Newspaper Page Text
THE HOUSTON HOME JOURNAL
Let’s eat out
A new HHJ weekly feature
spotlighting local restaurants
By CHARLOTTE PERKINS
HHJ Lifestyle Editor
Ladda Thai is a small res
taurant, tucked away in a
strip mall at 1746 Watson
Blvd. You may have to hunt
for it, but it’s worth the
hunt. I know because I went
there and tried some dishes
that were totally new (to
me) and very good. I’ll be
going back.
Tom Sarrtsud welcomed
me to his restaurant, and
was ready to sit down and
talk about a cuisine I was
only slightly familiar with.
He could be the ambassador
-Ik 4 ** *J\ \ '"■: «■
m ~ , fi * ' _.-i
Jgm
x ' i %L> / in&*k
wmmL ■ j
Ladda Thai offers flavor
and freshness
for Thailand when it comes
to promoting the food of his
native land.
Tom and his wife Laddavan
were born and grew up in
Bangkok and take pride in
their country’s famous cui
sine, but they’re also work
ing hard to achieve their
own version of the American
dream. Their three chil
dren were born in this coun
try, and the family lived for
ten years in New York City,
where Tom worked as a chef,
cooking all kinds of Amerian
food, before they took a
chance on offering authentic
Thai food in Warner Robins.
They’ve been in business
here for three years now,
Try fillo shell appetizers or desserts at your next party
Special to the HHJ
Have you ever peeked into
the freezer section at the
grocery store and wondered
what you could fill those
tiny “fillo” shells with? Here
are some tempting appetiz
ers and tiny desserts from
the kitchens of Athens Fillo
Shells. Creative cooks will
probably come up with ideas
of their own, too. These tiny
pastries are good for parties
and buffet dinners.
Chickbv and pineapple
3 tablespoons find
diced canned pineapple
2 tablespoons fine diced
red bell pepper
2 teaspoons minced red
onion
2 teaspoons chopped
fresh cilantro
1 teaspoon lime juice
1/2 teaspoon lime zest
1/2 teaspoon minced gar
lic
1 teaspoon vegetable oil
1/2 cup small diced
chicken breast
Dash of salt and pepper
15 Athens Mini Fillo
Shells (1 box)
To make pineapple salsa,
in a small bowl, combine
pineapple, pepper, onion,
cilantro, lime juice, lime zest,
and garlic. Chill for 1 hour.
In a small skillet, heat oil
and saute chicken 5-7 min
utes until fully cooked. Chill
for 1 hour. Combine pine
apple salsa and chicken. Mix
lightly. Add salt and pepper.
Spoon 1 rounded teaspoon of
filling into each Fillo Shell.
Serve immediately. Makes
15 appetizers
building a loyal following
that includes military per
sonnel who have spent time
in Thailand and already
know why this small Eastern
country (once known as
Siam) is known world wide
for its food.
Tom Sarrtsud says that
Thai food is “unique, herbal,
healthy and delicious.”
“Thai people,” he adds,
“are known for our love of
spices and hot peppers, but
we cater to our customer’s
wishes.”
Because each dish is made
fresh with fresh ingredients,
after the customer orders,
. v »
I"'^
Shrimp Dujonaise
1/3 cup light mayon
naise
2 tablespoons Dijon mus
tard
1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
4 oz. fresh asparagus
stalks (about 5)
15 Athens® Mini Fillo
Shells (1 box)
15 cooked shrimp (70/90
ct.)
To make dijonnaise dress
ing, in a small bowl, com
bine mayonnaise, mustard,
lemon zest and lemon juice.
Steam asparagus. Cut off
tips (reserve for garnish) and
cut remaining stalk into 1/4
inch slices. Toss asparagus
slices with half of Dijonnaise
dressing. Spoon 1 teaspoon
asparagus pieces into each
Fillo Shell. Garnish with 1/2
teaspoon of Dijonnaise, 1
shrimp and 1 asparagus tip.
Serve immediately. Makes
15 Appetizers
Mozzarella, Cucumbbi,
Tomato appetizbw
1/4 cup tomatoes, seed
ed and diced
1/4 cup fresh mozzarella,
small diced
2 Tbsp. cucumber, small
diced
2 tsp. extra virgin olive
oil
1 tsp. red wine vinegar
Salt and pepper to taste
15 Athens Mini Fillo
Shells (1 package)
15 small basil leaves
In a small bowl, combine
tomatoes, cheese, cucumber,
oil, vinegar; salt and pepper.
Chill for 1 hour. Line each
Fillo shell with one whole
basil leaf and spoon 1 round-
Warner Robins res
taurant specializes in
the hot and spicy cui
sine of Thailand, but
will cater to customers
who want something
milder.
the servings can be complete
ly pepper-free or super-spicy,
depending on the custom
er’s preference, and there
are some familiar American
dishes on the menu for those
in a group who are too timid
to try something like the
notable “Number 26,” Pad-
Bai-K-Prow Chicken, which
is stir fried with garlic, chili
pepper and basil.
I had the “medium spicy”
Number 26 which was very
spicy indeed by Middle
Georgia terms. .
This basil-based dish (you
can also get it made with
beef) was wonderful, with a
slight hot pepper aftershock
to the tastebuds. I liked it,
but keep in mind that “medi
um” at Ladda Thai, is more
or less like “sizzling” some
where else. I don’t think I’d
dare go up a notch on the
pepper scale.
The heat was nicely off
set by a generous help
ing of jasmine rice, which
the Sarrtsuds import from
Thailand.
A word on the rice: The
rice at Ladda Thai isn’t just
something to put the spicy
stuff on. It’s a treat all by
itself. I tried both the jas
mine rice (which is possibly
the best rice I’ve ever eaten,
and actually has a flavor of
its own!) and also the “Sticky
rice” which is traditionally
held in the hands and used
to scoop up sauces. It’s a
slightly sweet rice that real-
ed tsp. filling into each Fillo
shell. Makes 15 Appetizers
Strawbkries Romanoff
1/2 cup strawberries
1 tablespoon cold water
1/2 teaspoon unflavored
gelatin
1 tablespoon Grand
Marnier
1/4 teaspoon orange zest
1/3 cup heavy whipping
cream
1 tablespoon powdered
sugar
15 Athens Mini Fillo
Shells (1 box)
4 fresh strawberries,
quartered, for garnish
In a food processor, puree
strawberries until smooth.
In a small pan, combine
water and gelatin and let
soften for 1 minute. Stir
over low heat until gelatin is
dissolved. In another small
bowl, combine the straw
berries, Grand Marnier and
orange zest. Mix lightly.
Slowly stir in the gelatin
mixture. Chill for 1 hour. In
a chilled small bowl, com
bine the heavy cream and
powdered sugar. Whip to full
volume. Spoon or pipe 1 tea
spoon of whipped cream into
each Fillo Shell. Spoon 1
teaspoon of strawberry fill
ing into each Fillo Shell.
Top with whipped cream.
Garnish with strawberry
quarters. Serve immediately.
Makes 15 Desserts
Cappucwo Fluff
1/3 cup reduced fat
ricotta cheese
2 tablespoons cappuc
cino dry beverage mix
1/3 cup marshmallow
creme
FOOD
.
iff
fSjfSLb 1 I ■ ym A
i Ty|fc UgHßr 94'^'. I | - 1 jm
E. w 1# BMM MWH4I it ¥ I inf
w -Wi mmgm -jg| gJ f I ia AL ■
mm-- *f/'
Wt ¥ \ w ' j
mBBm- m m ’ m. far# mmm Mm
J§-
r Jm
-
m -i
r|pr rx&mßfcfwmL $&-WS. dHBm
4F .#
wr mm ai / HPB
wEm
■ I
Ladda Thai is a family business, with everyone pitching in. From left, Noppawan Benne**
a cousin of the Sarrtsuds, MadheeSarrtsud, Laddavan Sarrtsud, whose husband nameu
his restaurant in her honro, Jiin Sarrtsud, and Tom Sarrtsud.
ly is sticky and unlike any
rice I’ve ever tasted. Again,
I tried it and I liked it.
The menu is varied, offer
ing quite a lot of choices
for a small restaurant: Tom
yum-Koog, a spicy shrimp
soup with lemongrass and
lime juice, Satay chicken,
a famous dish made with
grilled chicken and a Thai
peanut sauce, spring rolls,
which are a smaller, crisper
version of egg rolls, a wide
variety of salads made with
fresh local vegetables and
a variety of Thai noodles,
curry and stir-dishes.
Thai cooking includes
many elements of Chinese
cooking, but the range of
3 tablespoons fat free,
non dairy whipped top
ping
15 Athens Mini Fillo
Shells (1 box)
Chocolate covered cof
fee beans or cinnamon,
for garnish
In a small bowl, combine
ricotta cheese, cappuccino
mix and marshmallow creme.
Fold in the whipped topping.
Spoon or pipe 2 teaspoons of
filling into each fillo shell.
Garnish with chocolate cov
ered coffee bean or dust with
cinnamon. Serve immediate
ly. Makes 15 Desserts
Fresh cut to order:
•RIBEYES
•T-BONES
•STRIPS
DISCOUNT AVAURBU UNTII IUIY 4TH’ (
1321 Green Street • Warner Robins. GA 31093
478-918-0888
Rt. I. Box 1145 • Cochran. GA 31014
478-934-7518
flavors is entirely different,
with lots of garlic, lime juice,
ginger, scallions and lemon
grass, along with the famous
hot peppers. Vegetarians
will be in heaven with the
high-protein, no-meat dishes
that include tofu.
Tom enjoys explaining the
dishes, and takes pride in
being able to adapt to differ
ent customer requirements.
Finally, there’s a dessert
that’s worth going to Ladda
Thai for all by itself. That’s
Tom’s special Fried Ice
Cream.
In a word, it’s unbeliev
able. Pie-shaped wedges of
vanilla ice cream are dipped
into a thin batter and fried
Chocolate Dipped
Strawberries
15 Athens Mini Fillo
Shells (1 package)
15 whole strawberries
1/2 cup prepared light
whipped topping
1/3 cup semi sweet choc
olate chips
1 teaspoon solid white
shortening
Tip: For added crispness,
heat Athens Mini Fillo
Shells in oven prior to fill
ing. Remove mini shells
from package. Place on
baking sheet. Bake in pre
heated 350°F oven for 3 to
Fresh Frozen Vegetables Available!
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 21, 2006
quickly without melting
inside. This forms a crisp
crust. The slices are served
with a syrup made of boiled
down fresh strawberries,
sugar and cinnamon. The
contrast of flavors and tex
tures is out of this world.
Try it. You’ll love it.
Lunch is from 11 to 2, and
dinner from 5-9 Mondays
through Saturdays. You can
order take-out or you can
eat in a restaurant charm
ingly decorated Thai-style.
No reservations are neces
sary. There’s Thai beer on
the menu.
Call Tom Sarrtsud at 329-
1200 for information or
directions.
5 minutes. Allow shells to
cool before filling. Wash and
hull strawberries. In a small
microwave safe container,
place shortening and choc
olate chips. Cover loosely.
Melt in microwave on medi
um power (about 1 min
ute). Stir well to blend. Dip
strawberries in the melted
chocolate topping. Place in
refrigerator to harden until
ready to serve. To assemble,
place 2 teaspoons Whipped
Topping into Athens Mini
Shell. Add Chocolate Dipped
Strawberry (with chocolate
end up). Serve immediately.
Yield: 15 mini shell desserts
5C