Having had the privilege of living in Hong Kong, I have been able to travel to parts of southeast Asia that I would have never otherwise considered going. One such place is Thailand. While I was spending the Christmas break on the beaches of Koh Samui and the shopping districts of Bangkok, I was able to sample some seriously kick-butt authentic Thai fare. This has ruined me for most Thai places in the capital city. That is, until now. :)
I introduce you to Boualong Laos & Thai Cuisine, a true hole-in-the-wall, Mom-and-Pop run restaurant that serves the best Thai food in the city. Its appearance offers little insight into the delicious, affordable cuisine offered behind its doors. Don't be thrown off by the raggedy looking white building with the peeling paint, or the dimly-lit, narrow hallway in which you will find yourself (and several others) standing for up to 45 minutes in wait for one of their 6 tables. Once you finally get seated, you will be in for a treat.
Hubbs and I checked out this gem of a place one Friday evening. Having been warned that the little eatery keeps erratic hours and often boasts a line-up of folks waiting for a table, we arrived early in the evening and braced ourselves to stand in line. Good thing we were in our comfy shoes; we waited a good 30 minutes before we got a table. The three other couples ahead of us in line had obviously waited for a while, and the 4 other parties waiting behind us bore testimony to the unsung popularity of this restaurant.
While we were waiting for our table, I peeked from the hall into the room-sized restaurant. There were indeed 6 simple tables, each set for 4 people. The tables had three different types of hot sauce on them (which brought the ranking of the place up several notches in Hubbs' mind), and little more. The walls were decorated with a few framed photographs, but were minimal in their accessories. The entrance leading to the kitchen was divided from the restaurant portion of the place by a dense beaded curtain. The floors looked worn, the furniture looked older, and the general feel of the place was cozy and humble and a little bit run-down.
When we finally got a table (the one nearest the kitchen entrance on the right hand side), the lone server at the restaurant promptly dropped off some water for us, and took our drink orders (green tea). Considering that he was the only fellow working the floor, his speed of service was definitely acceptable. He returned to take our food order: a plate of yum-dip salad rolls (which I thought were a Vietnamese specialty but is apparently one of the most popular dishes at Boualong), the panang curry, the green curry, and two orders of coconut rice.
Our salad rolls came out quickly, and were generous in size and delicious in flavour. Packed with shrimp and some sort of mysterious meat, these rolls were nearly twice the size of ones that we are accustomed to getting at most restaurants. Even with its notable size, we gobbled up the rolls greedily. We then had to wait a bit to receive our curries, which came out piping hot and served in funky leaf-shaped dishes. The panang curry was bursting with flavour, just the right amount of sweetness, and enough spicy kick to give the dish some attitude. The green curry was mild, sweet, delicate, and aromatic. The coconut rice was steamed to sticky perfection, and was prepared in such a way that Hubbs remarked on its fluffy texture and distinctiveness from other coconut rice that we've tried. This, he declared, was his favourite, and the best he has had.
We took our time enjoying the meal, which was so ample in portion that even after gorging ourselves, we had 3/4 of a bowl of rice and a lot of curry left over. The grand total of our appetizer, tea, and curries? A very affordable $33.00. The cash-only policy initially had us worried, but given the affordability of our meal we definitely had more than enough to cover and to tip our server generously.
I told some of my friends about this place, including a certain colleague of mine whose hubby lived in Thailand for nearly 2 years. The two of them then proceeded to check the place out, and he apparently also gave Boualong the seal of approval for authenticity and delicious cuisine. Their party of 3, incidentally, only paid $44 for a hearty meal for all of them.
The long wait aside, I would definitely recommend this place to anyone who is craving real Thai food. You may be a little creeped out by the location of the place, or the worn-out look of the facility, but you will definitely not be disappointed by the food.
Rating: 10 / 10
Hubbs' Rating: 10 / 10
