Curious about Gang Tai Pla at Pam Real Thai

[small h]

It's fermented fish kidney, and it intrigues me. I am generally a fan of (for want of a better term) alterna-seafood. Ankimo, sea cucumber, uni, percebes, etc. And I'm going to Pam Real on Saturday. If anyone's had this dish, I'd love to hear about it.

[small h]

So, now I know. It is soupy and very spicy. My threshold for heat isn't especially high, so it took me a good half hour and an extra plate of rice to finish the bowl. If there were fermented fish kidneys, I couldn't identify them. Perhaps they were the shreds of brownish something lurking at the bottom. The dish also contained shrimp, bamboo shoots, long beans and quartered small green eggplants (but no lime leaves, although they are listed in the menu description). It was pretty good, and I think anyone who likes fiery food would enjoy it.

[Simon]

nice description...i'll give it a try sometime

[robertgoulet]

I've had this dish, and have a very high tolerance for heat, but found it to be unsatisfying. It is extraordinarily spicy, but I think at the expense of other flavors.

[small h]

Since this is the only time I've ordered this dish, I can't say if it was a good or bad preparation - just that I liked it. I didn't think the heat drowned out everything else. I could certainly taste the eggplant (although the shrimp got a little lost). And the broth had a nice funkiness to it. I'm still wondering whether there were actual fish kidneys in there. Did you notice any?

[robertgoulet]

I may be wrong, but I think the fermented fish kidneys are part of the paste that makes up the curry.

Maybe I didn't have a great batch, or they really went overboard on the heat. I couldn't taste much of anything.

[Simon]

i went there a few days ago...but i wasn't in the mood for fish kidney, so i got a somdam and a Southern-style chicken curry...somdam was incredibly spicy (with two different varieties of chopped fresh chilies in it) and was prepared more or less just as i'd ordered it (a rarity in any borough in NY)...the Southern-style curry was too salty but it had a nice bitter coriander taste to it...i was surprisingly happy with my meal...