Tasting Collective #7: Snap Thai Fish House - A Thai Culinary Adventure in Five Acts

Thai food is renowned for its harmonious blend of flavors and offers a sensory experience that takes you on a journey through sweet, sour, salty, bitter, and spicy. It is IMHO one of the best cuisines in the world, if not the very best. Thai food is full of flavor, featuring aromatics like lemongrass, ginger, lime leaves, and hot chilies alongside coconut milk, peanuts, and basil. When I saw this menu pop up, I couldn't wait to explore this 5-course adventure savoring the unique tastes and textures that define this captivating cuisine.

Snap Thai Fish House is a new addition to the Buckhead dining scene and since opening in May, has quickly become an Atlanta hotspot. It was recently named to Eater's "Hottest New Restaurants in Atlanta" list and Infatuation's "Best New Restaurants in Atlanta" list. I am a Thai food fanatic, and I was excited to embark on this culinary adventure delving into the vibrant and exquisite world of Thailand.

Course 1 was a Chef's Trio featuring a spicy octopus shooter with chilies, lime, and ground peanut + a botanical crab cheese roll with micro flowers and a three-flavor sauce + a shrimp pomelo salad with lemongrass and pistachio. The shooter was delicious, and the peanut sauce base balancing sweetness, saltiness, and a hint of heat was PHENOMENAL! It had a depth and complexity that had us all clamoring for a second shooter. The salad featured succulent shrimp and a mild citrus hint of lemongrass. It had the perfect hint of sour and aromatic flavors. The crab roll was flaky and full of flavor. The interplay of heat and tanginess across all three dishes served as the perfect prelude to the rich tapestry of tastes that followed.

Course 2 was a Tom Kha Clam Chowder with coconut milk, onion, garlic, potato, and fish sauce. Succulent clams and potato were immersed in a luscious coconut milk broth punctuated with the subtle flavors of onion and garlic. The chowder texture was perfect, but I found it a tad too sweet. A little more fish sauce and a few chilies would have balanced out the sweetness. As Tom Kha is typically a spicy dish, I was thrown off by the sweetness.

Course 3 featured caviar Branzino and ginger mushroom with ginger and mushroom-infused soy sauce and seasonal vegetables. The seabass was cooked perfectly. The mildly sweet flavor and the flakiness of the fish were wonderful. Once again, I found the soy sauce-infused broth a bit too sweet when eaten alone, but the caviar added a nice contrasting saltiness. When eaten together with the sauce, it was a nice bite.

The fourth course was a Khao Soi Wagyu Brisket with Thai yellow curry, egg noodles, pickled mustard greens, and gold flake. The yellow curry sauce was AMAZING and epitomized the essence of Thai cuisine with its depth and complexity. Chef Pattie Lawlertratana is a master of sauces that bring the true essence of Thailand alive. One of my dinner companions noted that the sauce was good, he would simply pour it over a bowl of rice and dive in. The dish also had red onion slices that were a lovely contrast to the curry sauce and made the dish for me. I did find the noodles a bit overcooked and the brisket a bit tough, but overall a good dish.

We concluded our Thai-tasting journey with a sweet finale -- a homemade coconut ice cream with young coconut meat, fresh whipped cream, graham cracker crumble and crushed peanut. The coconut flavor was very subtle. It seemed to be overwhelmed by the graham crackers and peanuts. That being said, the combination of ingredients created a delightful marriage of textures and sweetness and provided a nice ending to our culinary adventure

This 5-course Thai tasting dinner was not simply a meal; it was a sensory celebration that highlighted the artistry of Thai cuisine and culinary traditions. From the unbelievable octopus shooter to the beautiful yellow curry sauce to the indulgence of coconut ice cream, each course told a story of balance, harmony, and the sheer joy of savoring the diverse flavors of Thailand. The entire meal left a lasting impression of the diverse and enchanting flavors of Thai cuisine.

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