hi. I'm E, and I'm the primary writer around these parts. I've had some other blogs in the past but couldn't maintain
any commitments back then.
This is me practicing consistency and discipline for the sake of appearing more mature. The Mr. encouraged me to start a blog where we can post pictures and report on all of the fun we're always having. Well, he suggested we start a blog about Atlanta DJ's, which we will, but all I heard was "We.. blog" and I knew he was the man I'd been waiting for my whole life.
We follow the ScoutMob meal plan all over Atlanta, and try to discover and rediscover the delights this fair city has to offer. We both have a lot of hometown pride, even though the Mr. was raised OTP* (he gets a pass for constantly acknowledging this flaw), and wanted to share that joy with our friends, family and strangers.
Today we sought Thai, specifically a thai lunch special. I went to college in St. Petersburg, FL where the downtown dining district offers competing curries from neighboring restaurants and I've been missing the lunch combos full of exotic flavor for less than $10. There are several Thai restaurants in the Virginia Highland neighborhood, and as a lifelong resident I'm only a little embarrassed to say I'd never entered any of them.. They all (Harry&Sons, Surin and Mali) come highly recommended and en route I decided we'd wander and read the menus to look for the most budget friendly, the Mr. was unaware of this plan and happily agreed to yuppie stroll the highlands looking for Thai. We looked online before stopping near Mali and found that their lunch menu didn't really offer anything special as far as price or combinations were concerned, so we continued and parked behind Harry & Sons with all intentions of heading directly there, as the Mr. pointed out "it says 'Good Food' on the sign".
That was the plan, until we got out of the car in the gravel lot off Greenwood and were faced with Panita. No, we were faced with a bunch of signs advertising Atlanta Magazine's Best of Atlanta party along a wooden fence enclosing a gorgeous patio. A rotten wooden sign bares only the words Thai Kitchen, the walkway covered in flowers, vines, christmas lights and seashells was irresistibly inviting and the five star review posted by the entrance sealed the deal. Exactly the kind of PandAdventure I'd been hoping for...
The next part of this story is less about me and more about the restaurant so I'm gonna have to change the name of this post.
....
still haven't posted this, a day later, the leftovers are gone but they were so delicious that I created a Yelp profile just to post a review. Forreal. That delicious.
Not only were we served the best tasting meal I've had in a long time, with the most comlpex flavor profiles and attention to detail of cooking times and serving temps, but this building is quite possibly the most delightful place I've had the pleasure of dining since Disney World.
The soup came in hammered copper bowls and the vegetables were all vibrant and perfectly al dente. My hunny got the coconut chicken soup (
Tom Kha Gai) he'd been craving and it was perfect. Better than perfect. I had the Bean Curd soup that comes with the house special, large chucnks of pan cooked tofu, bright pieces of bok choy, mushrooms, and a mysterious pepper with green skin and orange flesh. PERFECT! Made with love, that's the only way I can describe the amazement, as if each slurp was crafted with a specific passion that surpasses any culinary education. I don't even like tofu.
The chef came to the table to serve the spring rolls, in a carved out pineapple with a delicious tamarind sauce and pickled vegetables wallowing in pineapple juice and other spices that made me want to ask for a straw.
This man, who Yelpers refer to as the one man show though we were seated by a woman, giggle politely when we asked if the $3.25 spring rolls always came like this, he said "No, this is for lunch, dinner is more, there are watermelons and coconuts ...teehee.hehheee" as he walked away shaking his head in disbelief himself at either the American low standard of dining that we had suffered through before arriving at Panita, or at the joy he experienced by surprising unsuspecting diners with a meal fit for royalty. Really. no really, this is not an exaggeration. I'm a picky bitch normally and am sure that following blogs will criticize details that you'd never even thought to consider in regards to your dining experience. Panita considered them. and nailed them all. forreal.
The entrees were equally impressive flavors, and they laid off the fanfare in presentation to let the simplicity of the flavors draw all of the attention. Mr. Panda ordered beef with onions and chilies that came with a large serving of fried rice and lots of broccoli pieces. I couldn't resist grabbing a taste before the chopsticks even came to the table, the beef looked like Korean pul-kogi and did not disappoint in the tenderness, the flavor was outrageous not like anything I can compare, not too spicy, very savory and just so tender. I ordered the vegetarian curry, a blend of tasty fresh veggies in green curry with a side of white rice. I commented on the curry and the chef let me know green curry is very special because he grinds just green chilies to make it. Wait, I had to get him to repeat that last part too, yes, he makes all the curries in house, from scratch, from peppers and spices he grows in a greenhouse in Marietta.
Farm to table before farm to table was even cool.
I'm going on too long about this. Do not miss Panita, maybe if you're as cute as we are you'll leave with some floating beebear candles or tourism posters to entice you to move to Thailand where you can eat like this every day. I felt like our whole lunch was an amazing first date with a chef I can't wait to see again and again.
*outside the perimeter,
