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Galanga glows - with food and candles
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Thai offerings exceptional
BY ROCHELLE KOFF
Rkoff@herald.com
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When Paul Rattanasongnoen decided to open a restaurant,
he wanted every detail to be perfect, from the lovely presentation
of his exotic dishes to the dark, Asian red color of the walls
to the distinctive aroma of lemongrass that greets patrons at
the door to Galanga – a Thai Kitchen & Sushi Bar. |
| His perfectionism
has paid off. Rattanasongnoen has turned a former Ritz Camera
store into one of the most chic, attractive restaurants in South
Florida, a hip destination worthy of a South Beach or Manhattan
address. |
| The Place
glows with candlelight. There are lots of pillows, plants and
faux rattan seats. The main dining room features a lovely, illuminated
sushi bar – it’s tan and brown, made from plexiglass
with lights underneath. Behind it is a 700-gallon salt water
tank, which lost all its fish at one point. |
| Rattanasongnoen,
who is from northeast Thailand, admits it was a struggle to
get everything the way he wanted it – he even endured
a roof that leaked after weeks of downpours. Now, six weeks
later, everything is falling into place at Galanga, named for
the root that gives Thai dishes a hot ginger-pepper flavor. |
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“Not just another one … unlike any other,” is the theme
at the restaurant and you’ll soon see why. “If it’s
going to be the same as any other restaurant, why should I do
it?” Rattanasongnoen says. |
| He doesn’t
want to compromise his native cuisine or Americanize it. His
authentic, colorful and aromatic dishes are prepared with Thai
staples like lemongrass, galanga and kaffir leaves along with
other Thai spices. A friend who recommended Galanga said the
food tasted unique. And it does. The curry sauce has a lighter
coconut milk, ingredients are fresh and well-chosen, even Thai
iced tea is more refreshing, garnished with mint and cherries.
The kitchen is small so Rattanasongnoen gets grocery orders
several times a day, another key to freshness –though
the kitchen sometimes runs out of a popular item. |
| The menu
is easy to read; dishes well explained. Most specials and House
Original are $15.95; curries, noodle and rice dishes are cheaper;
the fresh whole red snapper was $24.95 the night we visited. |
| A sampler
platter for two ($10.95) is a good way to get started. It includes
a few spring rolls, steamed dumplings, “money bags”
and chicken satay. The money bags combine shrimp, corn, chicken
and potatoes in a crisp “bag” of rice paper. The
flavors meld together in this light snack – cucumber chutney
adds distinction. The spring roll samples are small and crunchy,
stuffed with a soft mixture of ground chicken and finely chopped
vegetables, intertwined with bean thread noodles; dip into a
pineapple peach sauce to jazz it up. The steamed dumplings are
plump pillows of wonton skins filled with bits of shrimp, chicken,
mushrooms, bamboo and water chestnuts – a mild mixture
but it gets a jolt of flavor from a topping of fried garlic.
The chicken satay is already prepared so you don’t cook
it. Pull off slices of chicken marinated in curry and other
herbs; best of all it’s served with Galanga’s homemade
peanut sauce. |
| Most dinners
include soup ( miso ) or salad. We’ve read that miso is
like the Earth – mostly water – but in this case
the broth, with tiny bits of snowy white tofu, has a fuller
but delicate flavor. The house salad is elevated by the ginger
dressing. Galanga is also known for its renditions of the traditional
Thai soups: tom yum soup ( $3.95 ) and tom kha ( with coconut
milk ). |
| Our companion
was happy with his order of the 5 Plus 9 ( $17.95 ) combo from
the sushi bar – five pieces of sushi, nine pieces of sashimi
and California rolls. All the fish, which included generous
portions of halibut, tuna and salmon, tasted fresh and good,
handsomely presented on a clear glass plate. |
| But we
ordered most of our meal from the Thai portion of the menu.
We savored the “Unbelievable Fish” – a seven-to-nine
ounce sea bass – grilled in a banana leaf that adds its
own subtle flavor to the mild, moist fish. It’s marinated
in a little pepper, butter and garlic, with a hint of the lemongrass,
which adds a whisper of its sour-lemonlike taste and fragrance,
and some galanga and kaffir leaves. There’s a choice of
two sauces with the fish: chili or peanut sauce. We chose the
chili, a chunky fragrant sauce that’s spicy but not mouth-numbing
hot. It adds excitement to the fish, but doesn’t overpower.
It’s served with a few stalks of fresh asparagus, broccoli
and chunks of carrots. |
| Panang
curry ( $10.95 ) is a favorite of ours and this is a wonderful
version. The pan-cooked curry sauce has a hint of coconut milk,
fragrant from a slice of Kaffir lime leaf and ground peanuts,
mixed with chicken, carrots, onions, red and green peppers. |
| Our young
dining companion blushed when ordering Three Boy Friends ( $15.95
), the name intended to draw a giggle from its large gay clientele.
The dish brings together slices of tender beef and chicken and
a few shrimp cooked with stir-fried veggies and stalks of broccoli
on the side. We got chili sauce instead of the peanut sauce
we requested, but the chili sauce is so good we didn’t
mind. |
| Even a
minor flaw displeases Rattanasongnoen, like the fact that patrons
have to contend with heat and mosquitoes ( though they have
citronella candles to keep them away ) if they dine outside
– still a good option on a busy night; there was a 45-minute
wait on a Saturday evening. |
| The food
and setting here offer a fine-dining experience – but
with reasonable prices and friendly and casual service. Shorts
and sandals are fine, kids are welcome. Rattanasongnoen often
walks around the dining room giving women roses or first-time
customers a gift of lovely chopsticks – it’s just
another way to make Galanga memorable. |
FINE DINING
Restaurant: GALANGA
Food: EXCEPTIONAL
Service: Pleasant, friendly.
Atmosphere: Chic, contemporary dining area inside, patio dining
outside.
Price range: $$. Most entrees $15.95; sushi and sashimi combination
dinners $13.95 to $ 60.95 ( for three ).
Address:
Telephone:
Hours: Lunch 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Monday to Friday; dinner
5 to 10:30 p.m. Monday to Wednesday, 5 to 11 p.m. Thursday to
Sunday.
Reservations: Parties of 6 or more.
Credit cards: All major.
Designated nonsmoking area: Smoking outside only.
Children’s menu: Yes, tempura and teriyaki.
Wheelchair access: Bathrooms equipped but space is tight.
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