There is no shortage of Thai purveyors around town, thus one must excel in all aspects for longevity. I do not profess to be a Thai expert, having never traveled to the exotic land. My experience is limited to American Thai cuisine. However, I do know what makes a restaurant worth returning to.
First of all, as anyone who has worked in the service industry knows, a patron's initial impression is of foremost importance. At Busaba, you will be quickly acknowledged even with a full room of diners. We were surprised to see how busy the place was on a Tuesday evening. The only seating left was a two top at the bar, which we gladly accepted as a throng of eager diners ensued. From this vantage point, I see that the U shaped bar hogs half the dining room. It would make more sense to break it down and free up room for more seating.
The bar tender/owner arrived shortly to take our order. Though friendly, this tiny matriarch means business. She reminds me of the soup nazi on Seinfeld, albeit with a smile. I pity the unprepared patron who cannot recite their order on cue. She does not have the time to wait while you dally. Fortuitously, I just read a recommendation on the place and had my list ready.
We started with the Busaba Chicken Puffs appetizer. A well seasoned and aromatic mixture of curry potato, carrots, peas, and corn with minced chicken is embraced by a hot off the griddle roti. This flat bread reminds me of a Chinese pancake without the scallions. Nicely puffed and golden, the bread had a chewy toothsomeness. Although accompanied with a sweet and tart cucumber relish, I found myself wishing for a drizzle of sambal oelek or sriracha.
Next came the generously portioned papaya salad or Som Tom. You can get this dish with or without shrimp. Julienned papaya and carrots are bathed in a dressing flavored with lime, tamarind, and fish sauce. This is a perfect summer time dish that pairs excellently with spicy food. It is sweet and tart, with lots of crunch. Crushed peanuts, found throughout Thai and southeast Asian cuisine, provide the requisite garnish. The dish could be even better if the peanuts were roasted a tad bit longer and more finely crushed. Mine had mostly peanut halves.
The pumpkin curry was a beautiful shade of orange. Chunks of pumpkin, red peppers, zucchini, and green beans soaked up the heat of the curry so that every bite warmed your mouth further. We opted for chicken with this dish. Other meats to select from include beef, pork, chicken, and shrimp for an additional charge. All of which can be added to any of the curry dishes.
The star of the evening was the Goong Ob Woon Sen. Having never ordered this dish, I am now besotted. This dish stands out for its depth of flavor. Sticky bean thread "noodles" are stir fried with whole garlic cloves, sliced ginger, generous chunks of bacon, and tail on shrimp. All the ingredients were tossed in brown soy which imparted a savory and sweet, yin and yang. I can taste the Chinese influence in this dish.
All of the dishes can be made to your specification of heat. We chose medium for all dishes including the papaya salad. It was a subtle and tolerable amount of heat, not enough to induce perspiration. We are encouraged to up the ante to hot next visit.
Busaba definitely has a team player mentality. Staff are trained to multi task. You will not have to wait long to be greeted or have your water refilled. Food arrives promptly and hot. The service is attentive without being obsequious. This is a rare gem in suburbia.
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| The Bar |
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| Dining area |
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| Papaya Salad |
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| Pumpkin Curry |
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| Goong Ob Woon Sen |
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| Busaba Chicken Puffs |
