Viphalay Laos and Thai Restaurant
10724 95 Street Edmonton
www.viphalay.com
The Diner
Just south of little Italy is a great south Asian restaurant that will please your eyes, nose and taste buds. Viphalay (pronounced Vee’fa-lay) is a small family owned restaurant (our favorite kind). It is owned and operated by the Mounma family to “express the pride and passion they have for their food, culture and traditions”. The restaurant is a one room that sits about fifty. It feels welcoming as soon as you walk in.
They have a lunch menu of quick noodle dishes and the dinner menu features traditional foods from Laos and Thailand. This year they added two chefs from Thailand to their team. The cuisine of Laos and Thailand is based on the concept of harmony and balance. A meal will be served all at once so that the complimentary combinations, flavors and textures can be experienced. They seem to match each other in fragrance and flavor. A typically Thai place setting is a plate, a fork and a large spoon. The menu comes in plastic sleeves as they are trying up different recipes.
The Dinner
We have enjoyed this restaurant on more than one occasion and the service is prompt, warm and friendly. The menu features appetizers, soups, noodle dishes, curries, stir fries, seafood dishes, rices and desserts. A few items we have tried and enjoyed:
Stuffed Tofu: Tofu stuffed with minced mushrooms, fish and bamboo—beautifully plated and delicious.
Gaeng Kah Gai or Coconut Soup: this fragrant soup features a kaffir lime leaf base with chicken, mushrooms, a hint of coconut milk, lemon grass and galangal. This could easily become soul food. It pleases the nose, the palate and the tummy.
Pad Thai: This is my tester dish in a Thai restaurant. If it is too sticky, or has no fragrance, than meh…later. The pad thai here passed the test and has shrimp, chicken, tofu and egg. It is almost a meal in itself…but you will want it with a green curry.
Puht Kieh Mow or drunken noodles were recommended by the server. Intensely spicy and pan fried with chicken or beef and mixed vegetables, they wake you up if you have had an all nighter.
Curry noodles: These spicy Thai noodles are swimming (literally) in a rich red curry with shrimp and fresh basil—fragrant red curry yumminess. Could use a few more noodles to slurp. Some heat happens.
Nuah na lok or Hell’s beef: marbled beef marinated in garlic and chili hot sauce, then fire roasted in hell’s oven. More heat happens.
Order up any of these dishes with coconut rice and you will not be disappointed. We will be back for dessert when we have room to try taro root custard and green tea ice cream. Anything with fresh mango is good for me too!
Hint for beer drinkers---watch what you pair the beer with. Some spicy foods can make your beer taste bitter and the heat hotter. Better to go with a fruit forward wine like gewürztraminer or riesling to manage the heat, or water.
I find that prices in Thai restaurants are a little higher than the moderate price point, but the dining experience rarely disappoints.
10724 95 Street Edmonton
www.viphalay.com
The Diner
Just south of little Italy is a great south Asian restaurant that will please your eyes, nose and taste buds. Viphalay (pronounced Vee’fa-lay) is a small family owned restaurant (our favorite kind). It is owned and operated by the Mounma family to “express the pride and passion they have for their food, culture and traditions”. The restaurant is a one room that sits about fifty. It feels welcoming as soon as you walk in.
They have a lunch menu of quick noodle dishes and the dinner menu features traditional foods from Laos and Thailand. This year they added two chefs from Thailand to their team. The cuisine of Laos and Thailand is based on the concept of harmony and balance. A meal will be served all at once so that the complimentary combinations, flavors and textures can be experienced. They seem to match each other in fragrance and flavor. A typically Thai place setting is a plate, a fork and a large spoon. The menu comes in plastic sleeves as they are trying up different recipes.
The Dinner
We have enjoyed this restaurant on more than one occasion and the service is prompt, warm and friendly. The menu features appetizers, soups, noodle dishes, curries, stir fries, seafood dishes, rices and desserts. A few items we have tried and enjoyed:
Stuffed Tofu: Tofu stuffed with minced mushrooms, fish and bamboo—beautifully plated and delicious.
Gaeng Kah Gai or Coconut Soup: this fragrant soup features a kaffir lime leaf base with chicken, mushrooms, a hint of coconut milk, lemon grass and galangal. This could easily become soul food. It pleases the nose, the palate and the tummy.
Pad Thai: This is my tester dish in a Thai restaurant. If it is too sticky, or has no fragrance, than meh…later. The pad thai here passed the test and has shrimp, chicken, tofu and egg. It is almost a meal in itself…but you will want it with a green curry.
Puht Kieh Mow or drunken noodles were recommended by the server. Intensely spicy and pan fried with chicken or beef and mixed vegetables, they wake you up if you have had an all nighter.
Curry noodles: These spicy Thai noodles are swimming (literally) in a rich red curry with shrimp and fresh basil—fragrant red curry yumminess. Could use a few more noodles to slurp. Some heat happens.
Nuah na lok or Hell’s beef: marbled beef marinated in garlic and chili hot sauce, then fire roasted in hell’s oven. More heat happens.
Order up any of these dishes with coconut rice and you will not be disappointed. We will be back for dessert when we have room to try taro root custard and green tea ice cream. Anything with fresh mango is good for me too!
Hint for beer drinkers---watch what you pair the beer with. Some spicy foods can make your beer taste bitter and the heat hotter. Better to go with a fruit forward wine like gewürztraminer or riesling to manage the heat, or water.
I find that prices in Thai restaurants are a little higher than the moderate price point, but the dining experience rarely disappoints.
We were able to eat for two with one beer, one wine, taxes and tip for $70.
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