Collegiate Times

With an overabundance of conventional finger-food restaurants catering to the college crowd in downtown Blacksburg, the new Cafe De Bangkok offers a breath of fresh, jasmine-infused air for those of us no longer inspired by ten-cent wing nights and evening beer specials.

This Thai restaurant, located where Jackson Street Caf? once stood behind the downtown Post Office, consists of two parts inspirational ambition, a dash of modern hip-hop style and five spoonfuls of experience stirred together to produce a culinary masterpiece of traditional Thai cuisine.

Cafe De Bangkok, which opened for business a mere two weeks ago, had been met with skepticism by gourmands around Blacksburg. And why not? The recent Blacksburg building boom, despite providing scads of retail space, has had little to offer people looking for something out of the ordinary.

Since the loss of Blacksburg?s former Main Street Thai restaurant, the downtown area seemed to be lacking in the sacred S?s of non-traditional meals: spicy, sweet, salty and sour. Cafe De Bangkok particularly has a deep understanding of these first two elements, as both are perpetually utilized in each of the established Thai dishes offered on their summer menu.

While Bangkok does offer the traditional glasses of water and soda, a traditional experience isn?t complete without Bubble Milk Tea or Thai Tea for a refreshing saccharine-inspired launch to a mouth-watering food experience. Bubble Tea is a beverage that, when shaken, produces a thin film of bubbles just skimming the surface of the milky sweet liquid inches above the chewy tapioca balls resting serenely at the bottom of the mixture.

From the traditional Chicken Satay to the restaurant?s own version of Fried Spring Rolls served with a sweet and sour sauce, the appetizers here are just enough to keep you and a few friends yearning for more.

While the menu seems short at first glance, there are more than enough dishes to give curious onlookers a tiny taste of what Thailand cuisine is all about. If you are in the mood for a soupy meal, try the Massaman Curry with chicken, beef or tofu. This dish consists of yellow peanut curry in a coconut cream sauce with onions, potatoes and Thai spices, brought out with a side of white rice, which is commonly combined with the curry mixture for a unique blend of flavor and texture in the convenience of one bowl.

While many Asian cuisines tend to overwhelm the taste buds with an exaggerated intensity of spice at the simple ?mild? level, the cooks here seem to empathize with the delicate American palette and will actually make the meal mild, or non-spicy, if requested, so be sure to order your food ?hot? or ?Thai spicy? to get what you really want. Pad Thai and Drunken Noodles, also offered on the menu, are a great sample of typical Thailand cuisine, and in my opinion, are best when ordered spicy.

The restaurant and its culinary inspirations were the brainchild of two cousins and their best friend from Thailand, all of whom are shockingly no older than 25.

Thanadoul Khunngam, who frequently goes by ?Kim?, was eager to start up the business in Blacksburg, and decided to leave his fast-paced career in the film industry to ensure all his time went into the restaurant. Khunngam has hopes for Cafe De Bangkok?s future and expresses no desire to discard the group?s original plans for success. ?It?s like my baby, it?s my project; at this point, I could not just leave it,? he said.

Co-owner to the restaurant, Ekarin Boonurai dedicates much time in the kitchen of Cafe De Bangkok, utilizing the experience he has gathered from the other Thai restaurant he owns in Los Angeles.

With each item on the menu made from scratch daily, Valaipetch Charoensombut-amorn, the female of the entrepreneur group, reminds customers that the Cafe takes on a more leisurely pace than other restaurants nearby. ?We are not like Sharkey?s; everything here is made from scratch. For example, we create and replenish our fried rice noodles each morning and afternoon to ensure they are fresh,? she said.

While service may seem a bit unhurried to the typical McDonald?s consumer, others are quick to appreciate the restaurant?s subtle emphasis on taking the time to fully enjoy each course before diving into the next dish. One such customer, Kendall LaRue, an engineering student at Virginia Tech, agreed. ?This restaurant is not like other places where I feel like they are hurrying us to finish so they can just get more customers in?, said LaRue.

So be sure to check out Cafe De Bangkok if you are in the downtown area. From Asian food connoisseurs to first-timers, customers will not be let down by the unique balance of sweet and spicy flavors featured in each of the dishes offered at this traditional Thai food restaurant.