There's that magic of being married or together for ages...….you understand the verbal "codex", you develop your own vocabulary. And the Missus does have "Her moments", like Sam Woo the "Killer Whale" and why a Marshall Tucker Band's song is about fried chicken. It doesn't happen every often these days; but every so often.... The recent warmer weather had the Missus wanting some Thai food; one dish in particular; but it seems that Thai Papaya will not reopen....so say goodbye to the Som Tom Khai Kem and what the Missus was craving, the Kai Yiew Ma Pad Kra Pow (Spicy Thousand Year Old Eggs) at Thai Papaya. So the Missus asked if I could order takeout from that "Chubby Thai place". And I knew exactly what She was referring to.
I went ahead and placed my order online, then headed off to pick it up....no muss, no fuss.....making it home in no time at all.
I got the Khao Kluk Kapi (Shrimp Paste Fried Rice) with Honey Pork, which was just as good as on my previous visits.
From the pungent shrimp paste fried rice, to the sweet-salty (and even more tender this time) pork, to the fried egg...which unfortunately, I am not allowed to consume with the Missus present.....She quickly snatches it from the takeout container, this is my favorite dish from Chaba.
Sadly the Spicy Basil Chicken with Century Egg wasn't very good this time around.
The ground chicken as hard and dry....with some really hard pieces (which I liken to biting into a "toenail"). It was also quite salty and lacked balance. There was but two slices of century egg, which hadn't been battered and fried properly......needless to say; the Missus wasn't a happy camper.
FOY "Si O" has recommended the Khao Mok Kai and perhaps I'll try that out sometime in the future.....though I think I'm on my own when ordering from Chaba Thai for now.
Chaba Thai Kitchen
8010 Clairemont Mesa Blvd.
San Diego, CA 92111
Current Hours:
Daily 11am - 9pm
yikes hard & dry :(
Posted by: kat | Monday, 18 January 2021 at 10:32 PM
Went to Chaba today for lunch after reading this, as I recently started working in the Kearny Mesa area again recently, and ordered the Khao Kluk Kapi. Thought the pork was okay but man that fried rice was so good. Wishing I could just order a container of that.
Posted by: Derric | Tuesday, 19 January 2021 at 12:49 PM
Yeah, that was pretty bad Kat!
Yes, the pork is the inconsistent "weak link" in the dish Derric. Glad you liked the rice; now you gotta go find some really good bagoong fried rice! Cheers!
Posted by: Kirk | Tuesday, 19 January 2021 at 01:42 PM
At least one of the dishes delivered.
Posted by: Junichi | Tuesday, 19 January 2021 at 02:39 PM
Yeah....but am hoping that the place is more than one trick pony Junichi!
Posted by: Kirk | Wednesday, 20 January 2021 at 06:28 AM
Too bad but exactly my experience too that the basil stir-fried dishes are inconsistent :( I even got a version using dried pepper instead of fresh ones once - tasted so off.
Posted by: Si O | Thursday, 21 January 2021 at 11:52 AM
I still have to try the Khao Mok Kai Si! Hope all is well; take care!
Posted by: Kirk | Thursday, 21 January 2021 at 03:02 PM