True Taste of Thailand Hidden in Georgetown
By BRENDA BERTRAND
Updated 9:00 AM EST, Wed, Dec 24, 2008
Bangkok Bistro is a taste of Thailand, hidden on a residential street in Georgetown. The restaurant, nestled between small restaurants, faces a church and townhomes on Prospect Street and unassumingly peeks out to the madness of M Street. If you didn’t take a waft of its pungent sauces and chili spices, you would miss this Georgetown gem.
If you are craving the fail-safe pad Thai or a more adventurous him-ma-parn, the perfect combination of tender chicken and cashews, you will not be disappointed with Bangkok Bistro.
It is a restaurant of perks, you eat for free on your birthday (bring an I.D. for proof) and lunch specials featuring three to four course meals are less than $15.
Portions are generous and the appetizer list ventures a little beyond the typical spring rolls and satay. Try the kanom jeeb, if you are a crab and dumpling lover.
For a light lunch, the salads and soups at Bangkok are worth the visit. The Snow White soup, a top seller, has a generous amount of bamboo shoots, tofu and button mushrooms swimming in a pool of silky coconut and savory lemongrass soup. It is my ultimate favorite, and is large enough for a light lunch. For dessert, try the banana flambé, made tableside with just enough cognac to please any palette. If you are a sticky rice and mango fan, you may be disappointed as the Thai tradition lacks the needed moist and sweetness factor. For dinner, peruse the “Famous Dishes” section. Bangkok takes pride in creating contemporary recipes especially for fish and seafood – adding a tantalizing Thai twist. There is also a full bar featuring exotic Bangkok concoctions.
When the weather is warm, there is outdoor seating in front and in a back courtyard. Students and residents alike frequent this spot, where service is fast and customer service is friendly, so be wary of coming during the noon hour. Dinner hours are slow and steady.
The owner and manager are always at hand. Groups for parties and events are accommodated in a not-so-private but separate area in the back of the restaurant. I held a birthday party there and the service was amazing (ask for Dream – the waiter) and the privacy was sufficient.
Street parking is abundant and a parking garage is a block away. Avoid the traffic of Wisconsin and M of Georgetown, and venture to a taste of Thailand on Prospect Street at Bangkok Bistro. www.bangkokbistrodc.com.
On the “Brenda’s Best Buys” meter, Bangkok Bistro earns a hefty 4.5 out of 5.0.
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First Published: Dec 15, 2008 2:49 PM EST
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