Return to Chi Extraordinary Kitchen - D's birthday lunch with the Educator GF's

I was eagerly awaiting a return visit to Chi...

since our initial visit several weeks ago...

with only 3/4 of the Educator GF's in tow (KD was MIA due to a family emergency)...

we made our way to the edge of University Heights for D's planned birthday food crawl which they gladly let me plan. That's what our outings have evolved into over the years. A crawl.  Because isn't going to three or five or six places better than just one?  I think so.

It was pretty $%#@ hot today, as in HEAT ADVISORY Hot.  Be warned that this place does NOT have AC (or didn't feel like it did). Becaus they kept the doors open, there were flies buzzing around in there which detracted a tiny bit from lunch. It's not fun having to shoo them away while you're trying to eat, then not being able to brush off the flies that actually DO land on your food or plate or glass or whatever.

Bert would be happy to see that they now have a craft beers. I wouldn't mind trying that coconut porter next time. No alcohol for us chicks today.

TORC's coconut iced tea and my passionfruit green tea (same as before) with a side of simple syrup. This was very much needed since it was 90+.

Since we were only three of four, we didn't "over order" as is our practice (we like taking home leftovers but not today), we had three light items. The first was the Miang Kham which I had last time. Both TORC and D enjoyed these light little bites.

Curry Noodles was the other order, served with shrimp, crab (deshelled on one side for easy pickin's), bean sprouts and celery (which I thought was un-Thai like but still delicious). Underneath all this were the superfine vermicelli noodles. The curry flavor was light and just right. We requested it to be non-spicy as well. It might have been tame but it was delicious and at least we knew we wouldn't "suffer" later on if you know what I mean and I think you do.


We originally wanted an item called Triple Mushroom rolls but were told it was no longer on the menu...yet it was still on the menu.  They should probably cross that off then.  They did revamp their menu by adding info on the owner and chef on the inner flaps as well as the benefits of a pescatarian diet.

Since the Triple Mushroom rolls were nixed, I asked D to choose the appetizer. It was funny because she is used to me choosing everything whenever we go out. As a high school principal, she is used to people following her orders but ironically when she goes out with us, is actually relieved to not have to make any 'executive decisions'. I figured, this crawl was for her birthday but my asking her stressed her out. In any case, her choice, The Herbal Salmon was the backup plan for the non-existent rolls. It was like a salmon larb (for lack of a better word) with toasted rice powder (brown rice too!), served with what they call 'vegetables' (but was in reality only one kind, lettuce leaves; I was thinking it would be several cooked vegetables) and half moon shaped won ton chips.



We loved the salmon appetizer although I ate mine deconstructed because it was easier for me to do so than to balance it on top of the small leaves and chips.

The server noticed D opening up her birthday gifts and said they would have a complimentary dessert for us, which was quite nice and generous.  These were fried rolls filled with sweet rice, bananas, black sesame seeds and topped with toasted coconut.


These were so good but we made sure to save some room for our other planned stops this day.

D's birthday lunch last year (which was combined as an early bday with TORC):
"Nate's Garden Grill", September 2014

Previous visit to Chi Extraordinary Kitchen:
July 2015 (with Bert)

Other than the bothersome flies, we had an enjoyable meal which was light and refreshing on this hot hot day. More visits are in order to explore the rest of their simple but precise menu.