Issara Thai Restaurant

Saturday, November 11, 2017

Margie's monthy dinner venue was held at Issara Thai restaurant in Huntington Beach.                         www.issarathaicuisine.com. We have been here numerous times in the past years. Food is always good. 

We started out with their chicken wings which have a nice sticky coating and a bit of a of a bite. Always a good choice. This year we were treated to their spare ribs. They are cooked for 16 hours and only available for special occasions. Some of the best ribs I have had. Layers of flavor.

Next was beef waterfall, a grilled skirt steak with onion. It is served slightly warm. Then onto red curry duck. This was a big hit last year. but I think it was also better last year. This time it just did not do that much for me. Something was off.

 Wok stir fry with shrimp and garlic was set before us.  New dish and I would have this one again. Loved all the garlic and the shrimp were exceptionally fresh.

Last two dishes were the crispy sole with apple and silver noodle stir fry.  The sole is a staple and always good, fried with a light batter and never oily. The silver noodle dish again was a new one. Interesting. I would try this one again. Not sure what I really thought of it. Flavor was good but texture was an slight issue.

A big array of wines were brought. Since we were broken up into 4 tables of 4 you have to get up and wander to find what wines were on the other tables.  I brought a 2014 Tercero Outlier which is a dry Gewurztraminer and goes exceptionally well with Thai cuisine. And a 2010 Seagrape Pinot Noir. Both wines were drinking quite nicely.

2008 McKeon Phillips, Cabernet Franc - excellent 
2016 Mandallena, Rose - ok
Beringer, Chardonnay - did not taste
LaCana Albarino - ok
Mumm Napa Cuvee - nice
2012 Tobin James Liquid Love - did not taste but I have had this wine numerous times
2015 Epiphany, Grenache Blanc - don't remember if I tasted it or not
2013 Hermann Wiemer Gewurztraimer - nice
2012 Dead On Chenin Blanc - nice
2013 Domaine Caneros by Tattinger Brut - very good
2014 Lincourt Pinot Noir - not a Lincourt fan
2012 Williams Selyem RRV, Pinot Noir - always good
2014 Raunes Dry Riesling - ok
2011 Chateau Frank, Blanc de Blanc - nice
2014 Coquelicot Riesling - did not taste
Perlato Brut Neirano - It think this may have been a sparkling