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Saturday, March 07, 2015

Sweet, Sweet Tamarind

Ever since Boun Thai vanished, I've been searching for an Edmonton Thai restaurant that could match Boun Thai's amazing cashew chicken. As part of that ongoing quest I sampled Sweet Tamarind (15041 Stony Plain Road, Edmonton) today, and while I didn't put Tamarind's cashew chicken to the test - some of the ingredients on the menu put me off - I thoroughly enjoyed a small sample of the restaurant's other choices.

Sylvia and I split two appetizers: the chicken and beef satays and pandan chicken, which is chicken breast wrapped in banana leaves. For the main course we split the Jungle Beef over coconut rice.

Both varieties of satay were excellent, the meat tender, flavourful and scrumptious when dipped into Tamarind's excellent peanut sauce. The pandan chicken was exceptionally tender and juicy, though the banana leaves took some getting used to; they're rather tough and not particularly flavourful. Still, my body appreciates whatever vegetables I dump into it, and the leaves do complement the chicken in some vague, undefinable way.

The coconut rice was delicious - just sticky enough. The Jungle Beef, on the other hand, wasn't quite as exceptional as the rest of the meal - just your standard stir-fried beef with vegetables. Very good, but not as wolf-it-downable as the appetizers.

Next time I'll try the cashew chicken, even though it includes - ugh - mushrooms and cauliflower.

Sweet Tamarind leaves a solid first impression, and I'm eager to sample more of their dishes. Three plastic forks out of four.


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