We finally got our ex-colleague Win out to eat with us. This time, at Itsara in Nedlands. The bloke who previously dined with me at Nahm Thai reunites for a whole new level of Thai dining! His reluctance to join us is understandable as he was not keen on being a victim of high spec Thai dining. At Itsara, diners a choice of indoor sitting or outdoor sitting in the garden. Typically, I would not like to sit outdoors in summer because it is stinking hot! Fortunately, both choices of sitting are air-conditioned! That evening we were given the option of the group dining menu or the ala carte. We opted for the set menu as it guarantees the complete Itsara experience for the table.
After ordering some drinks to start, a host of appetisers made their appearance. The betel leaf wrap and chive dumpling on a spoon.
While the dumpling was pretty decent, I enjoyed the Betel Leaf Wrap better. Filled with prawns, roasted desiccated coconut, and Thai spices, it was super refreshing.
The next dish I believe is called the Fleeing Fish. Catchy as is, the flavours of this dish send me on another roller coaster ride. On first bite you get the saltiness of the fried fish. As you chew, the freshness of the mangoes and acidity of the lemon juice all of which mellowed nicely with the sweet sauce made for a perfect appetiser!
Crispy fish of the day with fresh mango, lemon grass, kaffir lime, ginger, lime zest and cashew nuts tossed with complex homemade sweet and tangy chilli dressing.
Initial impressions of the duck were very positive with its tender flesh and perfectly cooked outer bit means the fat was perfectly rendered. This gave each bite a hint of smokiness. Then you have the “full-flavoured” pineapple dressing which was nice, though I would question the full-flavoured portion of it ha ha. Another dish that despite being a meat dish was extremely refreshing!
Pretty Duck; Char-grilled marinated duck with fresh green mango, shallot, cashew nut and homemade full-flavoured pineapple sweet chilli dressing.
Believe it or not, we were already feeling pretty full at this stage and the mains were not even out! But as the kind host started bring rice out, we knew it was time for the mains.
Green Curry w/ Chargrilled Chicken.
Itsara Island; Bite sized pieces of barramundi drizzled with caramelised tamarind lime and fish sauce on a bed of crispy Thai herbs
Besides the 2 mains above, we also had a delicious prawn dish and the Itsara Mignion Curry which tasted similar to a Massaman. Each dish were worthy of praise without doubt. The Mignion Curry was a pairing between tender beef and a rich curry sauce while the chicken was perfectly grilled on the outside with a fragrant green curry paste. Also, who does not like crispy fish with a tangy dipping sauce?! The best part of it all? Fresh plump prawns cooked spot on, and the sauce was super good. Heaps of chilli and garlic! Not quite sure what sauce was used but I could not stop putting spoonfuls of it on my rice. Very nicely done.
Feeling very full, we decided to skip dessert and go to Koko Black for dessert. So how did my friends and I feel about Itsara that night? While the upscale Thai food at Itsara was every bit enjoyable, I have to question the vibe I get. My friend who’s part Thai thought the food’s sugar level was a notch too high while the rest thought Nahm Thai ranked better. Did it? I really wondered because I felt Itsara had better balance on the tasting plate by alternating the curries, and the palm sugary sauced dishes. Presentation the food at Nahm Thai made a much better statement though! Unfortunately its closed now! Putting comparisons aside, there is a good reason why eating Thai food always has a special place in my earth. The service of is a notch above the rest. Then comes its flavours, I do not think there is any cuisine in this world better at balancing its flavours than Thai food. It is the pinnacle of multi-flavoured balancing!!
WenY
