Living on the East side for so many years, I have passed by this corner restaurant at Hastings and Nanaimo. However, my first actual visit was due to circumstance and not intention.
I was not expecting to stop here for food, but had to use the washroom and the dispensary next door didn’t have any public facilities. So I am not about to enter a business and expect to use their resources without giving them something in return. The hope of business with me just walking in too much of a tease. A point I emphasize and a mindset I carry with me from my retail management days.
So given how urgent my need was I bee-lined it straight to the toll and ordered what I knew I liked, but when the cashier offered add-ons suggesting mango sticky rice and/or Thai ice tea, I had to say yes. Because once again, with my background being in retail, I respect the hustle of suggesting an add-on and appreciate them asking. So it was a yes. I would go for the mango sticky rice, but later have the Thai ice tea as well.
We didn’t dine it, but took the order to go. Although I did make note of how fun the decor is. A smaller cafe with colourful paintings of traditional Thai dishes and deities in wide-eyed cartoon form.
We would then take the food home and enjoy it, as it was as expected. Therefore when undecided on what to eat tonight, we came back to try more and to have enough for this review. In truth, I make it a standard to try at least 3 different items on any menu to have enough to give a decent assessment of it, so here we were.
We started with a complimentary taste of their Thai pink milk tea. At the time, a new drink special, served in a plastic sauce cup over ice. It was a Pepto-Bismol pink, with an as sweet and as artificial strawberry taste as it looked. It drank heavier with a milky finish, so made a fun dessert drink, but did not really match any of the food to come.
We preferred the Thai ice tea in its classic off-orange colouring, coupled with its great fragrant tea taste. Their version was just on the slightly sweeter side.
The Pad Thai delivered on what I wanted and expected it to be. Thai fried rice noodles with prawns, tofu, beansprouts and eggs in a zesty sauce; finished with a garnishing of peanuts. You got a great chew from the noodles with an extra crunch from the nuts.
Since we were dining in on our most recent visit, we ordered from the Chef special menu for dine in only.
This included the Pad Si Ew. Stir fried rice noodle with chicken, eggs, broccoli, cabbage, beansprouts, and carrots. This was a great assembly of textures with the tender chew of meat in juxtaposition to the crisp vegetables, all brought together with slippery slurp-able noodles. We just didn’t get enough wok fire from the Thai version, when comparing it to the Chinese take. Although it is worth noting that I did hear metal spatula against a hard wok in the back, from my seat up front.
The Thai Tom Yum Noodle Soup is a big bowl of Thai style rice noodle with prawns, minced pork, beansprouts, broccoli, crispy wonton, and lemon juice; all soaking in broth of spicy hot and sour Thai chilli paste. Garnished with fresh cilantro to help balance with her herbaceous pepperiness. The broth was equal parts tangy and warming, great as is, and one that you drink until you hit bowl bottom. With this I also like the melding of different textures, the crispy fried wonton crackers and fried shallots were the standout. I just would have liked more shrimp in the mix, we only counted 2.
As I mentioned earlier, during the first drop in, at the till, I was asked if I wanted to add-on their house made mango sticky rice and I couldn’t say no. One, I am a fan of the dessert if done well, and two I just wanted to be agreeable to move the conversation along. Either way I was not disappointed. Sweet mango and creamy rice soaked in softening coconut cream, to best highlight the fruit. No complaints, simply delicious.
In short, I can see why they have been in operation for so long. Solid food and reasonable prices, made quickly and presented by a most helpful and friendly server. I was especially impressed by the add on and would come back again for homey authentic Thai cuisine.
Thailicious by Thai Away Home
2402 East Hastings St, Vancouver, BC V5K 1Z1
778-926-9632
thaiaway.com
