Monday, February 4, 2013

Another Taste of Thai!

Back in June of 2012, Laurie and I joined a ‘dining out’ group for dinner at a restaurant in Knoxville Tennessee named Surin of Thailand.  We really liked this restaurant…and I knew that I’d like it even more this time as I had a 2 dinners for the price of 1 coupon to offset our penchant to explore different facets of the menu.

 
With Budda watching over us, we went to work on the menu… Just what did we want to try out this time!?  We knew that we wanted a couple of appetizers, but then what?  Soup Bowls, Stir Fry, Special Entrees, Noodle or Rice Dishes, Thai Curries?  Sushi or Sashimi?  So many choices…
 
We easily confused our waitress in training with our vague questions and requests for her recommendations. Seeing that we were a little challenging, her trainer ‘Sam’, a younger Reese Witherspoon lookalike, took over and guided us nicely through the menu as well as our likes and dislikes. Laurie and I both agreed that Sam had Reese’s movie mannerisms and she talked like her too!
 
 
Right away, we once again verified that we’re more into eating than we are into blogging!  Laurie’s Crab Angels, ($4.00), with only one missing, isn’t lacking too many of its photogenic qualities...  There really are 4 fried crab and cream cheese seasoned wontons to an order.  Laurie really liked this appetizer.
 
 
I ordered the Pot Stickers, vegetable and pork dumplings served in a red curry sauce with red curry. ($6.50)  They were very good!  Two of them were gone before the ‘photo’ light came on in my head…so its a messy photo.  I must admit that while I do like steamed dumplings, I prefer them fried.  These were supposed to be spicy hot…but I had to add heat to them with some hot Chinese pepper sauce.
 
 
Laurie can’t really go into any Asian restaurant without looking for one of her favorite things…sushi and/or sashimi.  In this instance she ordered the Maguro or Tuna Sashimi with ginger and wasabi. ($4.00) I’ve seen her eat a whole platter of sashimi and sushi for dinner.  This was very fresh and it set her palate up for her entrĂ©e. 
 
 
I was a bit surprised when Laurie ordered “Tiger Cry”; a hand cut boneless 15 oz. rib eye that had been marinated in Thai spices. ($19.00) This isn't something that she'd normally do in an Asian restaurant, but Sam said that it was one of her very favorites, so Laurie wanted to try it.   The steak was served with Surin’s special hot sauce and steamed vegetables.  It was a very nice steak…tender and marinated just right.  The special hot sauce and the perfectly steamed veggies were positives as well.  Delicious!
 
 
I also decided a beef dish for dinner.  This is a Thai curry dish, Massaman Beef. ($13.50) This is traditionally served in Thailand to celebrate entry into Monk hood, but I declined to serve in that capacity!  The tasty dish consists of chunks of beef that are simmered in a red curry Massaman sauce with potatoes and peanuts.  It is really a variation on beef stew with Asian flavorings.  FYI…I didn’t waste any of that beautiful brick of brown rice either… It went very nicely when mixed in with the curry sauce!

To view the front of the restaurant as well as an interior photo and several different appetizers and entrees, just go to my previous blog on Surin of Thailand at http://bigdaddydavesbitsandpieces.blogspot.com/2012/06/thai-cuisine-future-nationwide-chain.html.  
Surin of Thailand in Knoxville Tennessee is located at 6213 Kingston Pike.  Phone: 865-330-0007.  Website: www.surinofthailand.com/knoxville.
Just click on any of the photos to enlarge them or to whet your appetite…
Thanks for stopping by for yet another meal!
Take Care, Big Daddy Dave

2 comments:

  1. The dumplings are my favorite, they remind me of the Japanese gyoza. When we lived in India there was a very good Thai restaurant and we went there often. You are a real gourmet Dave!

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  2. lucky lucky you!!! This food looks and sounds just delicious!!

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