"I'd like the pad Thai with chicken, please. Thank you."
"Hmm mmm, and how spicy?" (Her tone insinuates a considerable dare has just been issued.)
"Medium."
"Hmph, that's right. Funny, she [gesturing to my friend] handle the spicy. You only medium."
She should just point her finger and call me a pussy. If I didn't love the food so much I wouldn't put up with the abuse, but when you find your ideal pad Thai and pad kee mow, you suck it up.
So, I figured, there was no one better to accompany me on my inaugural visit to SaWaDiKa Thai Zone than Super Extra Spicy herself. We pulled into the Campbell Road strip mall, entered the smallish storefront and were greeted with the Thai greeting/restaurant name by an incredibly friendly, sprightly woman. I instantly liked her and felt confident she'd neither "hmph" me nor dare me to napalm my taste buds.
We took in the contemporary bistro setting and found celebri-chef Bobby Flay challenging some civilian cupcake champ to inflate his ego on the two televisions above the bar. Flat-screen Flay was a bit distracting, but our waitress captured our attention with word of free drink in honor of Ladies' Night and a dinner special.
The starter, SaWaDiKa Thai salad, was a flat presentation of iceberg, tomatoes, boiled egg slices and cucumbers that left much to be desired. The vinaigrette dressing was thin, barely discernible from the dew on a freshly washed head of lettuce. The peanut dressing, however, proved much more impressive—obviously homemade and bold with a lip-smack's worth of heat. The meager veggies did the nutty sauce no justice. Luckily the salad was merely an unfortunate first date in what would become a rewarding relationship.
My dinner mate opted for the tom yum gai soup, while I countered with the tom kha gai. The tom yum was a robust broth laced with the traditional lemongrass and lime. Once again, this was clearly homemade, nurtured even—strained and lacking that usual silt on the bottom of the bowl. I all but lapped up the smooth coconut milk stock of my tom kha between bites of white meat chicken and the tenderest of straw mushrooms. It proved to be difficult to hold back from my soup to save room for the entrée. Plus, we were two courses in and no extra spicy pressure to speak of. This Euro-Choctaw lass was feeling perfectly comfortable in a new Thai Zone.
I ordered the pad kee mow and, yes, I ordered it medium spicy. But lo, I received no scoff, no glare and nary a snicker. My co-diner went for pad Thai...extra, extra spicy. "Ah, are you sure?" our waitress asked. (I issued immediate mental bonus points.) The forthcoming meal needed to live up to that fabulous ordering experience for damn sure.
The pad Thai came with the necessary lime, sprouts, cabbage and peanuts (thoughtfully piled on the side so diners can mix as needed) and a sauce that thankfully landed in the savory range as opposed to that sticky, too-sweet concoction often indicative of bogus, Americanized pad Thai. And for Ms. Super Spice, our server provided a technically "spicy" level of heat in the entrée, but augmented that with a condiment cart of chili flakes and a spice mixture. Bold, balanced flavors and careful service...one entrée down.
Pad kee mow (a flat noodle stir-fry with basil, peppers, tomatoes and, in this case, beef) was a fête of flavor. The basil was fresh and biting, the jalapeño quarters layered throughout the pile were crunchy and pungent, the beef had a perfect sear and the noodles were neither mealy nor tough—an all-too-common irritation.
My Thai Mai bananas dessert of flash-fried pastry egg rolls full of bananas, nuts and coconut—with honey and fresh whipped cream—helped confirm that I could be at home in this new zone. Two egg rolls (four pieces) were far too large a portion for one person, but the generosity made for a sweet doggy bag.
Saturday lunch opened with the same friendly "Sawadika!" and the casual café hummed throughout our meal with a surprising number of customers—a family chatting, to-go orders, couples. The Food Network was once again in full effect, but this time it was the "edgy" cook rotation: some bloated, bleach-haired guy followed by Ace of Cakes. Once again, the flat screens drew my attention...that is, until the food arrived.
A different, but equally cheerful, server awarded us our fresh spring rolls and corn patties to start. The rolls were indeed fresh, the rice paper and noodles perfectly non-gummy, the shrimp tender but firm. The sweet corn fritters were lightly browned and completely devoid of greasiness. Light and delicate, they were perfect, except perhaps for the unflattering sweet and sour sauce.
A none-too-rich red curry satisfied my weekend dining companion. The coconut milk balanced the curry paste, producing a lively orange hue and a lasting heat that danced around the mouth without scorching. He ventured that even normally bland bamboo shoots found new life in the red.
My own taste buds were sated by the Taste of Eastern Thai (a "chef's special"). Sticky rice in a bamboo steamer complemented "tiger cry" grilled brisket strips. The crusty brown edges on the marinated beef proved flavorful enough, but the true taste star was the spicy chili sauce (an absolutely fulfilling and harmonious combination of Thai fish sauce, lemon, chili flakes, tweaks of sugar and salt and, I'm sure, special secret ingredients because flavor of this level cannot be achieved that easily). My companion and I agreed that the incredible sauce should be poured on just about anything edible. Hell, I'd probably bathe in it. The side of shredded green papaya salad was unassuming—slightly palate-cleansing but unnecessary.
Throughout both lunch and dinner, we received spectacular service—friendly, sincere and speedy. There was never any judgment, never any pressure. All we tucked into were strong, solid culinary offerings in a smart and casual setting. My only suggestion is that SaWaDiKa move its tasty Thai Zone on down into Dallas proper. Sure, I'll drive the 15 miles up Central to achieve my ideal pad whatever; I just wish I didn't have to. Course, two blocks away is equally great Thai, but I'll trade psychological spice abuse for a short trek any day.
Oh, and that tale about Thai Waitress? I've told it before and I always garner a certain response. So to answer: I did, in fact, attempt once to impress her with a "spicy," and I achieved one magical, approving nod...as well as a blistered tongue and the need for a milk-based diet for approximately four days. The next visit, I was back to my mediocre ways. Thai Waitress was not impressed. 220 W. Campbell Road, Richardson, 972-918-9888. Open 11 a.m.—10 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays, closed Sundays. $-$$
