The Thai food craze continues unabated in Southern California, because people want healthful, colorful, very flavorfull plates at reasonable prices. This ubiquitous, successful model of Thai restaurants is again fully embodied in the San Fernando Valley In Northridge on Tampa Ave. here at the Thai Bamboo! From the exterior looking in, you will believe it is an upscale, or "Fancy " Thai restaurant, with its cozy. outdoor dining patio and numerous white bulbs adorning the sides and roof of a large glass paneled, long horizontal building, featuring Thai architecture.
Once inside, the appearance is clean, modern, unpretentious, sedate, comfortable and inviting. Lighting is just right for my Monday night visit but for a weekend,romantic date night, the lights should be dimmed slightly. 11 highly polished hard wood tables with white table settings of mats, napkins and fine dinnerware improve upon an already reserved and elegant ambience.. I was quickly greeted by my waitress, (yes I'm old school, don't like the nondescript, unisex, "Server" nomenclature that is all the rage of past 8 years). She is a cute, lovely specimen of feminine beauty, young, effervescent, attentive and alluring in her demure mein. All the basics are here in the drink menu with a wide variation of the ever popular Thai Ice Teas with, and without boba, and several other customizations. The Thai Bamboo menu is distinctive in the vast size of its selections for all the Thai classics like Pad Thai, Curries, Satay, Noodles, Barbeque offerings, House specials, salads, and a plethora of Beef, Pork, Seafood, Chicken, and Duck dishes. The thick, colorful menu is overstuffed with a feast of too many good things which means you will spend a long time deciding on your entree, so get started with Tom Yum Kai soup or Calamari for your appetizers. Your alcohol choices come in beers in bottles, ,no craft or draft beers) which include Corona, Chang , and 4 others. Wine is served with a small selection of red and white selections. No cocktails available, but fruit smoothies are bold, cold, fine and frothy . I ordered a Thai Ice tea with boba and a Roasted Duck curry. A waiter asked me if I wanted it very spicy or mild and I said "Very Spicy " . I excused myself to wash before dinner. (Old school again).
Another vital indication of the "Health " of a restaurant is found in the cleanliness and fully stocked supplies found within its restrooms . The men's room is a "single person use", (i.e. one person at a time), very clean, spacious facility with full soap, paper towel, toilet paper, and toilet seat cover dispensers. While these sanitation observations may seem superfluous, trivial, or overstated, you can not underestimate the significance of properly serviced restrooms as the "windows into the soul of a restaurant". Very telling into the attention to detail by the management and pride of "ownership "
When I returned , my Roasted Duck Curry was just set on the table and it was very hot and aromatic. I tasted a top of the dish dollup of the curry to test it's spiciness.,- never dive in with a big quaff of very spicy curry, soup, or sauce, or you will regret it. No regrets here, the curry was ordered very spicy but to me it was mild. Remember that too much spice achieves a paradoxical effect by overwhelming the natural taste of the food, it does not accentuate the flavors. One must resist any temptation to be "Macho" and order your spiciness in the "Necrotizing Molten Lava ,Hell and Brimstone Agonizing Death " category. Finding the right degree of spicey heat is a lifelong,carefully cultivated art, and science, but if you think you can not handle it, do not worry. Just have two glasses of ice water on your table and a glass of milk. The milk neutralizes the spices and absorbs and disperses the heat, providing instant relief if you've burned yourself from excessive spiciness . The immediate reaction from too much spice is sometimes momentary apnea, coughing, and watery eyes. You can learn all you need to know about heat, spiciness, capsicum, and peppers by studying the Scoville Heat chart.
The Roasted Duck Curry is a healthful stew of green peppers, scallions, cabbage, pineapple ginger, tomatoes, mushrooms and roasted duck in a perfect milk coconut circumin curry broth. A cold ,(Non alcoholic), Pina Colado smoothie was a perfect accompaniment and contrast to the hot pineapple and coconut in the dish. A cup of steamed rice was served hot and added a bit more hearty dining to a rather lean but imemensly flavorful dish. One minor complaint: All good Thai restaurants must make chopsticks available for every dish WITHOUT THE CUSTOMER NEEDING TO ASK " . Throughout Asia, forks and knives are considered crude, bulky, and obtrusive , while chopsticks are much easier to wield, and more "Civilized ", practical, and elegant . I highly recommend Thai Bamboo and give it a coveted, elusive, well deserved, 5 star rating.! Must Go. read more