A Vienna restaurant offers a new twist on Thai food By Walter Nicholls The Washington Post Magazine Sunday, March 4, 2007 ** (out of four) First, let's get the peculiar name out of the way. Born is not a reference to birth. It's got nothing to do with the German language, though some customers think it sounds vaguely German. Born is not animal or mineral but, rather, vegetable. "It's a water plant, like a lotus, that means a lot in our culture," says co-owner Teerawat Akkarach. The menu, like Akkarach, is Thai, with modern dishes that are light on the chili peppers and made with notably fresh ingredients. Though there are lots of Thai restaurants in the Washington area, Born is intent on carving out its own identity. "We're trying to do something different," he says. The distinctions begin with the minimally decorated dining room, with its unadorned exposed brick, sweeping windows on two sides and softly lighted bar area with six scoop-shaped stools. Overall, it's a soothing space with simple, clean lines. The only stumble is the annoying easy-listening music that plays in the background -- a good reason to keep the conversation going. When it's time for a drink, there's a fairly priced wine list with more than 30 choices by the bottle or glass. Many are from mass-market producers, such as Louis Latour. But the list also includes a good spread of varietals and some lovely whites from small vineyards, including a lively, light Loimer Lois gruener veltliner from Austria. Of equal note is the attention paid to the beers. Beyond the expected Singha from Thailand, there's a quenching, fruity Tilburg Dutch brown ale, as well as a creamy and strong Fullers London porter, both an equal match for a spicy meal. Unfolding the three-page menu, I find uncomplicated categories and clearly written descriptions with all soups at $5, appetizers at $6 and salads at $7. The starters, I discover over the course of three visits, are more appealing than many of the entrees. Big plates often suffer from too many components and frivolous, sometimes industrial, garnishes, such as ho-hum raw, sliced red cabbage. But at Born it's easy to fill the table with an assortment of exciting soups, salads and appetizers. Be on the lookout, though, for an unnecessary rush in service. More than once, and with the room nearly empty, servers repeatedly asked, "Are you finished?" or tried to remove plates from the table when our forks were in midair. If you like lemon grass, the tom yum goong soup is a terrific way to begin a meal. Order some, and out comes a bowl of near-clear broth strongly flavored with the citrusy reed. There is just enough red chili oil to give it kick, plus a couple of halved cherry tomatoes for color and three plump shrimp plus several delicate straw mushrooms for texture. Equally delicious but totally different is a Japanese-inspired, healthful-tasting soup of tofu and julienned fresh ginger in a clear broth that would be the ideal takeout gift for an ailing friend. Lightly battered and fried calamari puts a lot of the other breaded squid in the world to shame, and for dipping, there is a sweet and sour mango and tamarind sauce that Born should bottle. I've never been a fan of Asian shrimp cake, but this kitchen produces tender, fluffy circles of minced shrimp with broad appeal. "I could easily get my kids to eat this," one of my companions observed. Don't bother with the shumai steamed dumplings, which are too dense and heavy, or the vegetable spring rolls, which have little stuffed inside. However, the chef makes a larb gai minced chicken salad, loaded with fresh mint and topped with a lime vinaigrette, that is the best version of this dish I've tried this side of Chiang Mai. And I'll be back for the grilled shrimp and grapefruit salad that is dressed with a flattering chili and lemon grass sauce, hinting of cilantro. Fruit and seafood may sound summery, but, hey, it's almost spring. There is no right season for the olive and basil duck entree. It's a big, thick, greasy pancake folded over deep-fried breaded duck breast, covered with a goopy, cloying fruit sauce, dotted with black olives and accompanied by pink, pickled ginger. What were they thinking? Another experiment gone wrong: the Napoleon of almond-crusted fried tofu, overwhelmed by mushy rice vermicelli that swims in sweetened coconut milk. For a deft mix of ingredients, try the lychee duck in red curry broth, a pretty dish in which every ingredient, from the lemon grass to the tender fowl to the tropical fruit, stands out. The same can be said of the mild, Malaysian-style panang curry, prepared with shrimp, beef, chicken or tofu, and highlighted by the flavor of kaffir lime leaves and the crunch of sweet long beans. But no entree is more memorable than the nouveau spicy noodle -- a combination of angel hair pasta and wok-fried pork with a heady fragrance of garlic, ginger and chili that hits you before you take the first bite. Thai restaurants, in general, are not noted for desserts beyond, perhaps, mango with sticky rice. But this kitchen turns out an awesome, rich and not overly sweet lemon grass creme brulee that is colored and slightly flavored with green tea. There's also a lovely, tall buttery bread pudding made from croissants and served with a luscious vanilla cream sauce, which is another good reason to come back to Born.
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