Last weekend, I was in Oslo. Originally, the plan was to meet my friend and co-author of the Hope Meadows series, Victoria Holmes. Sadly, Vicky became unwell soon before the trip and was unable to come. Charlie very kindly joined me instead for the weekend. Vicky did ask me, however, to record the things I saw and the food we would have eaten. So here is one of my favourite meals of the weekend.
The venue: Plah Thai Restaurant, Oslo
Our waiter for the night was the delightful Sebastian. He was very friendly and spoke excellent English.
I chose the vegetarian option.
The starter came in three parts.
Kaho grab – rice chip
Light rice crisp with flavoursome herb topping
Miang kam – “betel leaf” with pomelo
The stuffed leaf was served on a delicious bed of toasted coconut. I had to stop myself from eating the lot, knowing there was so much more to come
Karipap – Southern Thai samosa with sweet potato and curry
I think this was my favourite part of the whole meal! Crunchy pastry with a delicious filling
Then there were four further savoury courses
Kao tod – Rice ball with cucumber and sour mango
Sebastian recommended the rice ball should be crushed, then eaten with the crunchy salad
Gaeng klo wan – Green curry soup with bitter eggplant, fresh bamboo and basil
This was hearty and delicious, with a slightly hot and sour taste
Taohoo – Crispy soft tofu with pepper chilli and coriander
The tofu was perfectly cooked with a wonderful crisp coating. Perfectly contrasted with the colourful salad
Gaeng deng pak op – Baked roots, kale and curry
This was marvellous: sweet chargrilled root vegetables, some soft, some firm, with a delightful curry sauce. Extremely satisfying
Then there were three parts to dessert.
Kanun lae saowaros – Jack fruit and passion fruit
Like miniature tasty smoothies
Som chon – Kaffirlime and pandanus granite
Flavoured ice. Sweet and refreshing
We were offered coffee. My cappucino was as beautifully presented as the rest of the meal
Kanom dok djok – “Rosettebakkels”
This was the most amazing presentation of the evening. The rosette biscuits came under a glass container which had been filled with steam to carry the aroma of the dish to us. It was lifted at the table. There were edible flowers and small chunks of chilli jelly in the glass cover.
The biscuits inside were equally beautiful
And now, all I need to know is, when can we go back! A fantastic evening.
I think what I love most is that you report the taste of the food lived up to its appearance. (Too often places that emphasize presentation don’t worry too much about taste.) A splendid report back to your friend, and I hope she has recovered.
Thanks Penny. It really was fantastic. I’ll pass your good wishes on to Vicky.