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When I read the Warsaw Café was to close, I wondered which type of food would replace the restaurant’s Eastern-European cuisine. I was hoping for a Hungarian restaurant. I’ve always lamented Philadelphia does not have a place for chicken paprika, cucumber salad, goulash and Hungarian crepes.
Although my culinary wish was not granted, Sandy and I thoroughly enjoyed our recent dinner at Jasmine Rice, a three-month-old Thai BYOB in Center City. It was a cold blustery night, but we warmed up as soon as we were shown to a comfortable table for two.
The interior has a glowing, calming effect with the walls covered in soft colors. The music on the sound system was just right as was the lighting. Our server opened the New Zealand sauvignon blanc that we brought and I eyed up the menu knowing immediately and instinctively which items to order.
I adore Thai cuisine because the dishes always catch your eye. The mix of colors, flavors and textures play an important part in the fare. Sandy is relatively new to Thai food. Unfortunately for me, she cannot eat cilantro. It does not agree with her. Julia Child could not stand this fragrant herb either. So I shied away from dishes containing cilantro.
First up were delectable Thai basil meatballs ($5.99), which were prepared with ground, beautifully seasoned pork and beef marinated with fresh Thai basil, chili peppers, roasted garlic and light soy sauce. Six came to the order and we could have eaten more. Julienned carrot and Napa cabbage added color and texture. Bits of fried basil leaves were downright delicious.
Crab nuggets ($6.99) were balls of crabmeat and shrimp ground into a mousse-like consistency, wrapped in a thin, bean thread shell, fried crisp and served with a pickled plum dipping sauce. These beauties just melted in our mouths. I particularly liked that the sauce was not too sweet.
Sandy will never say no to mussels, but had never tasted curry. I was a bit apprehensive but decided on the green curry mussels ($7.99) because I knew the sauce would not be too spicy. Well, she adored them. We received a plate filled with steamed, cooked-just-right mussels bathed in a green curry sauce laced with fresh Thai basil.
“Gosh, these are good,” my sister said as she slurped a mussel into her mouth.
Now I think she can graduate to other curry dishes.
For the entrées, I selected beef thani ($13.99) and crispy, duck-fried rice ($15.99). Thinly sliced beef was seasoned and sautéed with garlic, fresh mushrooms, onions, red and green bell peppers and scallions and finished in a light oyster-flavored soy sauce. We both liked the mix of ingredients and the richness of the brown sauce imparted a most pleasant flavor. A mound of steamed white rice came with the beef.
I could eat duck twice a week. Sandy says yuck. Crispy roast duck was hacked into serving pieces and placed atop jasmine rice stir-fried in a mild curry with onions, snow peas, cherry tomatoes, green beans and pineapple chunks. The duck was semi-boneless for easy eating. It was succulent with crispy skin and tender meat.
“Try a little,” I said as a cut a small boneless piece of the breast and dipped it into the beef brown sauce from our other entrée.
She did. No comment.
She has a mental thing with duck, but at least she sampled it.
Service was perfect. Several women took fine care of us and the other patrons at Jasmine Rice. We also noticed a brisk take-out business.
My sister surprised me as we bundled up and went out into the cold night.
“Let’s try it for lunch,” she said.
Three tips of the toque to Jasmine Rice. SPR
Jasmine Rice
306 S. 16th St.
215-546-0818
Contact the South Philly Review at editor@southphillyreview.com.
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