By Far My Favorite Fried Fish - Thai Nakorn Garden Grove

My first visit to Thai Nakorn was the one in Stanton. The restaurant was packed with locals, especially Thai people on a Saturday night, which gave me a confidence boost venturing out this unfamiliar neighborhood. Every single dish ordered that night was packed with flavors - chilies, Kaffir lime leaves, tamarind, lemon grass, you name it and we tasted it all. With such satisfaction, we've decided to give another Thai Nakorn located in Garden Grove a try.

Not sure about the relations between the one in Stanton and the one here in Garden Grove. The dishes on the menu look almost identical but some food presentations and tastes come with slight variations. 

Most popular dishes also have pictures on the side so you won't get too confused by the Thai scripts and not so descriptive English translation -

*Click to enlarge images

Only took a few pictures of the menu but should provide enough information on Thai Nakorn's price range and selections - 

Looking at the menu now, I can't believe I missed the coconut custard, must give it a try next time! -

Lunch specials are available during weekdays - 

Both the Stanton and Garden Grove locations are pretty spacious. The Stanton one was fully packed during my visit on a weekend night and the Garden Grove was about 70% occupancy. 

Singha lager beer and Thai ice tea - 

Unlimited rice -

The long grain Thai rice generally contains less water compared to short grain types, which makes the Thai rice a perfect match with Thai cuisine. Thai food is often cooked in sauce or soup base, otherwise serve in some kind of dressings. The dryer rice works well with juicy dishes. In addition, Thai rice's stronger texture can withstand soaking in the sauce and remains slightly chewy without turning into a mush.

Garlic and black pepper shrimps -

Fried garlic pieces work like a magic with the shrimps. The black pepper also gives a fragrant kick in the end. I can't call it a spicy kick especially most of the dishes here are way more spicy than these tiny bits of black pepper. Highly recommended.

Chicken green curry $9.95 - 

Deep fried fish with mango sauce/Pla dad deaw $16.95 - 

Must order this!! 

I'm never a big fan of fish dishes in Asian restaurants, but this one totally blew my mind. Absolutely no weird fishy or chemical tastes. All I got was crunchy skin with very moist fish meat inside. The crunchiness stays till the very last bite. It seems like Thai Nakorn also seasoned the coating so the even without the mango condiment, the fish can totally stand on its own. 

Almost every table ordered the fried fish that night. To make it even better, no single bones, not even the big ones present. My have-to-order dish from now on. Thai people really know how to treat seafood well.

B.B.Q. tongue on bed of mixed green sour dressing/Lin namtok $9.75 - 

I ordered this out of curiosity. The tongue is on a chewier side but the flavors were packed with sour and spicy seasonings then brighten up by fresh mint leaves.

Beef Penang $9.45 - 

Spicy! However, the heat just can't stop us from eating it. Instead, we fought the spiciness with even more rice!

Lao's chicken soup with coconut milk/Tom kah gai $15.95 - 

The restaurant also offers smaller portion, one big bowl for $9.75. It's similar to green curry but of course more diluted and sourish. 

Both of my visits to different locations of Thai Nakorn were truly satisfying. Servers were very friendly and the price is reasonable. I would definitely come back for more. In fact, I would love to come back every other week if this place is not so far away from my place.


Cindy's rating: 8


Thai Nakorn - Garden Grove
12532 Garden Grove Blvd
Garden Grove, CA 92843
(714) 583-8938

*Monday to Friday 11 a.m. - 4 p.m. and then 5 p.m. - 10 p.m.
*Saturday and Sunday 11 a.m. - 10 p.m.
*Situated on Garden Grove Blvd between Harbor Blvd and the 22 freeway

Thai Nakorn - Stanton
11951 Beach Blvd,
Stanton, CA 90680
(714) 799 - 2031

Lamb Stir Fry with Jalapeño, Bean Sprouts, and Leek

How was every body's Thanksgiving? I'd bet it was full of joy and of course, tons of food for you all. In case you're tired of turkey and are craving for some Chinese food, here's my lamb stir fry recipe with a spicy kick.

Lamb stir fry with jalapeño, bean sprouts, and leek - 

Ingredients?

• 0.6 lb/about 20  lamb slices
• 6 red jalapeño
• 6 garlic cloves
• 12 oz/340 grams of bean sprouts
• 1 leek
• 2 tablespoons of soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon of black bean soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons of Chinese rice cooking wine
• 1 tablespoon of rice vinegar
• 1 tablespoon of corn starch
• 3 tablespoons of olive oil
• Small pinch of salt
• Small pinch of black pepper

How? 

Mix 1 tablespoon of corn starch with 1 tablespoon of soy sauce. Use this mix to slightly marinate the shabu grade lamb slices for 10 to 15 minutes.

Peel and slice the garlic cloves. Cut the root off the leek and thoroughly rinse the remaining part under running water. One done, pat dry and slice the leek diagonally.

Remove the stems from the jalapeño and cut lengthwise. Discard the seeds then slice the jalapeño into strips.

Red jalapeño gives this dish a pop of color. Usually the jalapeño needs to be quickly fried in oil to better maintain its vibrant color. However, just omit the frying part for the sake of easy cleaning and healthier dining, especially when cooking at home. If you can't find red jalapeño, a good old green breed works just as well.

Drizzle some olive oil to the pan. Add in the leek, some salt, and some black pepper. Turn to medium high heat and cook for about 30 seconds.

Add in the garlic slices and jalapeño. Cook till the garlic turns slightly light brown color. Add in the bean sprouts together with 1 tablespoon of soy sauce, 1 tablespoon of black bean soy sauce (thicker than soy sauce), 1 tablespoon of rice vinegar, and 2 tablespoons of Chinese rice cooking wine. Give it a quick stir and cook till the bean sprouts reach desired texture, about 1 to 2 minutes.

Lastly, turn up the heat and add in the lamb slices. Stir fry the lamb till just fully cooked. Make sure to "stir" fry throughout because the use of corn starch might cause the meat slices to stick together. Once ready, remove from heat and ready to serve. 

I removed the seeds from the jalapeño mainly for a smoother bite. Otherwise, if you don't mind having tiny seeds stuck in between your teeth, just keep it for an even more fiery effect! 

By the way, I come from an Asian family so we don't really celebrate Thanksgiving. As a result, it became my get away time of the year. I was in Japan during the past few days and can't wait to share my food adventure with you! Stay tuned!