 |
 |
|
|
| 2017
Belmont Blvd. Nashville, TN |
TEL:
(615) 297-4595 FAX: (615) 297-4759 |
By Thayer Wine, Staff Writer, The Tennessean (August 16, 1996)
 |
Bright
pink flowers frame outdoor dining tables near the porch
of a former residence, now the International House
restaurant on Belmont Boulevard. Inside tables with white cloths are scattered around what were once living and dining areas. Right away, you know this Thai restaurant is different from it's casual, cafeteria-style cousin, the International Market, across the street. |
| Your
nose will notice fragrant herbs such as basil and
cilantro and the scent of lemon grass. Your tongue will
tingle with a spritz of fresh lime or the heat of hot
peppers. Cool homemade lychee sorbet or coconut ice cream
will quench any fires. Everything from the Thai ornaments, pictures and furnishings to the tastes of exotic dishes tease your senses. |
 |
 |
Wood
carved chairs and a three-paneled wood screen inlaid with
mother of pearl and shiny decorative objects contribute
to the rich cozy surroundings. You can order your meal either in a package that includes an appetizer, soup, salad, entree and dessert or from the list of individual choices that includes interesting salads, soups and popular entrees. |
| Every
dish I tried was made with fresh and different
combinations of ingredients, giving it a distinctive and
memorable taste. Take the house salad -- a platter of several tender lettuce leaves topped with moistened rice paper (like a thin tortilla but made with rice instead of corn or flour), tiny bits of lime, fresh herbs and a peanut or two. To eat it, drizzle a bit of the accompanying sweet-hot sauce on top of each portion and roll it up. It's a little messy, but the explosion of tastes in your mouth will be worth the trouble. |
 |
 |
Both
the tastes and scents of the soups from the creamy Thom
Kha Gai made with coconut milk and chicken to the Thom
Yum Gai or Thom Yum Koong, clear broth soups with shrimp
or chicken, are seductive. you could make a meal of one
of these soups and one of the intriguing salads. The beef
salad, with its extra spicy and garlicky dressing is not
for the faint of tongue, but still a treat. When I visited the restaurant I sampled five thoroughly enjoyable entrees, but they might not be on the menu all the time. Most of the individual dishes and the seven or eight entrees offered are likely to change once or twice a week. |
| The
"Bird Paradise," with us tender bites of
chicken resting in a creamy sauce of coconut milk
flavored with lemon grass and a bit of hot pepper, was my
favorite entree. The fresh and flavorful seafood in the
"Master of the Day" was served with a sauce of
garlic, pepper and tomato. |
|
| The "Chao-Pra-Ya" was one of the most unusual dishes and the most expensive, but not one I would order again because it's such a chore to eat. This whole red snapper comes to the table all crispy and browned with a chunky sauce on top. It has the head and tail still attached, leaving the diner to try to figure out where all the bones are. Even though our server cut it apart for us, it was still hard to find decent bite-sized pieces without getting a mouthful of bones. |  |
The ubiquitous pad Thai, the familiar noodle-and-vegetable dish flavored with fish sauce, was not on the menu on my visit, but owner Patti Myint promises that there will always be at least two vegetarian choices on the menu. Just like everything else on the menu, the desserts are likely to change, but some of them are so special that you might want to plan your visit when they're offered. The lychee sorbet is just such a show-stopper. The taste is more subtle than many of our Western fruits, but just as pleasing. It's sweet without being cloying -- the perfect finale to a grand meal. |
|
 |
 |
|
 |
||