Thai Prime Kitchen & Bar
Crispy Duck đŚ Let me tell you, this crispy duck is top-tier among all the duck dishes Iâve tried in the USâeasily earning a solid đ! Iâve had my fair share of duck here, and so many of them feel like theyâre competing for âmost fattyâ award. You know the ones: thick, wobbly layers of fat under the skin that melt into every bite, leaving you with that heavy, greasy feeling that makes you want to unbutton your pants halfway through the meal. But this duck? Itâs a game-changer. The fat layer is so thin and delicate, itâs like they carefully trimmed it to perfectionâjust enough to keep the meat juicy and add a subtle richness, but not a single bit more. No napkin emergencies here, folks! The skin? Perfection doesnât even do it justice. Itâs fried to a deep, amber gold that shimmers under the restaurant lights, and when you take a fork to it? That crackleâloud, satisfying, and instantly mouthwatering. The aroma hits you right away too: a mix of smoky, savory notes from the fry, with a hint of five-spice that makes your stomach growl. And the meat? Wow. They serve it in big, generous chunksâno skimping hereâwith a tender, almost buttery texture that stays moist even after frying. The duck flavor is there, bold but not overpowering, so itâs approachable even if youâre not a die-hard duck fan. But the presentation? Next level. It comes out on a sizzling hot(iron platethatâs still hissing when it hits the table, steam curling up to fog your glasses (worth it). Underneath the duck, thereâs a bed of fresh veggiesâcrisp green cabbage, thin-sliced carrots that still have a little crunch, and a sprinkle of bright green scallionsâall soaking up the delicious juices that drip off the duck. The veggies get this amazing char from the hot plate, with edges turning golden and a slight smokiness that cuts through the richness of the meat. Itâs a perfect balance, and by the end of the dish, we were even fighting over the last bits of cabbage. Total winner, no doubt. Red Curry đ Their red curry is another hitâseriously, this place knows what theyâre doing with savory dishes! Letâs be real, Thai curry is pretty hard to mess up, but this one still manages to stand out from the crowd. The sauce is thick and creamy, with that beautiful deep red hue that comes from roasted red chilies, and itâs packed with layers of flavor. You can taste the bright, citrusy zing of lemongrass, the earthy warmth of galangal, a hint of kaffir lime leaf that adds freshness, and just enough coconut milk to mellow everything out without making it cloying. Itâs like a flavor party in your mouth, and every ingredient gets its moment to shine. Now, fair warning: itâs on the mild side by defaultâgreat if youâre not into spice, but if youâre like me and crave that fiery kick, donât hesitate to ask for extra heat đśď¸. The server smiled and said âas spicy as you wantâ when we asked, and they deliveredâjust enough burn to make your lips tingle, but not so much that you canât taste the other flavors. We dipped the crispy duck in it (mind-blowing combo, trust me), sopped up sauce with the veggies from the duck plate, and even tried it with that lackluster rice (more on that later). No matter how you eat it, itâs warm, comforting, and so flavorful youâll want to lick the spoon (we didnât⌠but we thought about it). Rice đ Okay, letâs keep it realâthe rice here is a letdown, and itâs a shame because everything else is so good. Itâs served in a small bowl, and when you dig in, itâs loose and grainywith none of that sticky, clumpy texture you get from good Thai jasmine rice. Thereâs no fragrant aroma eitherâjust plain, forgettable grains that taste like they were cooked in a hurry. Hereâs the thing: Thai curry and rice are supposed to be BFFs. The rice should soak up the sauce, adding a neutral base that lets the curryâs flavors shine, but this rice? It just kind of⌠sits there. Sopping up the sauce without adding anything to the mix, and it gets mushy fast if you leave it too long. A bowl of fluffy, fragrant jasmine rice wouldâve taken this meal from âgreatâ to âunforgettableââseriously, thatâs how good the curry and duck are. Hereâs hoping they step up their grain game because itâs the only thing holding this place back from a perfect score. Overall, though, the crispy duck and red curry make this spot a must-try. The duck alone is worth the trip, and the curry is a delicious bonus. Just maybe skip the rice and fill up on that amazing duck (and those charred veggies!) instead đ #Patan