Nam tok

RESTAURANT REVIEW: The New Yorker recently had an issue (in September) devoted to food where many notable writers--like David Sedaris--penned essays. I loved it and have actually read some of the pieces over and over again. One article was about a writer who went to Singapore to explore Malaysian food. Being the food dork that I am, I took notes on dishes the writer's guide took him to try. The issue could not have come at a better time. Asam House, a new Malaysian (and Thai) restaurant, opened in Pinetree Plaza a couple of months ago. After I wrote about Chicago Supermarket in September, Steve Drucker (a local grubber who discovered Tasty China well before anyone else was hip to it) replied to my post on a forum I frequent about a fact-finding side trip to Asam House. With all my crazy travel, I didn't make it to Asam House until last weekend after a fun day at the Annual Castleberry Loft Tour. Armed with my crudely written cheat sheet, I scanned the menu for dishes I had never had before--the menu is actually a mixture of Malaysian and Thai and they have a chef for each cuisine. We ordered 4 dishes (3 Malaysian and one Thai).

We started with the roti canai (pan-fried Indian-style pancake served with a chicken and potato curry). The pancake was heavenly--flaky and not too greasy. The curry had a thick layer of grease on top and the flavor was just kind of flat. Next came the nam tok (grilled beef salad with onions, scallions, cilantro, and spicy lime juice), which was very flavorful and spicy. I liked the way the meat
was kind of dry which allowed it to soak up more of the flavors from the sauce. I would order it again. 

I was excited to try the char kway teow (stir-fried flat noodles with shrimp, bean sprouts, and egg in black soy sauce) because the guide from the article said it was a must-try dish while in Malaysia. It reminded me of beef chow fun without the added spice (or beef). It wasn't bad, but it could have used more salt. I would order it again, but ask for it a bit spicy.

The aromatic chicken (stir-fried chicken with dried shrimp and chili paste) was my least favorite dish of the meal. The flavor tasted processed from the chili paste and it was too salty. I also found the use of maraschino cherries for garnish very weird. I only ate a couple of bites and left the rest for my date.

Verdict: The space is very new and clean. Service was friendly and helpful. The menu is huge and it definitely warrants further exploration. I think I will try more of the Thai options next time since I have heard many people say that the Thai chef seems to be the more talented of the two. Was it the best darn food I have ever eaten? No. But, they chefs seem competent and I enjoyed some of the dishes enough to go back.

RESTAURANT INFORMATION: Address: 5285 Buford Highway, 30340 (Pinetree Plaza) Phone: (770) 452-5100 Hours: Open Sunday through Thursday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 10:30 pm. Closed on Tuesday. Payment: Cash or credit Website