| A couple months passed between our visits to | | | | Again, the restaurant was full, though minus the |
| Thai Bamboo Bistro, and this time, on our third | | | | maddening lunch crush. Again, our dinner was |
| stop, we knew a little more. | | | | delicious: more green curry and pad thai -- we're |
| Sometimes, a little more information is dangerous | | | | creatures of habit. |
| and just enough to convince you not to return to | | | | We were struck by the cool, contemporary |
| a restaurant. | | | | room, with its handful of bamboo decorative |
| Not this time. | | | | touches. By the briskly efficient service (though |
| Our first visit was on a summer Monday. We | | | | the meals can arrive at a more languid pace, |
| were a little ahead of the lunch rush, our | | | | testimony to the fresh cooked-to-order kitchen). |
| 2-year-old was a little subdued, and so we took a | | | | And by the incredibly fresh ingredients, rendered |
| chance on a place we'd noticed in the new Quail | | | | in light sauces. |
| Hill Village shopping center in Irvine, not far from | | | | The chef markets almost daily, co-manager Jade |
| where the San Diego (I-405) and Santa Ana (I-5) | | | | Tam told me. Sometimes the grocery, |
| Freeways converge in central Orange County, | | | | sometimes a specialty store, sometimes a |
| California. | | | | farmers market. |
| The center sprang up in the shadow of the | | | | Then, well, life kept us away for a few months, |
| Shady Canyon estates seemingly overnight. It's | | | | until I spoke with manager Amy Lam. |
| out of the way -- you don't just happen by. | | | | As we chatted about the restaurant's expansion |
| It's in one of those new-generation neighborhood | | | | plans and presentation themes, Amy asked, ``Do |
| centers that has an all-too-familiar feel about it: | | | | you know Julie and Pat?'' |
| anchor supermarket on one end, Starbucks on | | | | Well, yes, I said, we're going to their wedding in a |
| the other, generic fast-food and fast-casual | | | | day. |
| restaurants between. This one was a little | | | | ``We haven't seen them in a while,'' Amy said, |
| different -- some of the franchise names were | | | | laughing. Julie warned they'd be absent for a while, |
| not quite so ubiquitous, and it appeared that the | | | | something about pre-wedding fasting. |
| Irvine Co. took a chance and leased to some | | | | I know Julie's taste in food and restaurants just |
| non-franchise operators, too. | | | | well enough that this little nugget of information -- |
| We ventured into the bistro, and within 10 | | | | that she and Pat are regulars enough to be on a |
| minutes, the intimate place was packed. So | | | | first-name basis -- told me to get back in there, |
| packed, we quickly changed our sit-down order to | | | | pronto. |
| to-go, hustled our now not-so-subdued little guy | | | | We were again wowed by fresh flavors. We |
| out and headed home to the most sumptuous | | | | started with the Thai bamboo sampler appetizer |
| take-out we'd had in months. | | | | ($14), a mix of four from the menu (spring rolls, |
| Jungle curry with chicken ($12) was mellow and | | | | summer rolls, chicken and beef satay, and gold |
| smooth (we ordered the milder green curry; | | | | bags -- crispy wontons tied up like little Gold |
| yellow and red are available). Spicy lemon grass | | | | Rush-era treasures). |
| chicken ($12) was zesty and fresh. Traditional pad | | | | Our shrimp in spicy mango sauce ($16) was |
| thai ($11) -- my wife's standard -- aromatic and | | | | sweet, but subtle. We upgraded from the |
| generously portioned with shrimp, egg, tofu and | | | | standard pad thai, ordering the ``new edition'' |
| noodles. | | | | version (egg noodles instead of rice noodles. $11). |
| So, we went back, this time for dinner, without | | | | It won't be such a long wait for our next meal |
| the boy. | | | | here. |