By Brett Callwood
“Please, no substitutions,” the good people of Bowl Thai say online. “Our dishes are designed to capture the original Thai flavors.” That’s fair enough. It’s clear as soon as you enter the establishment that care is taken regarding every element of their presentation, ingredients and overall vibe.
The menu is brimming with temptations. The noodle soups and the Hop Pot soups all sound hearty and comforting on a winter’s evening (even if it is a California winter), while the curries, particularly the pineapple curry looks phenomenal
That said, we went with a healthy option when we visited, and opted for the very traditional sounding Thai Salad. That’s listed on the menu as chicken, mixed greens, tomato, cucumber, carrot, hard boiled egg, and Thai honey-mustard dressing.
A salad, even a simple salad like this one, can be elevated by the freshest of ingredients, the balance and, honestly, a good dressing. The healthiest of healthy tips is to hold the dressing, or have it on the side, due to the amount of sugar and cream that they often contain. But the yin to that yang is that, sometimes, we need a little of extra flavor.
Everything about this Thai Salad is immaculate. The greens are so fresh, vibrant and crisp that they alone are bursting with flavor. Here, they provide the perfect base for all of the other ingredients.
The tomato is juicy, sweet and tart in all of the right ways – not at all soggy and sad. The cucumber and carrot, too, are so alive that it seems like they might have been harvested yesterday. That combination of fresh vegetables (and, strictly speaking, fruits) is so wonderfully balanced, so fresh and tasty, that they really could be enjoyed as they are.
That said, it’s the final flourishes that take this salad up to the next level. The chicken breast is full of flavor – it’s not dried and tired as it often can be on similar salads. This poultry is moist and absolutely delicious.
Finally, there’s that Thai honey-mustard dressing, which has all of the sweet, mustardy yumminess of a regular honey-mustard dressing, with an extra bite. The salad isn’t drenched in dressing, thankfully. Rather, it’s drizzled over the top and the proportion is perfect.
It enhances and amplifies the other flavors rather than overpowering them, tying the whole dish together with expert precision.
A salad is just a salad. Until it isn’t.
Bowl Thai is located at 15490 S. Western Ave., Gardena 90249. Call 310-323-8882 and visit bowlthaikitchen.com.
