By TIM SLIVINSKI
I won’t tell stories; I will be honest. It has been quite a few months since I have visited Galanga. There was no real reason, but word on the street was that things were not so good. It’s time to put those stories to bed – for good. A recent visit on a Tuesday evening for dinner had me thinking that Galanga is back and is again a dining force with which to be reckoned. When I first arrived, I had the good fortune to speak with Adrian, the new general manager, and he wants to let South Florida know that Galanga is ready to treat all of you with amazing dishes, whether you select Thai or Sushi. The hiring of a new chef directly from Thailand is a testament to the authenticity of the food that Galanga is serving to its customers.
I wanted to start my dinner with something from the sushi menu. Adrian pointed me in the direction of the Kobi Tuna ($11.00), assuring me that if I were a tuna fan – which I am – that I would love it. He was more than right about that. When it was brought to my table, I was struck by the beauty of the dish’s presentation. The plating reminded me of a painting of a lobster, with its wasabi cream and masago painted from the sides of the thinly cut and overlapping tuna slices. The tuna was deliciously rare and topped with crispy flakes of tempura. The crunch of the tempura was a perfect foil to the creamy texture of the seared tuna. I wanted to inhale every bit of it. It is a starter that I will return for soon!
One of the soups on the menu, the Tom Yum ($6.00), caught my attention, so I decided to give it a try before my main course. I asked it for it to be prepared medium-spicy. I also selected chicken as the protein in the soup, though seafood and vegetarian are other menu options. It arrived as a bowl brimming with a rich broth, spicy but not overly so. It offered flavors of rich stewed tomato and lime. It reminded me, strangely enough, of a bloody Mary – in all the right ways. The chicken pieces were large enough to be identified and not overly diced. They offered texture to the richness of the delightfully tangy broth.
When it is time to select a main course, Galanga offers a vast array of options from seafood to poultry (including duck) to beef and vegetarian. You can choose from traditional Thai dishes to various chef-prepared sushi or sashimi dishes. Once again, Adrian was there to guide me, pointing me in the direction of the Unbelievable Sea Bass ($28.00), as he could sense I was clearly in a seafood mood that night. For a restaurant to call an entrée “unbelievable” may seem like a little too much chutzpah – but it definitely lived up to its moniker. A perfectly moist and grilled filet of Sea Bass covered in basil-garlic sauce, but not overly smothered, was accompanied by flavorful jasmine rice and grilled vegetables. The flavors and textures were amazingly balanced, and the delicate flavor of the sea bass was allowed to shine rather than being diluted. It was a beautifully prepared dish, appealing to the eyes and most appealing on the palate.
I should have stopped there as my hunger was superbly satiated, but Robert, my attentive server, tempted me with Galanga’s sweet offerings. All sounded richly delicious and decadent. I tried to be “kind of” good and asked him to bring me the Green Tea ice cream ($6.00). After all, green tea has health benefits! The cooling effect of the ice cream was a great ending to the various flavors I had consumed during my dinner. The ice cream is drizzled with thin ribbons of honey and chocolate and accompanied by crispy won tons that are similarly drizzled. Elegant, simple, and wonderfully refreshing.
Galanga is still a beautifully appointed space that invites its patrons to relax and savor the aromas and flavors of their many menu options. And now that our South Florida weather is becoming comfortable, do not forget that Galanga offers an outdoor patio so you can dine al fresco on our wonderfully cool and breezy evenings. The name Galanga, I am thinking, comes from “galangal,” a perennial from Southeastern Asia with an aromatic root.
It is a name that fits. The aromas of the excellently prepared dishes guarantee that Galanga is certain to be a perennial along the Drive.
Galanga
2389 Wilton Drive, Wilton Manors, FL
954-202-0000