eaten! @kin shop

Harold Dieterle could do no wrong in my eyes.  That was until I ate at Kin Shop.

When I left the restaurant after eating there a few weeks ago (which was maybe a week or so after its opening), I was almost dreading this post.  I knew I had to write it because well, it’s Harold.  And he did Thai.  But in the pit of my stomach, I could feel nothing but mediocre words and moderate songs of praise brewing (amidst all the squid ink soup and spicy duck laab).

I thought of all the hours he must have spent laboring over that menu, designing that dining room, planning that kitchen…and how just a quick meal and a few words could render all of that for naught.  Well, in my eyes at least.

Kin Shop | Wishful Thai thinking

I was dining with Steph and Carrie that night, so I knew we were in for a great spread.  Us Hong Kong girls know how to eat.

But first I want to say a quick word about the decor.  We all noticed it was a little outdated, a little “blah” for lack of a better word.  There wasn’t much of an Asian theme going on, and yet it didn’t accommodate by being sophisticated or wordly either.  It was just odd shades of washed out teal and lime boards on bare white walls…

OK, the food.  We started with the squid ink soup….

It was daunting at first, but actually tasted quite good.  It was mildly salty, earthy and creamy even.  Peppered with bits of squid, it was a pleasant enough start.  But not particularly Thai in my eyes.

Next came the duck laab salad…

In a review I had previously read, this was supposed to be the most Thai dish on the menu.  It didn’t look like much, but boy did the duck pack a punch! It was as spicy as any green chili I’ve eaten in Thailand.  The crunchy green beans, the sweet onions and the spicy, spicy duck was tasty…until I broke a sweat!

Next app, roasted bone marrow…

Bone marrow can never really go wrong because of it’s fatty goodness.  But these bones were a little skimpy and for $14, I was hoping to get a little more out of them.  What little I tasted was rich enough to melt in my mouth, however, which is always a good thing.

Now on to the main courses.  We got the pan fried crab noodles…

Nothing was very “Thai” about this dish to me.  It was rich in Asian umami flavors, but lacked that delicious lime, basil and lemongrass aftertaste that I love about Thai food.  The celebration of Thai ingredients was lacking int his dish.  Not what I was expecting from Harold.

My choice was the roasted duck breast with curry sauce and roti…

The roti was actually amazing.  If this was made in house, then I’m impressed.  But I’m not sure I remember when roti was served in Thailand?  Are we in Malaysia now?  Regardless of geography, the duck was succulent and tender – very well cooked.  The skin wasn’t too overpowering (darn?) and the accompaniments were a nice refreshing touch (shredded green mango, fresh basil).

OK, so Harold showed up this time.  But was it the wrong time?  I almost wanted to have an unapologetic bowl of hot coconut Thai curry with fatty pieces of duck bobbing around just waiting to be scooped up and eaten with some freshly steamed white rice.

Alas, unexpected refinement is not always a good thing.

Dessert wasn’t looking too appetizing (it was mostly different sherbets), but we decided to try the steamed passion fruit pudding with buttermilk sherbet just to round out the meal …

Passionfruit is such a deliciously tropical treat that I wasn’t holding my breath for an authentic taste here.  I’m glad I didn’t.  It was more sugary than sweet and almost too tangy and tart than the fruit itself.   The cashew brittle was the highlight for me.

All in all, it was a rather ordinary meal.  None of the dishes we ordered were amazing.  And I couldn’t tell if Harold was going for authenticity or a nouveau/modern interpretation.  At the duck laab I was hopeful for a damn good attempt at a real Thai meal (hot flashes and all).  But at the roasted duck I was seeing a more refined, conceptual attempt.  I was confused.

Maybe these are dishes from regions of Thailand I haven’t been too?  Maybe it was opening week jitters?  Whatever it was, I’m giving it 2 out of 5 stars.

next stop: Vietnam!

I just signed up for a Vietnamese cooking class at the Institute of Culinary Education (ICE), and this is going to be my third class this year.  I’ve previously learned how to cook Korean BBQ, and the essentials of Thai cooking. 

Each class is an intensive 4.5 hour session with a complete hands-on approach.  The time is spent reviewing the menu, familiarizing ourselves with the ingredients, prepping, cooking, and my favorite – eating!  People often ask me if I recreate any of the dishes taught in my classes, but I have to sheepishly shake my head and tell them I mostly just go for the food.   

My first class, Korean BBQ, was taught by Youngsun Lee – a graduate of ICE who earned his chef’s jacket at the famous Momofuku restaurants.  He now owns his own New Korean restauraunt, Persimmon, but I’ve recently learned that it has shuttered.  Darn you, recession! Darn you!

The second class, Essentials of Thai Cooking, was taught by an ICE instructor.  We cooked a lot of common dishes and fortunately I befriended a fellow Thai enthusiast and wrangled some photos of our food out of her…bon appetite!

Summer Rolls

Chicken Satay with Peanut Sauce

Thai Green Chicken Curry

Pad Thai with Lime

I can’t wait for the Vietnamese class.  The menu includes:  

          Sup Mang Tay Cua (fresh asparagus and crab soup)
          Goi Dua Chuot (cucumber and shrimp salad)
          Goi Cuon (salad rolls with spicy garlic hoisin sauce)
          Banh Mi (baguette sandwiches) !!!!!!
          Tom Kho (shrimp simmered in caramel sauce)
         Ga Xao Xa Ot (chicken stir-fried with lemongrass and chile)
         Che Chuoi (banana, tapioca pearl, and coconut sweet soup)

I’ll be back with pictures of the feast on Sunday…now that I’m starving, I think I’ll go get a snack!