Revisiting an old friend
Chandra’s specialties change, but quality’s a constant
12/17/2009
Thai restaurants have proliferated like weeds in Pasadena since the first one opened some 30 years ago. Some are storefront; some are chic. Some serve only the basics; others specialize in elegant dishes that commoners in Thailand rarely see. Most are, unfortunately, interchangeable, and their disappearance would hardly be noticed.
But there are some — Saladang and its sister, Song, City Thai, President, Suriya, to name a few — that truly deserve our attention and patronage. Chandra is definitely among this select group. It’s been in business for over a decade, having taken an unprepossessing location on the east side of Arroyo Parkway that, once upon a time, was occupied by Sun T. Lok, Pasadena’s sole provider of full-service dim sum, from whose demise I have still not recovered.
Chandra, I must admit, is far better than Sun T. Lok ever was, although, if it weren’t there, I could get excellent Thai food a block away at Saladang, whereas I now have to travel to Arcadia or Monterey Park to get decent cha shu bao and har gow. But that’s a different story. What is important is Chandra’s quality and the charm of its stylishly decorated (burgundy, pewter and art-deco glass block) interior and solicitous servers.
I have to admit it’s been a long time since I’ve visited Chandra, and I feel a little guilty at the slight. But it’s holiday season, the time to reacquaint oneself with distant loved ones and long-lost friends. So last night, my husband and I drove over to see how the restaurant’s been doing since we last touched base and were pleased to see she’s been holding up well in our absence, with plenty of other patrons to keep her company.
The dish that caught our eye and taste buds on our first visit to Chandra way back in the last century, a salad called Sexy Catfish and described as “puffy crisp catfish flakes on a bed of salad with mango (seasonal) or green apple salsa,” was inexplicably gone. I’ve never forgotten the rich flavor and texture of the tiny chewy frizzles of fish with their colorful, fruity underpinnings, and began to worry that the more interesting menu items might have been culled.
Not to worry, however. We skipped to another salad with a catchy title: Naked Killer ($9.50). The subtext told us it was shrimp lightly grilled to perfection, seasoned with lemongrass, mint leaves and spicy lime sauce. We warned our server that we order dishes with asterisks because we really like spicy food. She was somewhat leery, but reported our tastes to the kitchen. When we got the salad, it lived up to its name; the spicing was just right for us and the dish was, indeed, a killer: tender prawns, tangy dressing, happy us.
We ordered another starter, Golden Dragon ($7.95), which the menu described as “shrimp covered with seasoned ground chicken and silver noodles, rolled in egg noodles deep-fried to a crisp, served with special plum sauce with crushed peanuts.” Shrimp — check, chicken — noodles — check, crisp — check, plum sauce with peanuts — check, even happier us — check!
One complaint — no skewer and no knife meant picking up the piping hot and very large bundles with our hands or spearing them with a fork — a bit klutzy to consume, but very satisfying.
We ordered a cauldron of tom kah kai ($7.50), the chicken-coconut soup usually flavored with lemongrass. Surprisingly enough, although the orange-hued broth was rich and flavorful, it had nary a hint of coconut milk and was studded with mushrooms and carrots. In looking over the menu, we checked out the description for tom yum kai (similar, but with veggies and without coconut milk) and asked the waitress if we’d erred. She assured us we hadn’t (but we’re not sure we believe her).
Chandra specializes in seafood. We’ve sometimes gotten shrimp and scallops in yellow curry with mushrooms, onions, snow peas and scallions ($12.95). Despite the more pedestrian name, this dish is every bit as good as killers and dragons. But last night, we decided to order straight shrimp with mint leaves and chili ($8.95) instead. As a stir-fry, it came lightly sauced, with basil, onion and unadvertised green pepper. Again, the prep was hot enough for our taste, but we had pre-specified our preference.
We tried two more items: pad prik king (green beans and pork sautéed in a spicy chili paste - $7.95) and panang (chicken in a red curry gravy thickened with coconut milk, $6.95). Both were fine, and we have plenty left for a reprise at home this evening. (Perfect since, as I write this, it’s pouring.) Instead of the spicy fried rice ($6.95), mixed with mint, green chili, onion and meat, which we’ve enjoyed in the past, we opted for plain ($3) to bed down our entrees.
A final word: don’t shun Chandra if you prefer kinder, gentler food. There’s something for everyone among the hundred or so choices. On coming visits, I’m planning to try the grilled pork ribs in honey barbecue sauce ($8.50), pad Thai noodles ($6.95), crispy soft-shell crabs with garlic ($14.95), Chilean sea bass with tamarind sauce ($15.50) and/or whole fried catfish ($17.95). Shiro and Parkway Grill, watch out!
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