Saladang

It was just a casual conversation with a co-worker, Sharon - she asked me, out of the blue, when my birthday was, and I told her it was today. She was surprised, and asked why I hadn't said anything. She told everyone else, and we ended up going out to lunch at a Thai place called Saladang. There are two Saladangs, so don't get it confused - they're next door to each other - one is officially Saladang, and the other Saladang Song. Saladang Song has outdoor seating in a garden patio, and a slightly more formal menu, according to another co-worker, Jill. We dined indoors at Saladang. High, loft-like ceilings were a clear departure from the natural touch employed by their sister restaurant. The food, too, is allegedly more americanised at Saladang than at Saladang Song, which features more traditional Thai cuisine.

I ordered a stir-fry of chicken and snow peas, which was delicious, though I was jealous of John and his order of sizzling beef. His portion was significantly more generous, and covered in a sweet peanut sauce that was right up my alley, whereas mine was done in a slightly salty oyster sauce. I didn't try the other offerings on the table, which were a shrimp pad thai and a noodle dish, but they smelled pretty good.

Jill told our server that it was my birthday, and she came back with a piece of birthday cake that tasted like a coconut flan, but it might've been a variation of bread pudding. Whatever it was, it was delicious.

The service was excellent - it seemed like a team-player atmosphere, where different servers and bussers would check in on us, refill our water glasses, and clear our dishes, and no one had to wait long for food to arrive. I'm already plotting a return trip for my own batch of sizzling beef. So good!

383 S Fair Oaks Ave
Pasadena, CA 91105-2524
Phone: (626) 793-5200