Restaurant: Saladang Song

I've gotta Saladang Song my dang a long ling long
(My apologies to Ministry, but there are only so many puns you can make with the words 'Saladang Song')

Food: 8/10
Atmosphere: 10/10
Service: 9/10


My subjective Grade: A-
Best for: showing off what a hip scenester you are.
In a perfect world I'd dine here: now and then as a date spot


Details:
383 S. Fair Oaks Avenue
Pasadena, CA 91105
(626) 793-5200

I've had pretty mixed results when it's come to choosing Pasadena dinner spots to entertain my folks. This week I took them out to Saladang Song. I was especially nervous considering that I hadn't yet had a chance to scout it out myself. The reviews of Saladang Song definitely ran the gamut, too. Depending on the reviewer, Saladang Song allegedly serves either the best or worst Thai food in town - with little middle ground in between. "Is an interesting exterior really reason enough to pick a dinner spot?" I asked myself (The entire restaurant [front courtyard and all] is set behind a tall outer wall of alternating concrete and metal lattice panels). Apparently it is.

By the way - I have NO idea why the restaurant owner decided to open this place next door to his first restaurant, Saladang. I haven't tried the original spot yet, so I can't weigh in on the differences between the two, but that struck me as more than a little odd.

Still, all in all, the experience wasn't half as painful as it could have been. At least belly dancers didn't erupt out of the back room like the last time I took them to Malagueta.

************************************************************************************ ************************************************************************************

Food: 8/10

• I've always found ordering at new places to be a little bit daunting. Inevitably I end up wanting to try several dishes and live in fear of winding up with buyer's remorse. As a result I'm a definitely a fan of tapas, buffets, dim sum, churrasco, and other approaches that allow for sampling several dishes. However, whereas trendy restaurants have quickly learned to lure customers into overspending on small plates, family-style dining remains a fairly solid, consumer-friendly tradition in my mind. I was fortunate to have my family along for Saladang Song, as it allowed me to sample a fairly wide selection of dishes... some of which were gems and some of which were duds.
  
• The menu breaks down more or less along the lines that one might expect: there are the requisite number of appetizers, noodle dishes, rice dishes, curries, a few unusual drinks, etc. Everything we ordered was gorgeous - definitely in line with the carefully manicured, trendy appearance of the place. As previously mentioned, however, some were hits while some were misses:
• Hits: We started with a vegetarian combo that was certainly a hit (the taro cakes, in particular, were a hit with my folks - we decided the closest analogue we could come up with was French Toast). A duck & rice entree also solicited praise from the two duck fans at our table.
• Misses: I have to admit that ordering their Pad Thai was a mistake. Seeing as it's such a quintessential Thai item, I thought it would be a good reference point to compare across other Thai restaurants. Now, I had read reviews warning that Saladang Song is by no means a 'traditional' Thai experience. I was fine with that - I've certainly had my share of good experiences with the bastardized takes on 'traditional' foods served at Fusion restaurants. However, their take on the Pad Thai was to rob it of all the typical depth of flavor and seasoning I associate with Thai food, and replace that lost flavor with... well... a beautiful presentation? Sure, you could have varnished the thing and installed it as a piece of art somewhere (the entire mass of noodles is artfully wrapped in a thin layer of egg, which results in it looking very much like a gorgeous omelet). Trouble was that it was bland. Not disgusting. Not made with poor ingredients. Just devoid of depth.
• One other miss: I'm always drawn to ordering novel items, so when I read their dessert options and came across "tubers served in a light syrup," I was sold. I was imagining a light, refreshing dessert akin to the shaved ice creations you might find in Japanese restaurants and tea shops (where they also use unlikely items in desserts - like lima beans). Anyway, imagine my disappointment when my dish turned out to be a bowl of boiled carrots, potatoes, and taro swimming in a thick pool of plain sugar syrup. Hot boiled carrots, potatoes, and taro. It was hot, it was heavy, and it was sickening sweet. I sort of imagine it's what you'd get if a unicorn wandered by and threw up in your bowl. Yea, I should have known better, but still... yuck.
  

Atmosphere: 10/10

• High ceilings, liberal application of concrete and metal throughout, floor to ceiling windows, a gorgeous walled-in courtyard/patio, water features, and creative lighting... yea it's got the trendy modern thing down to a T. If you like that sort of thing, you'll like this sort of thing. I know I did.
  

Service: 9/10

• Their staff really was quite attentive. I drink like a fish (doesn't matter what's in front of me - I unconsciously drink the way others unconsciously eat), so one of the first things I notice is whether my glass ever goes empty. I'm sure I had somewhere in the ballpark of six refills while I was there - and I don't think I ever managed to completely empty my cup before someone rushed over to tend to it for me.
  
• Our bill took a little bit of time to receive... and they forgot my entree order altogether. We had to ask a second time for the Pad Thai - at which point I think they put in a second order with the kitchen.
  

************************************************************************************ ************************************************************************************

Eating Saladang Song:

The combination (vegetarian) appetizer plate is a fair amount of food. I'm guessing that paired with an interesting entree or two (perhaps a pair of rice dishes), the net result would be more food than needed for a date.
Oh, and although I doubt I'd have to warn most people in the first place - ditch the boiled tuber dessert. The coconut ice cream was the big hit at our table.