Monday, January 24, 2011

Ginger Pop

I'm excited to share this new restaurant with you guys! Ginger Pop is a brand new Thai place off Columbia House Boulevard in Vancouver. I tried it out for the first time this weekend and it was fabulous!

First of all, its the most adorable place. You walk in and are immediately greeted by fun colors and mod-themed decor. Our waiter was very friendly and helpful, and was easily able to answer all my allergy related questions. The lunch menu was small, which was actually nice seeing as most Thai places have an overwhelming amount of options, half of which you've never heard of. Ginger Pop's menu was simple: things like fried rice, pad thai and curries that you've heard of before. They also have an assortment of hot and iced teas and coconut juice, which may just be my favorite new beverage.

I ordered the Yellow Curry, which was a mild curry dish made up of pork, potatoes, and a few other veggies in a coconut milk curry sauce. Immediately, I knew the pork and the potatoes weren't going to work for me. The waiter informed me that you can make any substitutions you want, everything can be made to order. So I swapped red bell pepper for the potatoes and tofu for the pork. He also assured me that soy sauce is rarely used in their recipes, so most of the recipes are gluten free.

My mom ordered the Sweet Basil Fried Rice which was also pretty incredible. Also, the pad thai and the pad kee mow are made with rice noodles, making them great gluten free options as well. And of course, as is tradition in authentic thai, the curries are made with coconut milk, making them dairy free. The lunch portions also weren't outrageously huge; i did have leftovers but I didn't leave uncomfortably full. And it tasted GREAT the next day.

I highly recommend you check this place out, especially if you are a thai food virgin, since the menu is simple and easy to understand. I'd love to hear your critiques and praise as well! Happy Dining!