The first order was the
Thien Duong Khai Vi B260++ (a 4-kind hors d’oeuvre of
Goi Cuon or fresh spring rolls,
Bo La Lot or beef wrapped in Good King Henry leaves,
Chao Tom or fried minced shrimp on a sugarcane skewer,
Nem Nuong or charcoal grilled pork balls). It was wonderful to have these combination to start the dinner.
Further we had
Cha Gio B210++ (deep-fried spring rolls stuffed with crabmeat, shrimp, and pork), eating them wrapped in lettuce with more vegetables and Dipping, therefore there was a big bowl of Fresh Vegetables (Thai basil leaves, holy basil, mint, fitweed, lettuce, and cucumber) being served; the taste was aromatic enough but the freshness of meat was not overpowered by the seasoning, the chef simply made a good balance in the ingredients and her skill.
Came after cha gio were,
Goi Ngo Sen B170++ (budding lotus stem salad with shrimp), taste was difference from the
yum (Thai salad) with inviting taste of sour and sweet;
Banh Cuon Thit Lon B250++ (steamed Viernamese rice flour sheets filled with minced pork and shrimp), a popular dish on Vietnamese dining table; and (5)
Bun Hoi (grilled pork marinated with lemongrass and herbs served on a bed of steamed vermicelli), pork was so tender and tasted good with full aroma from the herbs, however, Thien Duong version did not serve with
Cha Gio of which usually included on the dish. Followed were the waitperson's recommendation,
Thit Thien Duong B360++ (lemongrass skewered beef tenderloin with green peppercorns) and
Chim Bo Cal Chim Goin B550++ (deep-fried pigeon dipped with black pepper salt and lime juice); however, not impressive. The supposed to be tendered beef tenderloin turned out a bit hard-to-chew, and the pigeon had lost the taste of the naturally sweet of the bird instead full of a deep frozen accent and seasoning.
Pho, the Vietnamese flat noodle in soup, is always my favorite dish when dine in a Vietnamese restaurant. So I didn’t miss the
Pork Pho B170++ (Vietnamese rice noodle soup with pork meat) and the
Chicken Pho B170++ while beef pho may be more popular among Vietnamese diners.
Canh Chua B195++ (Vietnamese fisherman's soup with prawns, mussels, fish and mushrooms) was a delightful substitute for something other than
pho.
For desserts we ordered
Banh Dua (green tea custard with sesame wafer), and
Cheo Thong (mung (green) bean with tapioca). Both were not outstanding but good point was they were not too sweet compared to Thai desserts.
Thien Duong and the Dusit Thani have an extensive selection of wines for diners.
