Florida Agenda

BY RICHARD DAVID CHAMBERLAIN

Galanga Thai Kitchen has been an established haven of gastronomic delights on Wilton Drive for years. And as a result, it’s hardly unusual to find the free valet parking lot full, and patrons, dressed date fancy, waiting to be seated. But on a recent raining Thursday night, we stopped by again when business was light, and discovered what Galanga Restaurant is really about. Without the din of loud clientele and clattering dishes, Galanga becomes an oasis of zen, a tranquil embrace whose touch is feather light, like lying inside a lotus blossom.

The Sushi Bar is backed by an aquarium that sweeps full length across a wall. The splash of color—bright blue and yellow and brilliant red—on fish that glide more than swim in a rhythmic pattern of movement, dance to the sound of jazz that flows rather than pulses its way across the room.

The food has always been wonderfully consistent and while it never arrives at your table with the kind of speed you would like, it’s only because we’re anxious to get to the taste treats that await. Our standard favorites include the always crisp, surprisingly delicate Thai Glazed Chicken Lettuce Wraps ($9.00), with ground chicken, ginger, basil, bell peppers, onions, chestnuts and a plum sauce; as well as the Crab Cake ($12.00), the real deal heaped with lump crabmeat, Thai spices, and served with a piquant aioli.

Recent additions to the menu from the Sushi Bar include the Kobi Tuna Roll ($11.00), a combo of rare tuna wrapped with seaweed, then lightly dusted with tempura and quick fried, topped with tempura flakes, spicy mayo, wasabi cream and masago. Both visually tempting and the kind of roll that makes for dueling chopsticks at the plate, as even the best of friends fight for the last piece.

The Healthy Lobster Wrap ($20.00) brings joy to the table in the form of steamed lobster, spring mix, and avocado, wrapped with a thin rice paper, but no rice. That’s where the “Healthy” comes in. If you’re in the mood for something with a kick, set your mouth on fire with the Cronic Roll ($14.00), an inside out roll, with tuna, masago, green onion, garlic, avocado, asparagus, tempura jalapeno, and aonori. Moving away from the sushi bar and back into the kitchen, the house specialty has always been the Unbelievable Seabass ($28.00), a perfectly grilled Chilean seabass, sauteed with mixed vegetables, and a drizzle of Thai chili sauce.

Try it and become an instant convert. For duck lovers, the Delightful Duck ($23.00) is prepared in a crispy confit, with sauteed mixed vegetables, and a tamarind sauce. For the more traditionalists among us, the various curry dishes available include R ed Curry, with bamboo shoots, red peppers, green peppers and carrots; Green Curry , with green beans, snow peas, zucchini and green peppers; Panang Curry , red and green peppers, green beans and ground peanuts; or Masaman Curry, which adds potatoes, onions, tomatoes, and peanuts.

The Curries are priced according to your entrée selection: Tofu ($14), Chicken, Beef Or Pork ($15), Squid ($16), Shrimp ($16), Mixed Seafood ($19), Scallops ($20)—and all are served with jasmine rice. This particular Thursday we asked our waiter Erik for Three Best Friends ($19.00), a flavorful blend of beef, shrimp and chicken, sautéed mixed vegetables, in a light peanut sauce. The portion is easily enough for two, plus some for the dog, who thought she had died and gone to heaven. Come to think of it, so did we.