Bambu Thai and Asian Cuisine
1930 N. Coit Rd, suite 100 Richardson, TX 75080 972-480-8880
Esan-style sausage is something truly unique. The relatively quickly cured combination of pork, Thai dill, lemongrass, kaffir lime and other ingredients is often served with sticky rice and an assortment of condiments, all of which is meant to be eaten by hand.It’s a myriad of flavors all at once, and is quite different from just about anything else.
Top: The Thai green curry; Bottom: The pre-meal mushroom soup, described by Nan as analogous to a consomme
“It’s a very Asian food – it’s got a lot of herbs, and it’s not too smoky or too salty,” says Shelly Nan, co-owner and general manager of Bambu in Richardson. “It’s not like Italian sausage or blood sausage – it’s very unique.”
And Nan would know a thing or two about the Northeast Thailand-inspired sausage: they make and cure their own at Bambu, as well as feature an assortment of fresh cuisine based on the culinary traditions from Thailand’s Esan region.
“What we do is a lot more more focused on salad and grilling, Nan says. “And it changes all the time – we have a lot of seasonal stuff, especially during the summer.”
Bambu, which opened seven months ago, sits quietly on the Southeast corner of Campbell and Coit in Richardson and has been quietly gaining popularity among Thai enthusiasts for its fresh ingredients and dedication to bringing traditional Esan dishes to the far North Dallas area.
“To me, it’s more about quality than quantity,” Nan says about the restaurant’s fare, which is prepared in the kitchen by her mother, sister, and other family members. “What we do here is different because we focus on the freshness, the quality, and the authenticity of the food.”
Don’t infer, though, that Bambu will leave you hungry. The sizes are not meager – they simply won’t leave you with leftovers for the next three days. And as for the quality part, Nan’s not joking about that, either.
“It’s like a customer said to me last night, ‘I’ve been to a lot of Thai restaurants, but the difference you guys have is that it’s almost like gourmet food,’” she said.
The dishes at Bambu clearly have been attended to with a caring hand, but the prices do not reflect a gourmet restaurant. Lunch can be easily had for under $10, and with its BYOB policy (pending their license), a fine dinner can be had for under $20.
And yes, while it might seem like Bambu is hiding on that big intersection – they’re facing inward behind the Starbucks – seeking them out might give you a whole new perspective on what Thai food can be.
