A heaping helping of news & reviews from DFW’s dining scene.
Sea Siam
On the surface, Sea Siam would appear to be nothing more than another small mom-and-pop restaurant tucked into a shopping center. It’s an understated storefront next to a supermarket, with glass-covered tables and a few natural plant sprigs for decor. But readers wrote in raving about the place; one called it the best Thai she’d ever had.
She may well be right. Sea Siam is certainly a worthy contender for best Thai around, with its sharp, clean flavors and careful — even loving — preparation. For that, you can thank Eddie and Jam Chathong, who moved here from California and opened the place in February. Eddie, a former lawyer, is in the kitchen; lovely Jam is hostess and manager.
Their recipes come from Jam’s family; that, combined with their California-style obsession with freshness, elevates their Thai standards into something really special. They also offer Chinese-style dishes such as stir-fried shrimp with snow peas ($8.95) or cashew chicken ($7.95), but the quality of the ingredients and the preparation are so terrific, you’ll never go back to the old quick-Chinese haunt.
Beef satay ($5.95) — strips of meat threaded onto a skewer and grilled — came four to an order, with choice of chicken or beef. The meat had been basted in a curry marinade that lent a complex, almost Indian flavor. Even something as basic as the accompanying peanut sauce was unique: Infused with a bit of chile, it had a nice warming heat and a pleasurably creamy texture.
Pad Thai ($6.95) is the most common of Thai dishes, but there was nothing common about the one at Sea Siam. Its stir-fry of rice noodles with bean sprouts, onion, chicken and chopped shrimp had distinct notes rather than the muddled flavor found in less accomplished renditions. The bean sprouts were added later so they still held some body to contrast with the softer noodles.
The Chathongs smartly combine true-blue Thai flavors with dishes that will appeal to good old American palates. Among the half-dozen curry dishes is the crowd-pleasing Musman curry ($6.95), an exotic remodel of meat and potatoes. They do chicken wings ($5.95), but these are marinated in garlic and ginger and served with an addictive sweet-and-sour plum sauce. Their collection of fried rice dishes includes one made with real crab ($9.95) and, in true California form, they offer white or brown rice.
Entrees came with soup and a small, bright salad; soups can also be ordered in a "pot" as a full entree. The hot-and-sour soup ($3.95, $6.95 for a pot) would be a major revelation to anyone accustomed to the more pedestrian Chinese version that’s usually thickened with cornstarch. This was more of a lemon-grass soup, with pieces of fresh lemon-grass stalk that added incomparable flavor and, though stiff, were also fun to chew on. The broth possessed just enough chile oil to get the lips smacking without igniting the mouth entirely. Quite nice.
Sea Siam does not serve alcohol but they welcome BYOB customers; you can expect Jam to handle your wine bottle as gracefully as she does everything else.
Cuisine: Thai
Essentials: Major credit cards accepted, BYOB, smoke-free, wheelchair-accessible
Entree cost: $5.95-$12.95 per serving
Signature dish: Pad Thai
Good to know: There are Chinese dishes, too.
This review originally appeared in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram on Friday, Sept. 7, 2007.
