Today finds me laid up recovering from a broken ankle, thanks to Michigan winter and a treacherous icy sidewalk. Luckily, the restaurant I’m profiling is just down the road from my humble abode in the Grand Rapids-adjacent township Jenison, and is also one of my very favorite restaurants: Bangkok Taste!
Bangkok Taste first opened in 2004, and for more than 20 years they have provided Jenison and the surrounding areas some of the very best Thai cuisine around. I ordered a veritable smorgasbord, so thankfully my friend Harrison Smith was visiting from California between acting gigs to help me scarf down all this food.
Starting off with the appetizers. I ordered something new to me, the Crispy Rolls — rolls filled with chicken, onions, vermicelli noodles, and carrots wrapped in rice paper and fried until crispy. They are served with a side of sweet Thai chili sauce. I’ll definitely be getting these again.
The second appetizer was an old favorite, Noodle Soup. It consists of steamed noodles, white onions, green onions, beansprouts, and your choice of protein (I picked fried tofu) in a Tom Yum broth with added beef flavoring, hoisin sauce, hot sauce, and black pepper. Great flavor, and also a great cold remedy if you order it with medium spice or higher. Sinus cleanse ahoy!
On to the entrees. First up, Drunken Noodle with beef, medium spice. With this dish you get wide rice noodles stir-fried with eggs, onions, beansprouts, bamboo shoots, green peppers, and basil leaves, all cooked with a splash of wine for the “drunken” part. I could eat this every day and not get tired of it.
The second entree was Curry Fried Rice, which I ordered with fried tofu, medium spice. It’s fried rice with eggs, peas, carrots, and onions in an amazingly flavorful yellow curry sauce. It’s my personal favorite fried rice dish anywhere, and the portions you get are huge. I’ve managed to get two to three meals out of it in the past.
All dishes at Bangkok come with your choice of protein and spice level. If you venture beyond medium spice (which is plenty spicy), be ready for some serious heat. They do not deliver but are open for dine-in and takeout Monday through Friday 11am–8pm, Saturday 12pm–8pm, and are closed on Sunday. So if you find yourself on the outskirts of Grand Rapids, don’t miss out on Jenison’s restaurant crown jewel, Bangkok Taste!
