Portland | LangBaan Check-In 🏮

Time was tight, so I skipped the legendary Bellpine and dashed to the hotter LangBaan instead—scored a bar seat after a week of booking, and turns out the counter view was a surprise hit: watching chefs stir-fry and mix spices up close, like a tiny Thai cooking theater 👩🍳. First time trying a Thai tasting menu, and learned they swap menus every two months—this month’s all about Phuket flavors, with names like “Andaman Sea Sour” and “Phuket Old Town Spice”… The starters hit me like a happy bomb 😍: First up: fried shrimp cakes, crisp as chips outside, shrimpy inside, dipped in lime-chili sauce—zesty enough to wake up my taste buds. Second: green mango salad, using Phuket’s tiny mangoes, tangy with a hint of tartness, mixed with roasted peanuts and shrimp, crunchy and fragrant without being overwhelming. Best of all: a tiny bowl of sour soup with shrimp and lemongrass, so tart I smacked my lips, but couldn’t stop sipping—warmth spread through my stomach instantly. Then mains hit, and I learned what “Phuket spice” really means 🌶️. First main: lemongrass-grilled sea bass, crispy skin, tender flaky meat, but the chili glaze had that raw pepper kick—tongue tingled like crazy. Second: coconut curry crab, curry thick enough to coat the spoon, coconut sweetness hiding galangal heat—even Thai jasmine rice couldn’t mellow it. Halfway through, I was chugging water like it was a race 😂. My friend teased me for “surrendering early,” but seriously—Phuket’s sour-spicy isn’t just heat, it’s a “layered attack” of spices: tart enough to make you salivate, spicy enough to make you sweat, with a kick that lingers 🍋. Thankfully, the Thai tea saved the day 🥤! Not the cloyingly sweet kind—strong tea flavor, creamy foam, sweetness balancing the spice perfectly. One sip felt like a gentle pat: “It’s okay, breathe.” The bar staff were awesome too, kneeling to explain each dish: “This uses Phuket kaffir lime leaves, different from regular lime!” When I winced at the heat, they handed over ice water, grinning: “Lots of guests wave the white flag by mains—totally normal～” Even though I barely nibbled the last two mains, the experience was top-tier: watching Thai cooking up close, starters’ creativity and flavor made it worth it, plus the tea and staff added that extra warmth. Gotta come back before they swap the menu—next time, I’m ready for a less “hardcore” round! #PortlandEats #ThaiTastingMenu #PhuketFlavors #FoodieTravel