Best Thai 2014

GOLD: MAENAM

Silver: Longtail Kitchen | Bronze: Pink Elephant Thai | Honourable Mentions: Bob Likes Thai Food, Sawasdee Thai

Angus An of Maenam (Gold) may well be Vancouver’s most underrated chef. “He really is doing for Thai food what Vikram Vij did for Indian.” Sampling the precise execution of An’s steamed mussels with lemongrass and Thai basil (paired with a dry riesling) cinched the deal. His Longtail Kitchen (Silver) is more than worth the drive to New Westminster; we hope it will become a template for more casual, fresh-as-it-gets food stalls. Make the trek for Chang Mai-style chicken curry noodles. Pink Elephant (Bronze) might have been airlifted out of Bangkok. “It’s the real deal,” declared one judge, “and it’s got ambitious breadth.” That notably includes deftly balanced soups like the hot-and-sour tom yum.

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