I've eaten at Dok Bua, and I can't stop!!
So, I was gonnah hold back, because,
1) I'm selfish, and I don't want my favorite places overrun, and
2) I've posted about this place a bunch of times in the past, but...
...I've eaten at Dok Bua three times in the past week, and I can't stop! Help me before I eat again!
I know this store-front hole-in-the-wall, (411 Harvard St., Brookline) is a board favorite, and certainly a favorite of mine, but they've been on a serious uphill trend lately..I suspect a new chef, but I can't say for sure. I'd like to think it's my improved grasp(ha!) of Thai ordering, but I kinda doubt that..The menu has expanded, the ingredients seem fresher and more caringly cooked than before, while still maintaining the "on the edge" quality of just-barely-under-control enthusiasm of the spicing here.
Lusting for strong flavors after my recent Cambodian introduction, I returned here to compare a few things...I had gone to bat for the Squid salad here, saying that it was even better than the stellar version at Floating Rock..Three out of three chowhounds agreed; there were bigger chunks of tender squid here, more of them, and there was a heat level, that, while searing, didn't mask the complexity of the spices...Just the basic squid, purple onion, celery, basil and peppers, but man, oh man, they combined for a sum larger than it's parts...Enough for a meal, with rice, for a light eater.
We also tried their new vegetable dumplings; big, floppy, steamed rice-noodle raviolis with a savory filling. I am embarrassed to admit I can't identify the ingredients, because I was busy using them as a vehicle for transporting HUGE amounts of the excellent garlic and fish sauce condiment to my greedy mouth. (Make sure you get a tray with all 6 home-made condiments, they are outstanding.) I tried to get them again the next time I went, but my companions had EATEN them before I could stake a claim!
As a non-noodle person, I have also developed a surprising obsession for the Pad Kee Mao here. I subbed shrimp for the beef or chicken, and the plate was so full of plump, juicy prawns, and generous amounts of eggplant and baby corns, I almost thought it wasn't what we ordered, til I noticed there were some noodles hiding in there, too....Wide, flat rice papardelle, in a searing , light sauce...I have criticized the Pad Thai here, as being too gloppy and sweet, but these were perfect; chewy and spicy both times we ordered them. One companion found them too hot; so they HAD to be good!
Papaya Salad has gone uphill, fresh, flavorful, bright and peanuty...My non-hound friend adored it; greedily asked for more, and didn't even beg for any "real salad dressing"...I was so proud of him, I graciously allowed him to order a curry, without making fun of him..In fact, I suggested one another friend had ordered on a previous visit. Fresh Mango Curry wowed the senses, first with the colors of summer that it captures, then with the crisply handled vegetables....A beautiful plate of softly glowing orange, bright green, and dark purple, highlited by the pale pink of the shrimp...Chunks of fresh mango, the thin, purple skin on the eggplant, bright green beans, heaps of barely wilted basil. The curry so thin that it barely clung to the vegetables, and surrounded them on the plate. Beauty was more than skin deep, and the taste did not dissapoint...Another visit brought a duck curry that similarly delighted the diners, who spoke excitedly of the duck (You have to get that one off the board list behind the counter...)
Also off that menu is the Thai-style Seafood Soup, which I've been leaning toward in this cold weather; the only time of year I can eat it without sweating , altho companions say it turns my face bright pink. The priciest thing on the menu, at $13.95, but a well-balanced mix of flavors in a clear broth; big slices of galangal, tamarind and lots of green herbs. They wouldn't tell me more.
Cooked in this were chunks of fin fish, green lip mussels, shrimp, clams and calamari..Served with yet another cilantro-garlic relish on the side, for dipping the fish; which it really didn't need, the fish were so infused by the spice of the soup...This is a multiple-Kleenex bowl...
I have also ordered the Thai Style grilled fish, my "Usual". It's become unusually good, a whole red-snapper, crispier on the outside, and moister on the inside than in the past...The grill seems hotter, and whoever was manning it flipped that fish off at the right moment...A plainer dish, this one depends on the green chili and fish sauce dip that accompanies it.
And speaking of "HOT", that's how we ordered everything, Thai Spicy...I've been told to add, "Pet,pet", the Thai thanslation...It must be working; everytime I leave, the glow follows me for hours, as I plan my next visit.
>>>Caveat for first time visitors- DON"T get the lunch or dinner specials, the ones that you order by #'s 1-10, and come with soup and side orders. Yeah, they're a great deal, but amazingly dull and boring, nothing to do with the greatness of this place. And don't believe the waitstaff when they tell you everything is on the menus they hand you, get up and look at the listings behind the shaved ice counter.... :)
galleygirl
Dec 09, 2002 01:11PM
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Okay so we finished the vegetable dumplings before you got there. I had all I could do to hold off the other one and one half diners from ordering more and finishing everything before you arrived. You forgot to mention the mussels steamed in Thai spice.
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I did forget those mussels! Big green lipped ones, steamed in a clay pot with a ton of basil...A nice counterpoint to all the heat. I'm already planning to try the ones in chili sauce with green beans, next time.
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"Lusting for strong flavors after my recent Cambodian introduction, I returned here to compare a few things...I had gone to bat for the Squid salad here, saying that it was even better than the stellar version at Floating Rock..Three out of three chowhounds agreed; there were bigger chunks of tender squid here, more of them, and there was a heat level, that, while searing, didn't mask the complexity of the spices...Just the basic squid, purple onion, celery, basil and peppers, but man, oh man, they combined for a sum larger than it's parts."
I am looking forward to trying the Dok Bua squid salad again. It sounds amazing. Unfortunately, the version I had there several months ago didn't resemble your description at all. Very few pices of squid, very heavy handed heat which DID mask ALL other flavors, and oddly, limp tomato slices (where did those come from?) and leafs of lettuce. Certainly nowhere near as good as Floating Rock's squid salad last night!
Based on your high ratings, however, I am confident that they had an off-day for their squid salad on my my visit. I have enjoyed many other dishes at Dok Bua. I look forward to finding out for myself very soon just how good their squid salad can be.
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Anybody up for another chowhound visit there in the very near future? GG, can we twist your arm to attend and share your experienced insights ? ;)
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Geez, it's been 5 days since my last visit; I'm going thru withdrawal! 9Lives and I are considering a trip this week, email me...And, of course, anyone else who'd like to join us.
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Hey, not that Floating Rock's squid salad is anything to sneeze at; I'd go back there in a second... :)
I have,however, always had good luck with the squid at Dok Bua, but like I said, something good is going on in that kitchen.. We thought of recommending it to you when we were there!
The squid was, tho, served on a little lettuce; I forgot that part.
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Mmmm. Now I'm having a Dok Bua Jones. They've been a special favorite of mine and they deliver in Brookline! Though most of the tasty treats described don't sound like good candidates for delivery...
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re: not suitable for takeout/delivery, don't be so sure.... I've driven back to Somerville with that grilled snapper in my car. I'm sure it's better hot out of the kitchen, but I've devoured it 30 minutes later and it's still pretty damned good.
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My friend and I had made plans to go here a couple hours before these posts. It was either that or the place that took over Ducky Wok but he doesn't like fish oriented restaurants (these difficult vegans). Last nite we split the veggie dumplings and Thai pancake which were good and priced great at $3.50 and $2.95. He had the special tofu dish which looked just like sliced beef. I'd never seen tofu look like that before. I was torn between a shrimp and fried noodle special or the crispy catfish from their big photo album menu. The girl said lots of people order the catfish so I went with that but wondered if lots of people except me knew it came with tons of bones. I didn't really pay attention at first and dug in then realized I was getting an extra calcium dose. It was easy enough to pick around but the more you studied it, the more it had that ugly catfish look to it. I definitely would have gone with the shrimp if I had known. Good spiciness, lots of rice came with it, friendly service and good deals at $6.95 and 8.95.
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Hey Joanie, that catfish is high on my list to try out...Besides the bones, (which is pretty much a given in Thai and Vietnamese restaurants), how was it prepared? Deep-fried, grilled, sauteed? Sometimes I don't trust those pictures...And what kind of sauce?
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It was very fried and came in chunks. THe dish also had little green beans, peppers, something stringy, and a fairly spicy brown sauce (didn't get the sweats and chills like I've gotten with Thai a few times lately which is fine by me). Let me know if you feel like the ugly catfish is smiling back at you when you eat it.
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Sounds like Fluffy catfish, which is actually broiled, then fried, and usually mixed with something else, often a salad. I really don't have a problem with the ugly catfish thing, because I cook them whole at home, too...[Of course, many people think my kitchen is a scary place :) ]
The catfish found in Vietnamese, Thai and Cambodian places are different than the ones we're used to getting those huge fillets from, closer to the ones you get pan-fried whole in the Midwest. I've only seen them boned for some salads, where it didn't matter if the meat was in teeny bits..
Just as a warning, all their whole fish come with heads...And if you get the special grilled giant prawns, they've still got heads and legs! But I haven't seen those on the menu since the summer.
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Catfish ugly? I used to have to take apart Monkfish at work (Hang on a hook, clean, and break down liver/ filets/etc.)..now that is truly a grotesque species of aquatic delicacy
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Surely, they're made that ugly to keep us away from the delicacy of that liver!
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Went tonite, a fellow hound with us said it was as good as Lotus of Siam. We had the grilled whole giant prawns. While they were fun to see, and okay, they were frozen. Definitely better to get the grilled whole snapper, which is fresh, and has the same grilled, charred smokiness, which we loved, but better texture.
Squid Salad; searingly fabulous!
Veggie Dumplings; Love'm!
Thai Seafood Soup; Four Thumbs up, and four tissues.. (And a very pink face on galleygirl)
Chicken Larb; Tears rolling down Rubee's cheeks.. Altho she said the heat faded, then she had another bite..and the tears started again..
Crispy Duck w/chili sauce; Big chunks of boneless duck, roasted, topped with batter, then fried? or grilled? They wolfed it down, and I tried the chili sauce, full of vegetable chunks, I ended up scooping it up on fresh veggies.
Pad Ki Mow; The best chow-foon you could eat, not goopy, not oily; HOT!
This may become a weekly institution.... :)
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Don't poke fun of the heads (vbg).
But seriously, there's good meat in there -- firm textured cheeks, the supple bit at the back of the head (my favorite) and the gelantinous eyeballs, often considered the best part of the fish (spit out the hard core).
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