Three Days in Colonia Roma: Galanga Thai Kitchen

We spent three nights last week at the Hotel Stanza in Colonia Roma, CDMX. Our dining choices were made after keen debate, mostly between our traveling companion, Ms. Jennifer Rose and me.

Our first stop was at Galanga Thai Kitchen, a new, authentic Thai restaurant owned and operated by a Thai-Mexican couple. We owe Nick Gilman, of Good Food In Mexico City for this one. His blog post of July 5, 2016 led us to an excellent meal.

The restaurant is small, casual and comfortable. We started with a few appetizers; including both Fresh Spring Rolls and Fried spring Rolls. The former were delightful, fresh, and attractively presented. The Fried rolls were not bad, but less distinguished. The accompanying plum sauce was exemplar.

Fresh

Fried

For our next course, two of us chose salads. I had Tom Yom, or green papaya salad, and Jennifer had a very good Beef Salad.

Som Tom

The Som Tom was good, and spicy, but in a moment of confusion while ordering, I neglected to ask for calamari on the salad. So what I had had less-than-thrilling dried shrimp instead. But I ate it all.

The Beef Salad, of which I was given a taste, had perfectly cooked strips of meat in a tangy dressing.

Beef Salad

Sra. Cuevas moved directly to Phad Kee, a Spicy Noodle dish, again with beef, although other proteins were offered. The dominant seasoning was black pepper. That was, in my opinion, the least attractive of our dishes, but it was delicious.

Phad Kee con res

I am ever lured by soft-shell crab, and so ordered one of the specials of the week, Pu Nim Pad Prik Thai Dum, which translates, more or less, to soft shelled crab stir fried in black pepper and garlic. It was all right, but the soft, watery texture inside the crab was less pleasing. But I really liked the crisp, fresh, stir fried vegetables.

Soft shelled crab

Service was good, the staff was friendly. We chatted at length, in English and Spanish with Sr. Eleazar Castillo, the husband of Chef Somsri.

RATINGS

Food: 8

Service: 7

Ambience: relaxed, tranquil

Cost: $$$ (Each $ represents $100 pesos per person.)

Our bill, $1020 pesos, was reasonable for the quality of the food.

We would definitely return. Jennifer and I agreed (¡Que milagro!) that at Galanga we had the best meal of our time in Colonia Roma.

Location: 

Calle Guanajuato 202, Roma Norte

Hours: Open Tuesday – Sunday, 1-10 p.m., closed Monday

Web site http://www.galangathaikitchen.com/