New Menu at Bang Bar

There’s a (relatively) new restaurant in town, with an even newer menu. A Thai restaurant with the goal of distinguishing itself from typical Thai restaurants of the Pacific Northwest. A Thai restaurant that’s more upscale and metropolitan in its décor, complete with offerings that are both authentic and fusion-based.

Bang Bar Thai Restaurant & Lounge took over the Tom Yum Koon restaurant on California Ave SW in West Seattle, right next door to A Terrible Beauty. Early in 2011 the renovations began, with Bang Bar’s opening in June 2011. Kay Fuengarom and Aom Tiacharoenwat are partners in this particular endeavor (Kay also has two other Thai restaurants, located further north up the I-5: Chaiyo Thai in Northgate and Zab Thai in Everett.)

Although your Hedonista has dined only at Bang Bar (and on more than one occasion, at that) and recently attended a tasting there hosted by Kay, a connecting theme among all of these restaurants appears to be “Eat the Heat” – in other words, embrace the spicy goodness of Thai cuisine. Bang Bar offers the following choices: Mild, Medium, Hot, Very Hot, and Extra Hot.

Appies and cocktails began the tasting: a delicious duck roll ($8.95) sliced sushi-style and made with honey-glazed roasted duck that takes five hours to prepare and is rolled up in Rotis with apple, cucumber, green onion, red bell pepper, and honey Hoisin sauce. (NOTE: Their Duck Noodle dish ($15.95), made with the same duck and served up in a bowl with bok choy, home made egg noodles, and a balsamic Hoisin reduction sauce, is equally delicious and a personal fav of mine.) The cocktails ($8 a piece) were light and paired well with hot foods. The Cucumber Mint martini is a muddled-mint-and-cucumber beverage made with Pearl Cucumber vodka, San Pellegrino, and fresh sour mix. The Big Bang Cosmo is a Cosmopolitan with a Lychee twist: lime, lemon, Sky Citron, Lychee liqueur, cranberry juice, and fresh sour mix, served with a lychee fruit stuffed with a maraschino cherry.

For the mains, it was a garlic-themed night: rack of lamb ($17.95) and chicken ($12.95). Both were (pleasantly) very different. The lamb was marinated and grilled, and the chicken crispy. Both went well together, but were equally lovely on their own. For dessert, the Lychee Crème Brûlée ($6) and Thai iced tea home made ice cream ($6) were a lovely ending to a great tasting.

Bang Bar is open Sunday through Thursday from 11:00 a.m. until 10:00 p.m. and on Friday and Saturday from 11:00 a.m. until midnight. It offers a combination-laden lunch menu served Monday to Friday from 11:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m. Happy Hours – complete with $5 martinis at the bar – are 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. daily, as well as Late Night Happy Hour from Sunday to Thursday 9:00 p.m. until close and even on Friday and Saturday from 10:00 p.m. until close.

Not into taking in the ambiance? Take-out is also available. Bang Bar will even deliver “within limited area” from 5:00 p.m. until 10:0o p.m. with a minimum order of $40.

Note: In order to comply with FTC Act 16 C.F.R. 255, Heed the Hedonist would like to disclose that it does receive media “comps” and/or media discounts – but not in exchange for favorable coverage, or for withholding unfavorable overage, of the given venue/meal/performance/product/service.