Do you think you can handle this?

Bangkok Garden, the first Thai restaurant in Bergen County, was also my first introduction to Thai food at the tender age of 23.

I went with my boyfriend at the time, in the early stage of our relationship. He, trying to impress me with his macho, spicy-food-handling ways, ordered up the volcano chicken and requested that it be the seventh level of spicy (in a range that went from 1-10.) I, never being one to back down from a challenge, ordered the chef’s specialty, honor to the king, and requested that it be an eight.

Although we stuck to chicken dishes, Bangkok Garden has an enormous menu and serves a variety of vegetarian, shrimp, fish, duck, and beef items in addition to curries, noodles, fried rice and salads. They also offer, in their fully stocked bar, a selection of Thai wines and the Thai beers Singha and Singha Light.

While we waited for our food, we were given a complimentary basket of puffed shrimp chips. They look like packing foam and taste like what I imagine salted packing foam to taste like. The service was speedy and competent, although I’ve only seen them in action late in the evening on slow weeknights.

Our food arrived. The volcano chicken, served flaming in a hot and spicy sauce, was placed in front of him. The honor to the king, pan-fried marinated chicken in a sweet and spicy sauce and served with curry rice, was placed in front of me. We stared each other down like teens at a red light, getting ready to race, and we dug in.

The first bite was delicious for a few seconds before turning almost painfully hot. But as I continued to eat, I grew accustomed to the intense burning sensation in my mouth and realized that I could ignore it and still manage to savor the dish’s unique flavors. Then I looked across the table at him. He was sniffing. His eyes were welled up with tears and sweat was pouring down his face as if he’d just finished a 5K in an August heat wave.

We recently returned to the restaurant, as friends, and with no need to impress one another we ordered our spicy fried rice and kha-nom jeen narm-pring at a spiciness level six. The kha-nom jeen narm-pring was a delicious marinated chicken breast, pan fried and smothered with a peanut sauce. It was served with rice noodles and fresh, crunchy vegetables. The spicy fried rice had a little bit of everything: egg, peas, spinach, onion, chicken, basil, peppers and a spicy chili sauce. The food was still hot – but not unbearable - although, I think he would have been better off with a five. There were no more tears at our table.

Not everything on the menu is spicy and those who don’t think they can handle the heat can always opt for a mild number like one or two, but I dare you to get the ten. No, I triple-dog-dare you.

Bangkok Garden
261 Main Street
Hackensack
(201) 487-2620

http://www.bangkokgarden-nj.com

FancyPants:

— by Ali Hanford
Ali is managing editor and a co-founder of GoOutJersey and lives in Essex County. She has lived in NJ her whole life.

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