2003 saw the launch of
at least three new Thai restaurants. That's reason enough to light
incense and place it on Buddha's altar. Thai Pepper is certainly
the best of the newcomers. In fact, additional visits will
establish whether or not it can supplant Siam Thai in my estimation as
the Duke City's best. Even if it doesn't, Thai Pepper won't be
relegated to bride's maid status. This is an outstanding
restaurant!
The sublime Thai Pepper
combo appetizer platter includes two Thai pepper rolls, chicken satay,
fish cakes and loog chin ping, accompanied by four distinctive sauces.
The appetizer is an excellent precursor to an excellent meal. As
good as the combo appetizers are, given my druthers, I'd opt for the
angel wings--deep fried boneless chicken wings stuffed with genuine
goodness and served with the best sweet and sour cucumber sauce in
Albuquerque. That sauce was tinged with chile peppers which added
a piquant flavor.
My early entree
favorite is the spicy orange curry with pineapple, lemon leaves and
duck, an entree no other Thai restaurant in the city offers. It
recounted in my mind the first experience I had with outstanding Thai
curry when I couldn't wait to partake again of its captivatingly
aromatic flavors.
Also quite wonderful is
the gaeng ga-ree, a mild yellow curry with white onions and sweet
potatoes. If you like fried rice, the pineapple fried rice is
among the city's best and most unique with raisins, cashews, and carrots
joining your favorite meat or prawns.
Making our inaugural
visit fun was a bubbly, effervescent waitress who reminded me of an
Indonesian Halle Berry. During our playful banter, she (our
waitress, not Halle) complimented my knowledge of Indonesian cuisine and
indicated I was the first white boy she had ever met who liked durian.
This is one boy who likes everything about this Thai restaurant!
