I was sitting in Maenam on West 4th the other evening with my kids, introducing them to deep fried oysters with nahm jim and remembering how spoiled for choice we Vancouverites are, when it suddenly dawned on me that I was a bit of a greedy bastard. Yes, despite my nostrils being coddled by the dizzyingly aromatic hot and sour pork soup (redolent with Thai basil) and my palate lovingly stung by a citrusy cocktail of tequila and cilantro, I was thinking how unfortunate it was that the chef/owner Angus An wasnt working harder. Damn him.
His restaurant may be firing on all cylinders (it won another Vancouver Magazine Restaurant Award for Best Thai last week and its manager, Brooke Delves, was recognized with a Premier Crew accolade), and by no means do I want him to overextend himself, but I want more.
Specifically, I want three things. First, I desire another restaurant. Despite Ans obvious prowess with Thai food (he once worked at Nahm in London, the worlds only Michelin-starred Thai restaurant), the UBC fine arts grad is capable of a lot more. Lets not forget that he apprenticed at Jean-Georges Vongerichtens JoJo in New York while studying at the French Culinary Institute (graduating first in his class); that he worked under star chef Norman Laprise at Montreals acclaimed Restaurant Toqué; that he put in his time in the UK at The Fat Duck and Le Manoir aux Quat Saisons; and that Maenam is built upon the ashes of his first restaurant effort, the award-winning Gastropod. Though he prudently closed it three years ago this week as the financial meltdown was taking hold, I havent forgotten his delicious takes on modern French fare.
Second, I want a cookbook. That An rather selfishly, in my mind has yet to reveal to the world how home cooks can achieve his crisped ling cod sweetened with caramelized tamarind and palm sugar sauce borders on the unforgivable, as does the fact that no local publishing house has yet to successfully beat down his door to make it happen.
Third, I want a Maenam street food cart. Thai food shows exceptionally well on the streets (have a whiff of Bangkok), and since An travels to Thailand often, he cant be short of inspiration. In addition to his roti, satays, Thai sausages (studded dangerously with birds eye chilies) and gently spiced wings, Im sure hed have plenty of tricks up his sleeve should he ever go this route. My vote is for the corner of Robson and Burrard, but Ill beat a path to whatever street corner he can get.
Why make these demands? Because Maenam is rare among its contemporaries and should be celebrated. Like Vijs with Indian and Bao Bei with Shanghainese, the little Thai restaurant stands as an exciting point of departure from whats expected of its particular milieu. I love how An confidently blends tradition with innovation on the plate without taking shortcuts (no ketchup staining his Pad Thai red); how he sources his proteins from the best local farms and sustainable producers; and how he presents it all affordably (the most expensive dish on the menu is $18).
And my goodness, the drinks! While most Thai restaurants offer a vernacular beer (eg. Singha), a house red and white of questionable provenance, and maybe a few poorly made cocktails as afterthoughts, Maenams list of beverages is shockingly long, well considered, and incredibly diverse. Want a sweetish, Triple Karmeliet beer to temper the Geng Gola Neua curry? No problem. How about a bottle of Joiefarms Noble Blend to assist in the nine-course Royal Thai tasting menu (only $45!)? Of course. Doing a cocktail crawl? The small bar program here stirs up a wealth of inspired flavour combinations, all of which tie back to the Thai theme by flavour, twist or inflection.
And since Im in greedy bastard mode, Ill ask one last thing, and not of An, but of the next wave of restaurateurs. Follow Maenams lead. Do something different. Vancouver diners dont want any more nondescript restaurants with ubiquitous sliders, nachos, wraps, et cetera. There is a world of inspiration out there awaiting your consideration, so get out a map and think. Think German, Korean, Polish, Russian, Honduran, Cantonese, or Moroccan. Think out of the ordinary, but do it with drinks, do it sustainably, and do it with the kind of style that will set you apart. Were ready for you.
