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| Tom Kha |
Somehow, some way, I managed to try so many things from
Nicky's Thai Kitchen menu last night! I was so proud of myself!
Nicky's Thai Kitchen is on Penn Ave downtown. I don't know how long its been there, or how many times I've walked or driven past. Its through a narrow door (that you'll probably miss if you're not really looking for it) with all kinds of Thai statutes and sculptures, paintings, and art covering most of the walls. Its tight in there, but I feel like it added to the experience - I kinda felt like it was better and more authentic with more people around. Proximity also made it much easier to creep on everyone else's dinner choices.
After staring at the extensive menu, and then the additional special menu,for about a half hour or more, we were able to come to some decisions.
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| Spring Roll |
Apps: Fresh Spring Roll, Peanut Fried Tofu, Tom Kha, Appetizer Sampler
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| Peanut fried tofu |
Vegahimsa: Vegan Duck Curry
OnionHater: Pad Thai
EasyD: Shrimp Salad
Chickie: Pork Fried Rice
CDO: Nicky's Thai Sampler
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| Appetizer Sampler |
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| Vegan Duck Curry |
The appetizer sampler had egg rolls, dumplings, crab rangoons, shrimp toast, curry shrimp cakes, and chicken satay. If you like this kind of thing, and its available (was on the special menu), I would go for it, we managed to get a couple bites of so many things with coordinating sauces. The Spring Roll and Peanut Fried Tofu are vegetarian options on the table. Peanut sauce is on the tofu and the chicken satay - delicious enough that we started putting it on other things. Tom Kha is light, creamy, and unique - if you like subtle coconut, try this.
So the most interesting of choices was the Vegan Duck Curry. How on earth does that work, you ask? Its a Vegan duck, as in not a quack-quack duck, but a duck made out of something else. Then, you cook it in traditional Thai fashion with curry and veggies and you're now eating a vegan duck curry. Fascinating, isn't it?
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| Pad Thai |
Pad Thai was delicious, Pork Fried Rice also delicious. Both safe and yummy go-to options. If you're new to Thai food and not ready to jump full force into a vegan duck or a #8 curry, you will not go wrong here. For those not familiar with the number system, at Thai restaurants, they ask for your heat-level in number form on a 1-10 scale (curry starts at 3). OnionHater, without thought, blurted out #7 on Pad Thai as she ordered, to which we all gasped and she quickly retracted. Remember, you can make it spicier, but I'm not sure if you can bring it down.
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| Nicky's Combo |
I was ready for it, I know my number - its a 4 - and I went in for the Nicky's Combo. So smaller portions of some staples - Tom Yum soup, fried rice, Pumpkin Curry (shrimp), & Duck Curry. My personal favorite was most definitely the duck, but the whole concept of this plate made it a great idea. I had Duck Curry and fried rice for breakfast this morning and IPA-hole hovered until I finally gave in and let him have the rest of the pumpkin curry leftovers. He's raving too.
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| Pumpkin Custard w/ black sticky rice |
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| Custard w/ sticky rice |
Back to last night, we did dessert. All variations on the same - custard and sticky rice. One was regular custard and white sticky rice, pumpkin custard and black sticky rice, and then just pumpkin custard. Black sticky rice wins. There is something so addicting about black sticky rice! It doesn't look like what it tastes like - sweet, sticky, chewy, awesomeness.
So, I'm having Tom Yum soup for lunch tomorrow. With everything, I barley touched it last night. This was a great place to grab a bit. Loved it! Enjoy!
~ CDO
