As the only Thai restaurant in my Ghent neighborhood, I was hoping for a higher rating. After five visits, I was unable to make it happen.
Bangkok Garden is a local franchise that launched its first location at Loehmann's Plaza in Virginia Beach in 1988. There are now 6 locations throughout Hampton Roads.
The current Ghent location is on 21st Street with Taste over to its left and Kobros, a new and popular coffee shop to its right. There are designated parking spaces in the adjacent lot.
The original Ghent location opened years ago where the Volcano Sushi & Asian Bistro is today. After a long closure, it reopened at its new and current location in 2014.
The interior is spacious and attractive. A bar is located at the core of its space. Large Thai statues catch the eye. The walls radiate with warmth from a mix of wood and brick. The lighting is kept low for an intimate feel.
In addition to its main dining area, a private dining area was blocked off during my recent visits. An outdoor patio area can seat about 28 diners.
I tried the following dishes:
TOM YUM GOONG: Savory Traditional Broth with Fresh Shrimp, Lemongrass, Galanga, Straw Mushrooms, Chili Peppers, Onions, Tomato, and Cilantro. Ordered at a spice level of 4 (Thai Hot).
The heat level came through, but I was unable to taste the Kaffir Lime Leaves, which are an essential ingredient for a complete version of this soup. Its depth of flavor was weak. My Rating: 2 Stars.
TOM KHA GAI: A Famous Aromatic Soup, boiled in Coconut Milk with Chicken, Galangal, Tomato, Scallion, Cilantro, and Lime Juice. Although not a traditionally spicy soup, I still ordered it at a spice level of 4.
I had much better luck with this one and ordered it again during my remaining visits. The spice level and flavors of the other ingredients, especially the Galangal, came through nicely.
The chicken slices were tender and tasty. The coconut milk broth was not as creamy during one visit, but the others were satisfying. My Overall Rating: 4 Stars.
LAAB GAI: Steamed Ground Chicken with Red Onions, Green Onions, Cilantro, Carrot, Lime Juice, and Chili Powder. I ordered the lunch time version at a spice level of 4.
Laab is a type of meat salad that is regarded as the unofficial national dish of Laos. It is also popular in the Issan region of Northeastern Thailand, where the majority of the population is of the Lao ethnicity.
The spice level fell a bit short. Otherwise, the salad was tasty, refreshing, and delivered a nice cooling sensation. The other flavors, especially the lime, came through well. My Rating: 4 Stars.
BANGKOK SOM TOM (PAPAYA SALAD): Shredded Green Papaya infused in Chili Pepper, Tomato, Lime Juice, Green Beans, Peanuts, and Fish Sauce.
This one was a mess. There were large and irregular clumps of lettuce not described in the mix. I tasted more lettuce than papaya. I didn't see or taste any peanuts or green beans as described. My Rating: 2 Stars.
PAD THAI: Rice Noodles Stir-Fried with Chicken, Ground Peanuts, Eggs, Bean Sprouts, Garlic, and Green Onions.
Everything was satisfactory except for a skimpy portion of bean sprouts, an essential ingredient that helps lighten the texture of the noodles. My Rating: 3 Stars.
PAD KEE MAO: Chicken Stir-Fried with Large Rice Noodles, Fresh Chili, Basil Leaves, Tomato, Broccoli, Bell Peppers, Garlic, Cilantro, & Onions.
I would have preferred Chinese broccoli over American broccoli for a more authentic version. There was only a small portion of basil. The other flavors were satisfactory. My Rating: 3.5 Stars.
KANG KHEOW WAN (GREEN CURRY): Green Curry sauteed with Chicken, Coconut Milk, Bell Peppers, and Basil Leaves.
Absent was some type of eggplant, such as Thai or pea eggplant, for a more authentic version. This one included an abundance of round green sweet peas instead, with most of them clustered at the bottom of the bowl.
The peas from pea eggplant are not the same as regular sweet peas. Pea eggplants are larger and come with short stems.
One Thai food expert has written that sweet peas are not used for Green Curry in Thailand, and that they would only "Americanize the dish beyond what most bad Thai restaurants do."
The peas completely overpowered the dish, wiping out the more important taste of the basil. My Rating: 2 Stars.
PAD KAPAU: Chicken with Sweet Basil Leaves, Onion, Garlic, Bell Peppers, & Chili Peppers.
My serving came with absolutely no basil leaves whatsoever. I could neither find nor taste a single one. The red and green bell peppers overwhelmed the entire dish with hardly any flavor. My Rating: 1 Star.
My servers were friendly and eager to please, but often displayed signs of inexperience. One server brought out my soup and entree at the exact same time.
My average food rating comes out to about a 2.7, and I am rounding up to a weak 3-star overall rating for this review. The Ghent community deserves better for truly authentic Thai cuisine. read more