Seafood spring rolls were crisp, served with a hot and sweet dipping sauce.
A potpourri of a half-dozen types goes for 50 baht a bag, along with a sweet dipping sauce that provides the only real flavor.
More exciting were aromatic lemon grass patties, essentially pork burgers spiked with shallots and scented with thyme (I love the ingredient line that includes the phrase "reasonably lean pork") and grilled chicken with hot and sweet dipping sauce.
The crispy sprouting broccoli with a sweet dip is – again – a beautiful little dish but no way worth £9; while the Sussex steak, at the same price, is worth it because it comes with a lovely, strong, wild-garlic butter that tastes like England in spring.
The pork is studded with shallots and lemon grass, spiked with fish sauce and sugar, grilled to a golden crustiness, and then wrapped, hot, in cool lettuce leaves and fresh herbs and given a light bath in hot, sour, salty and sweet dipping sauce.
Vietnamese rolls were, surprisingly, a cold offering, served prettily with baby greens, chips of mango and a cold, sweet dipping sauce; but temperature did not detract from the lovely flavors of the filling -- a julienne of mango and vegetables -- in a translucent wrap.
You can make this recipe easily, and flavor it in all different ways...eat it plain, add tomato sauce, make a sweet dipping sauce, serve it as croutons in salad!
Pair a sweet melba toast with a sweet dip or with a neutral flavor such as brie cheese.
Try a variety of salsas to create a sweet dip (mild with lots of tomato) or spicy (hot with lots of peppers).
