Khao Man Kai at Thai Avenue [Pics]

Khâo man kài, or Thai-style “Hainanese Chicken Rice,"* is a popular dish throughout Thailand, where it is often taken as a quick and informal lunchtime meal.

Like a number of Thailand's classic “one plate” meals, khâo man kài originated with the Chinese, and likely first gained traction in Bangkok with the help of Chinese migrants, who at one time dominated the city's streetside hawker stalls, food markets, and snack shops. But, also like any other of these "borrowed" classics, the Thai have had plenty of time since to lend the dish their own unique imprimatur.

Thai-style "Hainanese Chicken Rice," is generally comprised of four distinct elements. And, while its manner of service differs somewhat from shop to shop, its manner of preparation remains fairly standard:

1. Chicken is first poached in a light stock and in such a way as to leave the meat faintly pink at the bone.
2. Short-grained white rice is fried with garlic, ginger, and chicken fat, before being steamed.
3. A "soup" is fashioned from the poaching liquid, and usu. includes garlic, various aromatics, and a vegetable of some sort.
4. A dipping sauce is made with garlic and ginger, and usu. includes fresh chile, yellow bean paste, oil, and (or) lime juice.


khâo man kài**


náam jîm tâo jîaw***


kaeng jèut hũa chai tháo****


pink-at-the-bone

Thai Avenue does a particularly good job with the poached chicken; the meat has a nicely soft and springy texture, with a proper amount of pinkness towards the center. I am also impressed by the pungent dipping sauce which contains plenty of fresh minced chile, along with the requisite garlic, ginger, and yellow bean paste. The soup which accompanies the plate of chicken and rice is rich and mellow, with a pleasant, faint sweetness from the daikon radish. And, the rice--while perhaps the weakest aspect of the entire dish--is none too bad either; although it tends to be a bit dry and clumpy, the grains are plump and firm, with a good sheen from the rendered fat. At any rate, a connoisseur of this dish will very likely tell you that the rice is the most difficult part to get right, and as Thai Avenue is hardly a specialist in the form, I, for one, am willing to grant some special dispensation.


Regards,
Erik M.

Thai Avenue
4949 N. Broadway
773.878.2222

* “Hainanese Chicken Rice" is a dish of great renown throughout Southeast Asia, and one which is believed to have originated with the Han Chinese of Hainan Island, before spreading across the entire region with the Hainanese Diaspora.

** This item can be found on my translation of Thai Avenue's Thai Language menu, where I have described it as, " 'Hainan' chicken // poached chicken breast with stock-infused rice." Versions of this dish can also be found on the Thai Language menus at TAC Quick and Aroy Thai. [Though, anymore, Aroy Thai only prepares the dish by special arrangement.] That said, I will also say that I am most impressed with the version outlined here.

*** This roughly translates as, "bean paste dipping sauce."

**** This roughly translates as, "bland soup with Chinese radish."

Looks great! I've never been dissapointed with Thai Avenue, and I'm glad you are helping to popularize it.

I'm no expert on the subject of Hainese chicken, but the sauce seems more "Thai" than Hainese (so to speak) does it not. In Singapore I remember more of a black, soy based sauce.

Rob

Vital Information wrote:I'm no expert on the subject of Hainese chicken, but the sauce seems more "Thai" than Hainese (so to speak) does it not. In Singapore I remember more of a black, soy based sauce.

While I did not go to any length to distinguish the sauce above--the sauce that is most commonly found in Thailand--from those that might be found in other parts of SEA, I did go through some trouble to choose my words carefully. Please note that I refer to khâo man kài as, "Thai-style 'Hainanese Chicken Rice.' "

At any rate, when it comes to "Hainanese Chicken Rice," I have not been served náam jîm tâo jîaw, or any sauce containing fermented yellow bean paste, in any other part of SEA but Thailand.

E.M.

I've seen that on the menu and always assumed it to be a fairly Americanized Chinese sort of dish for some reason. I will definitely be having that on my next visit to TAC.

Octarine wrote:I will definitely be having that on my next visit to TAC.

I assume that you read my initial post carefully, so I will add the following:

1. It is my opinion that Andy overcooks the chicken.
2. While Andy's dipping sauce is decent, I do not like it nearly as well as the one outlined above.
3. It is my opinion that Andy's rice sorely lacks for flavour.


khâo man kài at TAC Quick

E.M.

Hmm, I guess I did read it a bit hastily, being somewhat overwhelmed by the appetizing pictures. Thai Avenue it is, I haven't been there before so that will be a draw.

Octarine wrote:Thai Avenue it is, I haven't been there before so that will be a draw.

Let me know if you would like my company for lunch sometime.

In any event, I will say this about Thai Avenue's aahãan náenam, or “recommended items":

While a number of them are quite good, my favourites include nãem khlûk, mũu náam tòk, yam plaa mèuk, yam wún sên, and khài yát sài.

E.M.

Can you translate your fav dishes at Thai Ave for those of us non-thai or thai-wannebes, please? Thx.

petite_gourmande wrote:Can you translate your fav dishes at Thai Ave for those of us non-thai or thai-wannebes, please? Thx.

I provided a link to my translation of Thai Avenue's Thai Language menu in my initial post.

Here.

E.M.