Thai Passion

 
If you’re not careful, you can rapidly develop a habit for eating Thai food on a regular basis. Come to think of it, with restaurants like Thai Passion to indulge your culinary desires, it wouldn’t be such a bad idea.

Thai Passion stands like an oasis at 620 Congress Ave. at 7th St. in downtown. A serene and almost tranquil respite from the hubbub on the street. There are spicy accents and sauces to be sure, but every time I eat here, I leave feeling not only contented, but better.

I always begin with the Passion Rolls. These are vegetarian spring rolls is a paper thin wrapping that are deep fried and served with a sweet and sour sauce. They have a crisp delicateness about them I just adore.

Also love the Tod Mun. These are codfish cakes mixed with green beans and red curry. They top this dish with ground peanuts and serve with cucumbers. The flavor here is comforting. The full, even taste of the fish offset by the green beans and curry. It just works.

And you’ve got to try the Satay. Not many Thai restaurants get this skewered chicken dish right. They come out on the dry side far too often. But Thai Passion nails it. The chicken is moist and has a really light, pleasant taste. I recommend it.

For the entrees, try the Pud Thai, the granddaddy of all Thai noodle dishes.

Thai Passion stir fries the noodles with sweet radish, bean sprouts, and eggs. I prefer my Pud Thai mixed with shrimp, but you can also get beef, chicken, or tofu. A huge dish with a fulsome appeal, I am most often prone to order this for lunch. Very tasty. Another dish for the discerning palate is the Koong Pla, which at $12 is a bargain. I love the grilled shrimp flavored with lemon grass, lime, and Thai pepper. It’s served over a delicate array of romaine lettuce, onions and cucumber. And finally, I commend to you the Pla Sum Rod. This is a fried filet of red snapper with a devilishly clever and tasty concoction of tomatoes, onions, lime leaf, and mushrooms with bell peppers and basil in a tamarind sauce heavily accented with thai peppers. Does this dish have some zip to it? You bet! It also has an achingly lovely taste. The Thai culture knows how to cook fish. And Thai Passion is at the front lines of that skill.

Finish it off with a wonderful glass of Thai Ice Coffee, bid adieu to this culinary oasis, and then fight you way back onto the din of Congress Ave. But the time you spent at Thai Passion will resonate in your food memory banks.