Ottawa Foodies

Spicy mango salad with shrimp - VERY spicy!

Went for supper last night with my fiance. We were the first in the restaurant at 5:30 pm, which is when they open on Saturdays. We chose to sit by the windows in the front, amongst the potted plants, which was good for people-watching.

We started with the stuffed chicken wings. I've attached a picture to give you an idea. I've never had stuffed chicken wings before, so I didn't know what to expect. Essentially, they seemed to be deboned wings stuffed with something akin to spring roll filling. My fiance enjoyed them; I thought they were good, but wouldn't order them again. I prefer normal spring rolls.

Next, we ordered the special crispy duck and the Chicken Panaeng, accompanied by the spicy mango salad. The crispy duck was very crispy but a bit dry and a little bland for my taste.

However, the Panaeng - red curry with coconut milk - was FANTASTIC. I could have eaten the whole order myself. The flavours were so intense - I could taste the cilantro in every bite, which I love. We actually had to order a second serving of sticky rice so that I could sop up the curry sauce - I didn't want to let one drop go to waste!

The spicy mango salad with shrimp was just that - spicy! The mango seemed to be green and not ripe, which was not what I was expecting, but it was a nice, fresh counterpoint to the spiciness of the dish. I found it very good, although my fiance thought it was too hot.

We washed everything down with the house white wine. It was light and fresh and worked well with our spicy meal.

We enjoyed our meal overall and will likely go back.

My wife and I went for lunch today (our second visit; we went for dinner with friends many years ago). Not much to add on top of the other glowing reviews on here as it was excellent. We both had hot-and-sour soup to start that was very intense (and tasty). Each chose a different lunch combination; my wife had a mango salad, chicken satay and spring rolls, I had a curry, beef and vegetable dish with a spring roll. The curry and spring roll were my favourites but all were good.

Ottawa has lots of good and inexpensive Thai restaurants if you're looking for a casual meal, but only a few that offer something a bit higher end. Anna is a bit pricier than other Thai places in Ottawa (but still very reasonable for what you get), but well worth it.

This is definitely one of the best Thai restaurant in town! Being half Thai, I definitely know what authentic Thai food tastes like...just like being back at grandma's house! We had the Mango Salad and it was super! The mangoes used were a bit too ripe but it was still delicious. I had the 'Crispy duck with basil and chilli' (with fragrant rice and hot sauce at the side) and hubby had the 'Spicy noodles with shrimp'...it was unbelievable! Did not have any dessert but in my opinion, they should have coconut and tapioca based dessert, something Thai...not creme caramel...it is just wrong but obviously, we will go back for the food again! I love it!

Since I've been completely off of meat lately (I overdid it at Rib fest and then saw a horrifying video) I was super happy when I came here last and replaced the meat in my dish with a heap of fresh veggies.

I'm sure there was still fish sauce in it but whatever, I couldn't see it.

I just love this restaurant, which is owned by the same people as Sweet Basil. It seems that this place is better designed to ordering your own dish rather than sharing amongst a group, however.

I have yet to try anything here that I didn't at least like a whole lot. Be warned: their jungle curry is INTENSE! I ordered it and received a beautiful pile of thinly sliced beef in a light curry sauce literally doused with chili peppers. It was a painful but wonderful experience to eat.

If they still have it, the perfect ending to a meal is their mango-pistachio ice cream. Totally cools off the palate and tastes divine.

I went here again this past weekend for my birthday with a bunch of friends. Everyone seemed to be very happy with their dinner except for one friend (out of 10) who had the Kao Pad and was unhappy to find that there was egg in it which was not mentionned on the menu. *shrug*

I had the following;
Satay appetizer - nice portion for an app although the chicken lots it's heat quickly. The garnish of a carrot shaped into a rose was lovely. A friend took a photo but I have yet to see it.

Gaeng Garee (see photo) - I ordered this last time as well and have been dreaming of it since. I ordered it with a side of fragrant rice and ate every last drop of sauce. I was very full.

Ginger Crème Brulée - Not too full for dessert! This was a surprisingly refreshing twist on a classic dessert. A mild ginger flavour cleansed the palate and helped soothe my full belly.

I went here with a friend for the first time last night.

We shared the chicken satay appetizer (was great!) and the spring roll appetizer (also great and the sauce was HOT).

I honestly don't remember the name of my main course but I do remember it was #32. It was chicken and potatoes with a light curry and coconut milk served with a side of steamed rice. It had a nice slow-burning heat to it but the creamyness hugged my belly from the inside.

My friend had #18 (I think) which was another chicken dish with some vegetables and cashews. It had a very rich flavour but was not spicy.

The bill for my main and one appetizer was $20 and I ate everything and was incredibly full. Definitely a place I will go to again.

Panaeng Curry with vegetables instead of chicken or beef.

Oh god, how I miss that ice cream! Thank you for posting that mouth-watering picture!

Wedges of mango ice cream with mango and pistachio pieces throughout. Super-intense mango sauce on the side.

Here with shrimp.