Pad See Iew (#45): Thai rice noodles, carrots, broccoli, egg, an exceptional sweet black bean sauce, pork.
My ode to San Pablo Avenue continues this week with a quick review of Sa Wad Dee Thai Restaurant in Richmond, which for me is the East Bay’s best option for Thai cuisine. That said, I’m always a bit hesitant to crown any place king. I’ll certainly admit, there may be another local restaurant that offers more authentic Thai fare, but Sa Wad Dee definitely earns the benefit of the doubt. During my most recent visit, an overcast day prompted an order of the hearty pad see iew, pictured above. It’s a fantastic dish: The wide ribbons of rice noodles were addictive in nature, starchy and tender, robust, yet perfectly dressed, and piping hot upon arrival. Of course, the black bean sauce itself is the true catalyst of pad see iew, and reason enough to drive to Richmond.
• • •
Pork Spring Rolls (#2): Ground pork, black mushrooms, bean thread noodles.
Before the pad see iew, I ordered the pork spring rolls, pictured above. They were beautifully fried, and stuffed with black mushrooms and bean thread noodles. The dipping sauce was full of rough-chopped garlic, which warranted the use of the spoon.
