank.
I really enjoy the exotic, layered tastes of Thai food. I
have been to Muang Thai many times and remember that
this compact, colorful restaurant is ornately decorated with
servers who wear traditional Thai clothing. Try it for takeout
now and visit for the full experience when it reopens.
Thai is a good choice if you have vegetarians at the table
but a no-go for those with peanut allergies as it is an ingredient
in many dishes. Don’t be afraid to try, but do ask
about the heat levels as Thai food can get pretty hot.
Our appetizers included Chicken Satay. The chicken
is marinated with Thai herbs, thinly coated, grilled golden
brown and served with a powerfully punchy peanut
dipping sauce. We also picked the compact Spring Rolls
which were tightly packed with sautéed cabbage, glass
noodles and carrot with a spicy plum dipping sauce.
They were crispy and light, and impressively rolled into
uniform 2-inch cigars (I wish I could get this person to
pack my suitcase). Our third appetizer was the Summer
-
tables in a rice skin roll with spicy plum sauce. The skin
is a matter of preference; some may like its soft, almost
moist texture while others may not. If you’re looking for a
salad-like taste, you can try these.
I also had a bowl of the Tom Ka Kung soup which is
shrimp soup with galangal, lemon grass, mushrooms, coconut
milk and lime juice. If
it, I would dive right in. It is a
sweet, creamy and tart.
Now for the entrées. Diner
one chose the Basil Fish.
This is an impressive, whole
and tail on and is topped with mushrooms, carrots, onions, string
beans, basil leaves and a Muang Thai basil sauce. This diner’s
and enjoyed the basil sauce he had selected. Muang Thai also of-
or curry variety. My guess is he will be trying them all.
Diner two’s choice was the Peanut Chicken, which are chicken
breasts prepared like cutlets, served with sautéed spicy mixed
dish had a pleasant kick, rounded out nicely by the richly roasted
peanut sauce, and that it delivered just the taste she expected.
Diner three picked Pad Thai chicken. This is a classic Thai
dish, perfect for beginners to this complex cuisine. Pad Thai is
sprouts and ground roasted peanuts. Our diner commented on
chicken was chunky and tender.
I choose the Panang Lamb which is grilled lamb with bell
pepper, string beans, carrot, basil and coconut milk in a sweet
panang curry sauce. I loved it! It was a surprise to see these were
bone-in lamb chops, and that curry sauce was so good – sweet
Most of the desserts at Muang Thai include ice cream, and
since it was a take-out meal, well, that wouldn’t have ended well.
Instead our meal-ender came courtesy of the bakery at Delicious
Orchards. D.O.’s bakery is busier than ever, and our platter of
treats included key lime tarts, coconut custard tarts, cannoli, and
charming chocolate cupcakes topped with addictive pink icing
and sprinkled with shiny pink sugar that glittered like Cinderella’s
ball gown. They were each a work of art, and even if the lines
are long, they are worth the wait.
I must say that it was wonderful to enjoy that feeling of
-
porting our restaurants, and now as they slowly reopen, I’m sure
you’ll be just as eager as me to sit in their spaces, have their servers
share the nightly specials and be dazzled by the artistry of the
many extraordinary chefs in our community.
Muang ai
and Friday and Saturday 11 am to 10 pm.
We give Muang ai four and three quarter Js
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