It's difficult for me to write about Bangkok Royal simply because I feel like there are several issues to address that begin with the name of the restaurant.
Don't misunderstand me, it's perhaps my favorite restaurant name in town.
But maybe the fact that the name is a conversation in and of itself means that I should begin by writing about the name. So I will.
For starters, it's easy to recognize whether or not an acquaintance is sophisticated enough to dine at this fine Thai cuisine restaurant solely based on his immediate reaction. If you say Bangkok, and he giggles, go for a burger. If he doesn't giggle, you've got a fighting chance.
Next — and this is the big issue — I've noticed that many people pronounce the restaurant Bangkok Royale, putting the same emphasis on royale as Vincent Vega (Pulp Fiction) puts on Royale with Cheese. And then when someone pronounces it Bangkok Royal, like the baseball team in Kansas City, the people from the aforementioned group seem taken aback. "Have I been pronouncing it wrong or are they pronouncing it wrong?" Well, let me just point out that there's no E at the end of Royal, which means it's pronounced like the baseball team in Kansas City. Still, if you think Bangkok Royale, like royale with cheese, sounds cooler, then don't let me stop you.
Now that I've addressed that pressing matter, I have to praise the food at Bangkok Royal. This isn't something I'm prone to doing in this blog because it's something I'd rather leave up to the reviewers. But, dang, that Tom Yum soup is mighty fine. Seriously, if you ever have a cold, I'm pretty sure this gingery bowl of goodness will cure you on the spot. The broth itself is worth the price, but it also contains shrimp and mushrooms and various other things. Simply put, it's my favorite soup in town with the possible exception of the Wisconsin cheese soup at Schmaltz's.
And then there's curry, which I've come to the conclusion might be comfort food for me. I've written in this space before about how I ordered yellow curry to go, so I guess you've heard me rave about it. Curry is a dish common to many cultures around the world. Once upon a time, my friend Tara Gitau, from Nairobi, Kenya, made Kenyan curry for me at my house. It stands as the best meal cooked in my house since I began living there. It's not even close. In Nick Hornby's books, the English characters are always going out for curry, which is usually eaten at Indian restaurants. I'm not an expert in the differences in curry from one country to the next, but I know I'm a fan of Thai curry.
There are other things on the menu at Bangkok Royal, I suppose. I've stopped looking at the menu, though. I just order Tom Yum soup and either yellow or panang curry.
One more bite: If you don't have lunch plans already, you should definitely join us for a WacoFork meet up at noon Thursday at Kitok's.
