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REVIEW: Kamin Thai serves real
(and delicious) Asian cuisine
By Natasha Austin
October 29, 2007 | In the heart of small-town Logan,
Utah, is a restaurant that sends customers to the exotic
regions of Southern Asia with its enticing smells. Just
off Main Street, Kamin Thai Cuisine has transformed
a historical home into a local oasis of great cuisine.
In a town full of national restaurant chains and American
"Chinese" buffets on every corner, the small Thai restaurant
offers something new for everyone.
The restaurant was clean and inviting, and had the
weather been better my husband and I would have waited
for our table outside on the charming veranda. As I
opened the front doors the intoxicating smells of ginger
and garlic transported me back in time to my travels
through South Asia. The red and yellow painted walls
emulated the energy of the Thai culture. The wait was
not long while we were distracted by the Thai inspired
décor.
The ambiance of the restaurant is warm and sophisticated.
The tables were covered in white cloth, always an upgrade
in my book. Nice flatware flanked each seat while the
small shadows from the candle danced to and fro on the
table.
The wait staff was polite and professional. Our waiter
seemed to have a great deal of knowledge of the menu,
and even pronounced the dishes in the Thai language.
Such detail was expected of the waitresses who seemed
of Thai heritage but unexpected of the young American
man. I was very impressed with the waiter as he took
my food allergy to a popular menu item very seriously.
Throughout the meal he reassured me that none of my
food contained or was in contact with cashews.
We ordered Po Pia Sod (fresh spring rolls) stuffed
with carrots, shrimp, lettuce, thin rice noodles, bean
sprouts and mint rolled in a rice wrapper. The spring
rolls were served with a spicy peanut sauce that left
memories on my tongue long after I had eaten them. The
mint and crunchy bean sprouts were clean tasting and
melded with the peanut sauce. I could have eaten them
all for dinner. The portion size was a bit disappointing
considering I had paid $5.95 for two rolls; three would
have been better.
Kamin's menu is abundant with choices for dinner.
We selected the house special Pad Thai. This common
noodle dish is always found on Thai menus, and recipes
often differ from chef to chef. Kamin's version was
rich with raw scallions and bean sprouts. The dish was
scattered with chopped peanuts, to which my waiter assured
me were not cashews. Though the dish consisted of common
Thai spices, the addition of tomato was a bit overwhelming.
For $9.99 the dish is a great value.
Our second dish was Pad Preaw Wan (Thai sweet and
sour chicken). Kamin's version of the dish is a refreshing
change from the battered, deep-fried sweet and sour
found at every other Asian restaurant. The chicken was
light and delicate and the vegetables stir fried to
a warm crispy texture. The entrée was accompanied with
a warm fluffy bowl of jasmine rice with its floral essence.
The sweet and sour chicken is also a great value for
$10.99, and could easily be shared between several guests.
We were short on time so we missed the chance to order
any of the exotic desserts on the menu. The Cantaloupe
Tapioca was enticing, as was the mango sorbet.
Overall, the ambiance was warm and inviting, while
full of culture. The food was dressed up with exciting
spices and flavors, and the cost was a good value. The
next time you find yourself aimlessly driving down the
overcrowded main street feeling lost with the same old
options, don't forget about the Asian Oasis hiding out
on 200 South. The menu boasts plenty of choices for
anyone wanting to try something new and can take your
tastes buds on a virtual vacation.
NW
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