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About The daily Astorian. (Astoria, Or.) 1961-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 30, 2021)
COOKINGWITHCAMPICHE Siam Lotus Asian Kitchen and Bar Siam Lotus Asian Kitchen and Bar 12600 SW Crescent Suite 150, Beaverton A spicy, northern style Thai sausage at Siam Lotus. 503-718-7101 Plus a recipe for larb gai BY DAVID CAMPICHE On a good day, it is a 90 minute drive over the big hill and through tall evergreens to Beaverton, a radiating suburb of Portland. My mission was an eye appointment. As it turned out, the highlight was a lei- surely dinner at Siam Lotus, an attractive Thai restaurant with an impressive menu, attentive service and an eater’s delight. We were two couples. The highlight was the food: fragrant, attractive and delicious. Bet- ter than delicious. Indeed, this was the best Thai meal I have eaten in one heck of a long time. Maybe, ever. I love Asian cuisine. Both on the Long Beach Peninsula and in Astoria, we have a number of decent choices. Some of the entrees are wonderful. Some tend to be a bit predictable: Kung pow chicken, pad thai , spring rolls or General Tso’s, which I hap- pen to like when choices are more lim- ited. What I love to fi nd is more seasonal specialties: wild mushrooms, fresh hali- but, sea beans, salmon, littleneck clams or Asian garden greens, prepared, of course, in authentic styles including Chinese and Thai. Food from our waters and backyards. I fi nd the taste of local diners to be diverse and refi ned. They know the new styles and a vant g arde preparations. They talk food and cook well. From time to time, when they want great world cuisine , they drive to the urban centers, where there is always something new to be discovered. Siam Lotus off ers pretty plates, ample portions and time-perfected delicacies. The establishment’s chefs are masters with fast hands, perfect knife cuts and a gift for plat- ing. They know sauce. And the delight of all that is a rush to the senses. When a plate of larb g ai and y um a spar- agus arrived, resplendent with sauces, spicy and savory with perfectly rendered vegeta- bles and fresh marinated fruit, we dove in with a fury. The splendid shrimp and aspar- agus salad was both pretty and perfectly seasoned with just the right amount of spice and tamarind. I was once served the ground chicken delight — l arb g ai — in Ubud, Bali, a fi ne meal cooked lovingly in a small home kitchen with open windows to corral the evening breezes. Here, on the western outskirts of Port- Visit siamlotusoregon.com for hours and a menu land, I was not disappointed. At Siam Lotus, our entrées included deep fried pork shanks, barbecue duck with additions of coconut milk, red curry, pineapple and cherry toma- toes, and of course, kaffi r lime and sweet basil leaves. There was a spicy, n orthern style Thai sausage, and of course, the tradi- tional bowl of rice complemented the meal. Below is a recipe from Ayu, our dear friend from Bali. She is a U.S. citizen living with her lovely family in Spokane. Larb g ai Ingredients: • 2 tablespoons roasted rice powder. You can buy this or make it by toasting uncooked rice on a pan until golden and grinding it using a pestle. • 16 ounces fi nely chopped grilled chicken white or dark meat • ½ teaspoon chili fl akes • 4 teaspoons fi sh sauce • 5 teaspoons lime juice • ¼ cup fi nely chopped red onions David Campiche • 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro • 2 tablespoons thinly sliced scallions • 2 tablespoons fi nely chopped lemongrass • 1 tablespoon Thai soy sauce • Mint leaves (garnish) • Romaine lettuce leaves (to serve) • Thai basil (garnish) • Bean sprouts (to serve) Preparation: Grill the chicken and fi nely chop. Trans- fer to mixing bowl along with onions, scal- lions, cilantro, rice powder and chili fl akes. In a smaller bowl mix all of the spices left and slowly pour and mix into the bowl of dry ingredients. Serve on the r omaine leaves with the mint and basil garnish. Serve with: • 1/2 cup crushed peanuts • Eight medium lettuce leaves, washed and chilled • Basil and mint garnish • Sticky rice Coastal Living LOWE COLUM R BI BOWL A NOW OPEN 826 Marine Dr. Astoria 503-325-3321 LOWER COLUM BIA BOWL SAFE, SANITIZED, READY TO ROLL Bowling is Back! $1 OFF WEDNESDAYS • • • • 12 // COASTWEEKEND.COM Take $1 off: Shoe rental Every Game Fountain Sodas Adult Beverages ADVERTISE YOUR BUSINESS HERE! Call us at 503-325-3211 to learn more