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Maenam
Category: Restaurants Thai Thai [Edit]
1938 4th Ave WVancouver, BC V6J 1M5
Neighbourhood: Kitsilano
(604) 730-5579
- Hours:
Mon-Sun 5 pm - 11 pm
Tue-Sat 12 pm - 2:30 pm
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$$
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take Away:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Trendy
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
Evilyn T. said: "I told you I'd be back pretty quick! I stopped in here for a Friday work lunch (too bad it wasn't pay day too right?) and was seated in the hot pink booth with my co-worker, where we chatted up a storm like we were next to the water…" read more »
66 reviews for Maenam
Review Highlights
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"I had the dark chocolate pot de creme." In 3 reviews -
"I had the Smoked Duck Red Curry." In 3 reviews -
"Sloping Hills Pork - awesome." In 3 reviews
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66 reviews in English
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Review from Deniz T.
5/9/2012
Awesome!
Seasoning, plating, ambiance, textures, doneness, high acidic notes, proper spice, affordability, flavors, personal touch on heritage...
Now only if you can increase your prices to eliminate; sugared up, full of peanuts with a slightly warm finish, take me home-styrofoam, should not be more than $8 and should come with a green salad people, so that we can get the tables easier, it would be awesome!
To be honest, I do not know the authenticity part of this whole deal, but I think we would miss the point that way. Awesome cooks, doing awesome food. I am a fan! -
Review from Florence C.
Vancouver, BC
4/29/2012
The score implies that I've experienced better 2 years ago. Since then they had changed the menu so many times, reduced the lunch menu, and took off my favorite items, drive me nuts.
I used to like their halibut green curry, and cod with hot and sour sauce. Unfortunately they fail on pad thai, the noodles stick to each other and NOT blended with the tamarind sauce. It was bad. -
Review from Veronica D.
Vancouver, BC
3/20/2012 7 photos
We went to this place for Valentines as they actually had vegetarian options for the set menu. I got my husband to call ahead and ask if it can be vegan and they said sure.
We live just down the street and had never been there before, but love Thai food. The small menu and the prices are really why we hadn't been before. And we didn't know if they would be happy to make vegan dishes or not.
We had a really nice dinner there, I posted photos of everything. It is very NON traditional Thai food. Most of the items are things I'd never heard of. I see what the chef is doing, trying to distinguish this place from every other Thai place, but I wish they had more options for curry.
We got some sort of deep friend tempura greens, mushrooms and vegetables to start. It was really different. It was cold by the time we got it so a little hard and too tough to eat.
The Tom Kha mushroom soup was pretty good. Lots of mushrooms, but they were giant and stringy and really really messy to eat. It was embarrassing to be chewing on giant stringy mushrooms getting splashed and trying to rip them apart while wearing a nice dress. This is inconsiderate. They should be sliced smaller if you expect people to share and eat out of tiny side bowls and have no knives.
The banana blossom salad was really flavourful and tasty, my only gripe is that it is super oily and this is unnecessary.
The stir fried eggplant we got was almost inedible. It was still spongy and undercooked and WAAAY too salty. Maybe this was because it was vegan and they used soy sauce or something instead. We had to send it back. They replaced it with Pad Thai. The Pad Thai is really good here, I would get it again.
The curry we got just had baby corn and green beans in it. I don't think they have a lot of vegetables to offer for vegetarians as this would not be my choice of filling. They are so low calorie and not as delicious as squash, potatoes, yams, and other veggies. I was disappointed and felt like we were given a dish just without the meat and nothing else to bulk it up.
The dessert was interesting. It was made just for us. Some canned lychees and other asian fruits in a coconut syrup with coconut ice freshly made. It was neat to try. I liked the ice, but canned fruit is way too sweet and was a little much to eat it all.
I'm glad that they tried here, it was very nice. I just don't think I will come back for a big dinner again, it's very pricey to have a lot of just ok dishes that we don't enjoy as much because of a lack of tasty vegetables (and not pretentious ones).
I would probably come back for a Pad Thai one day, but I still prefer places like Aree Thai that have authentic Thai dishes. -
Review from Maulik V.
2/8/2012
This hotel came recommended by a friend (who works at The Fairmont Pacific Rim) of the chef. So, decided to give it a try.
Like most Vancouver area restaurants, this one comfortably seats ~50-70 people. I found the ambiance to be contemporary. I'd classify food as Thai Fusion; and unlike a regular Thai restaurant, the menu isn't extensive -- but quite exquisite.
I had a Thai-and-Ginger cocktail and decided to skip appetizers. Had Japanese Aubergines for Main Course, and was blown away by its texture, flavourful richness, and the beautiful amalgamation of various spices used.
Dark chocolate w/ Tamarind touile, and tamarind icecream is a must-have dessert -- unique combination of eclectic flavours.
Extremely courteous and friendly staff as well. -
Review from Scott P.
2/15/2012
As a Yelp Elite for many years I have come to learn that one should try a restaurant a few times before providing a proper review. Everyone has a bad day after all. But I am making an exception to my new review philosophy and giving a 5 Star Shout out to Maenam.
Monday nights are never my night for going out to restaurants. I always feel like they are trying to get rid of the leftovers from what didn't sell from the Thursday food order. Maybe I need to change that attitude as well.
I perused the menu at Maenam and came to the conclusion that a tasting menu was the best deal. For $30 you can get a chef tasting, assuming everyone at your table will agree to participate as well. It is the best decision we could have made.
We started with muscles cooked in a lemon grass stock and served with two side sauces. This was amazing and I wanted a huge pot of them! Along side of this was the most amazing papaya salad ever. Then came out two different curries, pad thai, sauteed squid, another seafood dish, something else with fish cakes and of course rice. Trust me when I say there was more than ample food for the group of four.
What I did love is that they took the time to explain the dishes. The beautiful waitress was very confident in her thai cuisine and explained the heat factor and some of the ingredients. All was presented to perfection.
I so badly wanted more but just couldn't! When I finally looked at my watch I realized we had enjoyed a two hour experience. I suppose it could have taken less time but we as a group just savored every morsel we put into our mouth.
It was an incredible night and money well spent. I'm already planning my next visit. -
Review from Robert B.
Vancouver, BC
1/28/2012
Really enjoyed my meal at Maenam. Let me start with a disclaimer: i am not an expert on thai food. maybe after i go to thailand later this year i'll be more knowledgeable.
I Started with the crispy fried oysters and enjoyed them immensely. first time so hard to compare. main course was pad thai. although it was the best thai i've had so far in vancouver, i've had better elsewhere.
Service was great, staff very friendly, and the clean modern decor is a welcome relief from the typical kitsch that you find in so many thai restaurants (or chinese, japanese, mexican, spanish, etc. for that matter.)
i'm really looking forward to going back. -
Review from Nancy W.
1/2/2012
Maenam Thai Restaurant. Authentic Thai cuisine with a modern twists is located in the heart of Kitsilano area on West 4th. Century old recipes, street food delicacies, family favourites blended into one trendy restaurant.
Executive Chef Angus An, a fellow UBC graduate went on to New York's French Culinary Institute and then apprenticed at Jean-Georges Vongerichten's (click) legendary Jo-Jo and trained at other Michelin star restaurants. So it should not be a surprise that LA Times Magazine also featured Maenam in their Northern Exposure Restaurant article. Have a look
When ethnic food leaps beyond mom-and-pop level, things get exciting. Chef-owner Angus An cooked at Michelin-starred Nahm in London, and here he has elevated Vancouver Thai dining to new heights--refined and modern yet authentic and true to its roots. If stir-fried squid with chile jam or crispy ling cod dry curry sounds good, come on down.
Maenam is a cozy restaurant with a spilt level layout - tables and bar below and booth seats and tables on top on-looking exciting dining experiences below.
Come in for Chef's menu of $30/pp for a selection of five or more savoury dishes served in the traditional Thai style. Or $45/pp for the Royal Thai menu of nine delectable dishes. High quality ingredients and Ocean Wise ocean-friendly seafood choices let's you can eat with a healthy conscience.
Steamed mussels with lemongrass and thai basil $10
hoi malaeng puu bai horapha / served with nahm jim sauce
Plump juicy mussles swimming in house special broth that is excitingly hot, sour and spicy. Cherry tomatoes and basil compliments well. Dip into side sauce for extra oomph!
Tender fraser valley duck curry $18
geng dtaeng bpet / can be vegetarian
cherry tomatoes, lychees, kaffir lime leaves, thai basil, a rich and aromatic red curry. Strong, pungent, and spicy. Shredded duck melts in your mouth. Be sure to order a side of Jasmine rice or Rotti to scoop, dip, mix together!!
3 flavour fish $18
Pla sahm rot
crispy lingcod, thai basil, equally sweet, salty and sour. Caramelized garlic and garnish tamarind on top a perfectly cooked fish. This dish is on the dry side where the sweet-spicy sauce is supposed to blanket the lingcod.
Chiang Mai Style Beef Salad $10
Larb Neua
Cilantro! And more Cilantro! I love cilantro did you know that? This beef salad is refreshing with added crispiness of fried garlic and sesame seeds.
How can you come to Maenam and not have some sinfully scrumptious desserts?
Char-grilled Baby Banana
Kanom Gluay Pao
Char-grilled baby banana is warm and even more delicious cooked than raw. Served with toasted coconut shreds. Perfectly healthy yet incredibly sinful.
Chocolate Panna Cotta
Rich and smooth heaven of coco. Period.
Also notable:
Mango and Sticky Rice with drizzled condensed milk and black sesame seeds
Banana Fritters with Ice Cream served with white sesame ice cream drizzled with caramel sauce
Prawn Cakes
Dry green curry of lingcod
Mussaman Beef Curry -
Review from Cody S.
10/22/2011 3 photos
This is one of the best experiences I have had at a restaurant in a long time. We came here for a special occasion and we weren't disappointed.
First of all, make sure you have a reservation. This is a very popular restaurant and you don't want to stand outside for very long.
The food is amazing. We decided to go with the "Chef's Menu" and it almost seemed like the food wouldn't stop coming. You leave your immediate meal future in the chef's hands and you won't be disappointed. The chef prepares 5 different dishes of his choice and you get to be the happily surprised and eager consumer. This is the way to do it.
Be prepared, every single dish that was brought out had copious numbers of Thai Chilis.....! This is personally my favourite, but many people seem very surprised when they get spicy food. There is also quite a bit of Thai Basil. Thank God.
The ambiance is really modern and cool. It is dimly lit...the lighting makes for a great atmosphere. The crowd inside makes it even better.
The service is fantastic. The host was a little condescending and snippy but everyone else was great! Great Service!
This is the best Thai food we have encountered in Vancouver. I highly recommend Maenam for any occasion. It's worth it!Listed in: Really nice spots in Vancouver
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Review from Annie M.
Vancouver, BC
The interior of Maenam is very modern with clean lines and a well-stocked bar on one side of the restaurant and a large wall mirror on the other side.
We went to Maenam for our group NY eve dinner, the food were fabulous and the services was excellent.
NY eve dinner menu: (4-course)
Appetizers:
Raw Jumbo Scallops served with ikura, lemongrass, nahm jim sauce - It was perfect!! Able to taste fresh scallops and a bit sour in Thai sauce
Chicken and lobster in golden egg nets - the presentation was awesome!! Even though the egg net was crispy and caramelized shredded coconut was a bit sweet. It still taste good.
Soup:
Hot & Sour soup of sablefish & turmeric - very light soup and dill.
Main:
Green mango salad with grilled tuna - big plate for salad. Toasted cashew nuts, sliced green mango and lime zest.
Stir fried braised beef ribs - just a bit cold when it served. So delicious!!
Grilled duck curry - Dry style of curry. Duck was medium rare and curry paste was a bit thick and rich.
Dessert:
The popular street side dessert. shaved coconut sorbet, candied thai fruit, jasmine perfumed pandanus syrup. It was ok, fresh and delight....
Chocolate pana cotta - passion fruit ice cream was sour and dark chocolate pana cotta was too watery.
The Chocolate Pot de Creme was fantastic. -
Review from Arinn W.
1/23/2012
what the fuck, yelp? i know and love you, but somehow didn't bother reading reviews before i checked this place out!
this resto looks great inside. the serving staff were all babes and super friendly to me as i waited for my tardy supper partner. i had a drink while i waited--it was delicious!
the menus was fairly limited from a veg*n standpoint, and incredibly expensive for the serving size. however, the food (like the drink) was incredible. rich, intense, complex flavours that were pleasing to the palate.
quality of the food aside, i'm not likely to return. it's not in my neck of the woods and it's a bit rich for my blood, but if i was craving thai for a fancy occasion this would be it. -
Review from Alice A.
11/5/2011
I'm rating Maenam 3.5 stars, because although it was fairly good, I won't return. Here's why...
We were a big group of people, so the set menu was a given. We started with a tuna salad topped with coriander, greens, cashews and a lemon grass dressing. Not authentic Thai but it was an interesting take. The fried prawn balls weren't tender, actually quite chewy. Some people might dig that. Mussels were awesome, I really liked them - fresh, simple, delightful.
Then came the curries. I liked the red curry with prawns but it really tasted more Indian than Thai to me. The green curry was too peppery from total green peppercorn overload. Quite good but not authentic or great.
My favourite dish was definitely the white fish with a dark soy sauce dressing. Savory, meaty, fresh. I'm thinking it's cod, but I'm not entirely sure. And fluffy rice to go with it is a definite plus for me, I like perfectly cooked jasmine rice with Thai food.
However, I really didn't care for the Pad Thai at all. There was nothing memorable about it. And in my opinion, if you're going to put Pad Thai on the menu, it jolly well be outstanding. It is the yardstick for any Thai establishment. Otherwise, don't do it.
So why then wouldn't I return to Maenam? For $40/pax, the menu failed on execution, like all the ingredients are right but there's just something missing... It just didn't transport me back to Thailand... -
Review from J K.
Vancouver, BC
2/11/2012
Maenam consistently delivers experience. The food is delicious... titillating sweet, sour, salty and spicy taste buds. The cocktail menu is one of the best in the city and the service is always attentive.
We usually start with the spicy mushroom soup which is great to kick away the winter blues. The sweet and sour fish is always tasty and great when paired withe Thai eggplant. Their salads have an incredible fresh taste that really get the palate going.
As someone who has traveled through Thailand and been to some of the best Thai restaurants around the world Maenam is at the top of the list. -
Review from Surabhi S.
Burnaby, BC
2/6/2012
My boyfriend and I tried this restaurant out for our anniversary dinner during Dine Out Vancouver. We both tried the vegetarian options for all the courses and were thoroughly impressed!!
For both of us, the banana blossom salad was truly unique and our favourite dish of the night (followed closely by the coconut ice dessert with fresh fruit). I thought the main curry dish with fresh vegetables was slightly too sweet for my liking but the rest of the dishes were enjoyable.
Our only complaint was that the tables are pretty jammed together in the section we sat in, so our dinner really lacked the intimacy we were looking for. We could overhear everything being discussed at the neighbouring tables... Other than that, if we could sit somewhere else, we'd definitely go back. -
Review from Monica M.
North Vancouver, BC
2/4/2012
Modern ambience, traditional Thai recipes with a modern twist.
Second time in this restaurant and once again my husband and I left very satisfied.
We have been to Thailand many times and in our opinion they make justice to the one of the best cuisines in the world. -
Review from Joseph H.
Richmond, BC
8/4/2011
Asian food in a modern Western atmosphere.
I felt deeply conflicted about this restaurant experience. I believe Maenam won multiple awards when it first opened a couple years ago, but I only recently had an opportunity to try it out. As soon as I stepped in, something felt wrong about it. I think the feng shui is kinda messed up. I mean, they probably had a "feng shui" expert consultant, but something about the entrance and the initial impression just doesn't feel right for an asian restaurant.
Thai food is street food. Its soulful and plebeian. The best food I had in southeast Asia were sold in hole-in-the-wall family-owned joints for less than a few dollars/baht. And eaten while standing on a street corner, or in a hut by the beach.
Maenam captures that taste but elevates it in a setting that is to me entirely incongruous with its origins. I guess there's nothing wrong with that. French cuisine was always homestyle cooking, but somehow became associated with the high life. I mean I could take my mom's cooking and put in on a fancy ebony tile plate and charge $15-20 for it. But it seems wrong to me. its like this food was kidnapped and coerced into a luxurious lounge setting with a fusion techno beat in the background. -
Review from Betty L.
3/3/2011
I like Maenam's modern take on Thai food. I've been to Maenam a few times over the years, but my last dining experience with them is the best and most memorable. It's good that Maenam has a healthy selection of white wines to choose from and tasty cocktails too. Nothing beats a fresh, fruity glass of German riesling to go with Thai food.
I love their Toom Yum Koong soup. It was really flavourful but really spicy. I found myself drinking a lot of water while drinking the soup. It didn't cheap out on the traditional ingredients either. I actually saw lemongrass and lime leaves and could taste the Thai ginger in it(unlike other trad. Thai restaurants). The portion could easily be good for three people.
The Thai sausage was tasty but a tad too salty. The hot and sweet sauce that accompanied it didn't subdue the saltiness of it. Yet the really salty dish was the Pad Thai. When I took my first bite, it already felt salty but I ignored it because it was flavourful but after a few more bites, I just couldn't take it. When the server asked how was the food, I told him about it. He offered to have another dish for me to take home but I declined. Finally we agreed that dessert was on the house. I like the fact that he took my complain seriously and had a discussion with the kitchen about it. I also told him the slowly braised pork in green curry sauce was too salty too. Yet I "managed to eat more" because it came with rice.
In the end, even though there were some mishaps with some the dishes, I would return because the service was good and took my complaints seriously. Also I wanted to try the other dishes on the menu. -
Review from Darren N.
Vancouver, BC
1/6/2011
3 stars for the food, 2 for the service. Been there twice, and the second time is what pushed it down to 2 stars, as on my original visit the food was great. Not being consistent is a big no-no with me. As is poor and inattentive service.
Definitely liked the Boat Noodles and I thought the Pad Thai was probably the best I have had in years. But the poor service, mostly due to an inattentive server who forgot our drinks and, seemingly, what is offered on the menu (ie she says they only have alcoholic drinks but the next table is having tea), coupled with the price (which is more reflective of the decor than the food) really coloured my view of the place and I do not plan to go back. -
Review from Janice F.
1/21/2011
Upscale Thai food with cocktails. A-OK perfectly describes my experience here.
Modern, non-kitschy decor with a somewhat confusing curtain separating the entrance from the dining room (I felt like I was coming out of a dressing room!)
We had the tasting menu for 4 people @ $30/pp and this is what we had:
Mussels with lemongrass & basil - bland and unmemorable
Oxtail soup - slightly spicy, tasty and sour. Lots of inedible bits floating around though
Thai sausages - somewhat similar to lap cheung, but not as sweet. Has a chili embedded in it
Grilled cornish hen - I really liked the tamarind sauce that accompanied this. The chicken itself was fine, but no better than lemongrass chicken at any decent Vietnamese restaurant
Crispy pork cheek salad - Lots of shaved lemongrass on top, coconut flavoured tender pork
Salad with albacore tuna - Lime, fish sauce, refreshing
Pad thai - This was my favourite dish, really nicely done Pad Thai - non clumpy, good textured noodles with definite tamarind flavour
Stir-fried halibut cheeks - bland
Curry of lamb leg - Fragrantly spicy, but not really my idea of Thai flavours
So in summary, I'd come back for the $13 Pad Thai. And maybe try out their desserts. The service was a bit awkward, with servers interrupting each other and bringing us the bill without us asking for it (and therefore no chance of us asking for dessert!) -
Review from Melissa J.
Vancouver, BC
5/2/2011
I've been here numerous times but the last time was quite exceptional. With a group of 5, we were promptly seated. Two in our group were vegetarian but ate fish, two others had no dietary restrictions and the other was entirely vegetarian.
We all ordered the chef's menu at $30 a head were they brought out numerous appetizers, curries, main dishes ad rice. It was more than enough food for the 5 of us and had tons of leftovers.
Also, their late night menu has amazing curry noddles - definitely worth it!
I highly recommend coming here if looking for a quaint yet trendy Thai option in Kits. -
Review from Eva B.
12/11/2010
I wonder if I can coin the term west coast Thai fusion? I agree with everyone the food offered here isn't typical Thai food, but it is good and Thai enough for me. Then again I'm of the opinion that if you want authentic food from any country, buy a plane ticket.
I was fortunate to come here for a staff party and was able to enjoy a number of offerings. The dishes that hit the palate in the most delightful way (at least for me) include the sable fish soup with dill, the 8 spice ling cod, and the pad Thai. The runners up include the lamb curry and the game hen. I have developed a sensitivity in my old age to spicy food so the green curry halibut and sauce for the mussels was good, but hard for me to enjoy due to the heat. I must say though they fed us well as everyone was stuffed by the end of the night.
One of the most pleasant surprises were the cocktails. I really enjoyed the blend of flavors the mixologist brewed up for us. All the drinks were refreshing and some just downright addictive.
I would have given this restaurant 5 stars but for the dessert. I was a little disappointed with my sticky mango rice with creamed coconut. It was too salty. I actually really like the mix of salt and sweet, but this was just a wee bit over salted. However, I did try some sherbet and it was top notch.
Would I go back? Of course I would even if I had to pay next time. -
Review from Ramon V.
12/27/2010 1 Check-in Here
Most of the highly-rated reviews I write are a result of many years of repeat visits, combining all snippets of evidence, and summarizing multiple experiences into one digest.
Not so for this review of Maenam. My first trip here was as a guest invitee on a staff dinner for friends of mine. We ordered nearly the entire menu, times two, and I had to sleep sitting up that night. I can safely say that I was impressed by most of what I ate. I especially enjoyed the thai sausages, the hot and sour sablefish soup, the ling cod. My favourite of all was the lamb leg curry and the tuk-tuk punch. I'll be back for those (although the drinks are a bit pricey).
The staff had a tendency to warn of us of the potential of each dish being spicy, but I didn't find that to be the case. Most of what I had was quite mild. -
Review from Nikki W.
Vancouver, BC
1/30/2011
I came here for Dine Out on Friday because 1) I've been meaning to try it for awhile and 2) they had an interesting Dine Out menu compared to everywhere else: between 2 people, you can choose one starter, one salad, one curry and one stir fry to share family-style, then a dessert each. Menu was $28 pp. Note that for Dine Out, you're advised of your 1.5hr seating allowance.
Starter - Thai Mussels with Lemongrass and Thai Basil 5/5:
The most tender mussels I've ever had! These little morsels melted in our mouths, and were served in a beautifully delicate lemongrass broth with chunks of tomato and basil, plus a hint of fish sauce. My date and I were practically drinking the broth when the mussels were gone! They brought a little saucer of nahm jim dipping sauce to accompany the mussels, but IMO the spiciness of the sauce was overpowering to the delicate briny-ness of the mussels.
Salad - House Smoked Keta Salmon Salad 3.5/5:
We were debating over which salad to choose, but settled for this intriquing-sounding salmon salad. The first bite was an explosion of flavours. If tastebuds had faces, they would've been punched in them! Despite the unusual inclusion of smoked salmon, the flavours were wholly Thai: lime, peanut, coconut, spice. The mark of excellent Asian food is the proper balance of sweet, sour, spicy and salty. Although it was tasty, about halfway through the dish the sour and salty became a little overwhelming. Pomelo in this dish made an interesting texture contrast to the salmon.
Curry - Burmese Curry with Sloping Hills Pork 4.5/5:
My first impression of this dish was the complexity of its flavours. The spices must have been toasted, because there was a pleasant smoky complexity that combined well with the sweet, salty and sour flavours. Not very spicy, so it's perfect for spice-adverse diners. The meat was pork belly and shoulder so it was incredibly fatty! That's where the yumminess comes from though, so can't really complain. No one's forcing you to eat the chunks of fat. Served with rice on the side.
Stir-Fry - Halibut Cheeks with Sator 2/5:
Disappointingly bland and overcooked. We chose halibut cheeks because they're normally such tender parts of the fish. Here, they were dry and unappetizing. Not sure what "sator" is, but it didn't make these halibut cheeks appetizing. We didn't finish this dish.
Dessert - Maenam's Nam Tang Sai 5/5:
For their Dine Out menu, each diner is allowed to pick their own individual dessert; we just happened to choose the same thing. Maenam describes this dessert as "our version of the popular street side dessert. shaved coconut sorbet, candied thai fruit, jasmine perfumed pandanus syrup". I'm a sucker for anything coconut, so this was a no brainer for me! The candied thai fruit was a mixture of coconut meat, longan and mango that seemed to be marinated in said jasmine pandanus syrup. Delicious, sweet and refreshing. I can see this being a perfect summertime dessert to cool off after a heavy dinner.
Service 3.5/5:
We had reservations for 8pm on a Friday, but didn't actually get seated until 8:15. We had to wait outside because it was so crowded inside. However, upon sitting down, a complimentary amuse bouche of house-made Thai sausage was promptly brought to our table. Our server was polite but seemed very keen to get our orders in. Maybe because he didn't want our reservation to run into the next reservation's time? Still, it seemed excessive for him to check our table four times to see if we were ready to order. It turned into a bit of a "hurry up and wait" situation because when we were finished our dinner and waiting for dessert, no one came to clear our table for a good 20min.
I will definitely come back once Dine Out is done. I'm already craving those mussels again! -
Review from Awesta M.
11/22/2010
I have been really looking forward to going to Maenam for a while. The reviews have been pretty amazing.
My friends and I decided to do the Chef's special, but on this day the special was seafood heavy and one of my friends wanted a little less seafood and the kitchen was amazingly accommodating. I really thought we'd get an eye roll and a huffy walk away but the waiter went and came back with what we thought was an even better chef's special (in my humble opinion).
The food was really interesting and untraditional which I really enjoyed and was surprised by, because most Thai places tend to serve similar dishes (this may show my lack of experience with Thai food). I would definitely go back and do it again. Maybe try the other items that weren't on the chef's special. -
Review from Pat T.
Point Grey, Vancouver, BC
7/24/2011
Fresh local Foods in Exotic flavors cooked to Perfection!
This is one of Vancouver's great treasure. In Thai food, the five different flavors we are able to taste should be incorporated in every good meal. I have been to Maenam a number of times now and have not ever been disappointed. Actually, it was my gourmand sister from Chicago who had introduced me to this fine restaurant about two years ago. Angus An, the owner is one who favors fusion and experiment instead of sticking to the traditional recipes. It would not be a fair assessment if you judge this restaurant by the traditional recipe. But then again, why would Chef An have to go through all the training in Montreal, NYC and Europe if all he wants to is just open another Thai restaurant? The fun of eating at the Maenam is having all your taste buds tickled and as always, in an unusual and better way. I have found the flavoring of the different dishes here to be different and not traditional, but the blending of the spices with the careful treatment to the different food materials were cooked to perfection or near it. And Chef An should be complimented for it.
The Maenam is also about quality fresh local food products. Recently, we went for the Royal Thai Dinner when the Maenam was featuring BC Sport Prawns. i cannot imagine a better way to celebrate the fabulous local spot prawns. And what a meal that was.
The Maenam is also about value. With most higher end restaurants that feature a tasting menu with fresh, local food products, the typical price is $60 and Up. The Maenam Chef's menu is only $30! And I prefer the food here to most of the higher end restaurants. There is also a wonderful wine list with reasonable markups.
Menu items of note are: Steam Mussels with lemongrass and Thai Basil. The mussels were steamed to perfection, not too raw nor overcooked. The broth had a hint of Tom Yum to it, but fortunately, far more complex yet lighter. I love the Crispy Fried Oysters. The batter is so light it melted in my mouth. The Green Mango Salad with grilled Albacore Tuna is a dish to die for. The tuna is very lightly cooked, more like a Sashimi along with a generous Lime sprinkling with a slightly sweet sauce to bring out the green mango flavor. Writing about this makes me want to drop everything and run to the Maenam right now. All the curries are exceptional but the best is the Dry Curry of Cripsy Lingcod.
Sometimes all these dishes show up in the Chef's menu and that sure would have the combination of Sweet, Salty, Bitter, Hot, and Sour taste by the time you are done with the meal. One of the dishes had deep fried sprigs of whole peppercorns and when chewed, they have a really nice contrasting bitter flavor. Both the Chef's Menu and the Royal Thai Menu are fabulous and before one passes from this earth, one must experience the Maenam as many times as one can. -
Review from Andrea P.
3/19/2011
I really liked the atmosphere in this place and the service was very good. I loved some of the dishes, but others were much too salty. I tried:
Creamy maple hills chicken soup: Definitely the best dish of the night. It was creamy and comforting and delicious!
Pad thai: Very good.
Thai sausages: They were okay, not memorable though.
Cloudy hot and sour soup of wild baja prawns: Nice heat, but unfortunately it was really unnecessarily salty.
Jungle curry of sloping hill pork: Another really salty dish.
Rice Doughnuts & Thai Tea ice cream: Solid dessert, the doughnuts were out of this world and I love Thai Tea - would definitely order again.
I would definitely give this place another shot and try some different dishes. -
Review from Alexander Bromley Clark D.
Vancouver, BC
7/4/2009 ROTD 7/14/2009
Wow. The reviews for this hot new Thai restaurant are unusually thoughtful and detailed. Perhaps this is because Maenam is the revamped incarnation of trendy Gastropod, or perhaps people are slightly let down by the purportedly "world-class" menu (in which I found a typo upon initial inspection).
I must say that of the six entrees our table ordered, I was blown away by two (Panaeng Beef, David Thompson's 3-Flavour Fish), fully satisfied with three (Pad Thai, Mussaman Chicken Curry, Grilled Prawn Salad), and disappointed with one (yes...the Siamese Watercress). The flavours in the Panaeng were bright and aromatic ...the fresh lime leaves and tamarind literally started a party in my mouth.
What else should I tell you? They have great cocktails, no draft beer (boooo!), slow service and a fairly casual vibe. I actually got semi dressed up to dine here, fully aware of the sterile, prim atmosphere that Gastropod exuded.
Good on Raymond O. for pointing out that they charge for roti and condiments. This, combined with the slow service and freakishly salty watercress and lack of draft beer (again: boooo!), left me mildly disappointed BUT I was very happy with my experience overall.
It was such a smart move to axe Gastropod, especially with Fuel next door. -
Review from Crystal H.
Vancouver, BC
Dessert review first...the rest follows:
"dark chocolate pot de crème"...they had me at "dark chocolate" but it was the "tamarind semifreddo" that made me fall in love! Presented in a little cup, our server instructed me to break it (you'll understand when you order it) in order to experience the sour and sweetness together. Me, thinking that it would be a hard shell to crack, smashed my spoon with all of my might... a light tap would have sufficed. Luckily the only breakage was the wafer...
I asked for the secret tamarind recipe...but alas - their lips are sealed!
Entrees includes Stirfried Watercress in a soy dressing. It was alright, but I wouldn't get it again for $13. Especially when I felt like I could make it at home...it felt more like a side than a main to me. Instead, you'll find me ordering 2 of the smoked duck in red curry. Truly incredible flavours! Not too spicy, and accompanied with a soft boiled egg - totally worth every penny!
To start, my dinner date and I shared hot and sour seafood soup for two. The scallops, prawns and halibut were all cooked perfectly! And the clear broth was incredible. I would've slurped up from the serving pot, had it not been presented in a bowl that kept itself warm! (See my picture)
And if that wasn't all enough, the "Floating Lantern" cocktail stole my heart. But I do love my ginger! Ginger beer, vanilla and JD...perfectly went with my meal.
So why 4 stars and not a 5? The service. They were all really nice but it was also a little awkward feeling. And sitting at the front, with the bamboo sheltering us from the outside, I felt really shut off, as I craned my neck to view what was going on on the street. For upscale Thai though, this is my Main place for sure! -
Review from Alex D.
Vancouver, BC
6/24/2010
Let me start off by saying that authenticity is hugely overrated. I am tried of the arguments about authenticity and people swinging their proverbial nobs around, boasting about their experience, knowledge and understanding of what that entails.
What is important is the food and the way a chef brings together flavours and textures. Comparing Maenam to somewhere like Sala Thai is a prime example. Yes Sala Thai has Thai owners and that must automatically make them more 'authentic' but the way the dishes are put together in the two restaurants are worlds apart. The chef at Maenam clearly understands food, flavour and texture outside of rehashing standard Thai fare and this shines through. The halibut green curry was creamy, spicy and enchanting and the burmese sloping hills pork curry was well...gone all too soon. Not the best Thai food I have ever had, but in a city where good Thai food appears to be almost non-existent, Maenam comes out a winner.
Our server paired our meal with a Wild Goose gerwurtz/riesling/pinot blanc which handled the spice of the meal excellently. Service overall was excellent and attentive. -
Review from Monti S.
Vancouver, BC
8/15/2009
Let me caveat by saying I am Thai, not a born and grown up in Vancouver Thai but born and grown in Thailand Thai. My aunt owns a Thai restaurant IN Thailand and my mother has to be the best Thai cook in Vancouver.
So, taking my mother to Maenam was very bold but I was curious as the write ups claimed authentic training from Bangkok.
I hate to say my mother is most likely not going to return and I may with my western friends.
We started with the Thai sausage which was most likely my favourite, most likely because it was not done Thai style. I don't eat them in Thailand because they are only fermented and are raw, here at Maenam they were cooked whiched allow me to enjoy them without worrying about getting ill.
We had the oft raved about Thai Duck curry. My mother found the flavours muted and a bit acrid on the end and she's ready to do a cook off with the chef to show him/her how to make it properly. I however, liked the dish, it wasn't Tha per se but the duck was good quality (albeit tiny portions) and the sauce flavourful.
The crispy pork which i was salivating for on the menu was a HUGE disappointment, it was essentially deep fried pork belly quickly tossed with a few slivers of ginger, basil, lime leaves and peppercorns, which did not impart any flavour onto the pork. I love fatty pork, so I had no qualms eating all the fatty pork but it was dry and very disappointing and I do not recommend.
Last but not least the prawn salad. Hmmmmm. The falvours in the sauce were bang on, the truest taste of the night but 5 prawns grilled with a heap of cilantro is not worth the $15. My mother has a suggestion if the chef is reading this, add in some slivered cucumbers and some glass noodles for a much more effective dish!
We didnt have time for dessert and we were a tad disillusioned and I was feeling a bit off from all the dry crispy pork belly (that no one else wanted to eat).
My thoughts, it's hip and trendy, they definitely are much better Thai then the Chinese-pretending-to-be-Thai Thai House but cannot beat Sala Thai on Cambie or Thai Pudpong in West Van, both owned and operated by Thai people for half the price.
Good effort and a fun place to be but not worth it. I hope you touch base with me, my mother would love to come into the kitchen and help round things out, and I am not kidding, she is an amazing Thai cook :) -
Review from Sandra G.
Vancouver, BC
I've been dying to try out Maenam since I heard the words "Thai" and "Kits" associated with it. To survive in this area, you've got to live up to some expensive tastes, and since its opening, it's gotten some good reviews by food critics.
The tipping point was when my boyfriend tried out their latest food & beer pairing event, and said that all the food was good, even though it had coconut in it (he can't stand it, unfortunately missing out on most of the great Thai food that coconut has to offer).
We started off with the Hot & Sour Soup with sablefish & turmeric ($16 for 2 people) to ward off Leo's cold. The soup was enough for us 3. We were warned not to eat the hot pepper, which Leo actually did at the beer pairing event. So do not do! The little pepper flakes kept hitting the back of my throat in a choky way, but other than that, the soup was an awesome blend of hot, sour, and sweet. The sablefish was nice and tender, and despite the strong herb that was in there (dill?) it was a nice blend of Thai flavours, and even served in the traditional metal bowl.
We shared a plate of vegetarian Pad Thai ($13), which I'm glad they had on the menu. You can't have a Thai restaurant without Pad Thai. This is one of the best Pad Thai dishes I've ever tasted, though when I kept eating and eating, I realized that it's because they mixed traditional pad thai flavours with something new that I can't put my tastebuds on. All the ingredients listed on the menu are what's usually included, but I'm sure they added some secret ingredients to remix it.
I went for the vegetarian version of the mussaman curry ($17) which is usually served with a lamb leg. This is not the typical red or green curry - reddish brown in colour and perfect on top of white rice, it was good, but not the curry I'm used to, so I might try something else instead of this next time. Would have been very nice with eggplant, which I usually like in my curries.
I would have loved to eat some dessert to sweet up our spiced palates too, but we were just too full, and even had enough pad thai for brunch the next day.
People looking for the fast Thai food service might find this place too expensive compared to the hole-in-the-wall type places that you can find in our city via word of mouth, but for the Kits environment and to try a modern twist on traditional Thai cooking, Maenam is your best bet. Make sure to make resos on weekends, and take advantage of their full bar - they have a nice cocktail, wine and beer list too. -
Review from Jenn W.
6/21/2009
I knew I was in trouble when Crystal H. wasn't impressed with the stir-fry siamese watercress, as it was the only main I could eat on the menu (I continue to maintain that mushrooms are not vegetables, basic science people, fungi kingdom vs. vegetable kingdom . . . I'm only partially joking).
I still had to try it though, I was particularly looking forward to the Siam Sun Ray cocktail, and oh it did not disappoint, it was certainly one of the best things I have ever put in my mouth. I shared a taste with the husbot and he agreed as we mused on where one would acquire toasted coconut juice.
The highlight of my meal, was that cocktail, and the roti. Perfect chewy crispy buttery - best roti I've ever had. My husbot had the papaya salad which was perfect, but not really any different than a papaya salad at any Thai place, it's not really an easy dish to mess up, and the 3 flavour fish which I talked him in to over the green curried halibut. He was very impressed with the fish.
I was extremely disappointed, I would go so far as to say distraught actually, that we did not have time for dessert (theatre tickets). I had saved room for dessert (I'm not even usually a dessert person, savory all the way), and though I can't recall exactly what it was, it sounded amazing and I wanted it. I continued to want it throughout the entire first act of the play. Between wanting that dessert & loving that cocktail, I am conspiring to return for drinks & dessert since there really aren't any dinner options for me to return for.
Four stars for the good, with the hope that they change up the menu occasionally. The space is pleasant, the service was a tiny bit off - could have used a drink refill a good while before it was offered. Bottom line, coming back for that cocktail and that dessert. Seriously, order the most expensive cocktail on the menu, it's worth it.Listed in: Vancouver Favorites
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Review from Marc D.
Vancouver, BC
Updated - 6/11/2009
* High quality - just don't be afraid to add a little seasoning and spice! *
Ok, so while I was flying around Asia I had been wondering how Maenam's opening went and couldn't wait to get back to try it. I'm back and finally made it! Seems we have a serious contender for good Thai food in Vancouver finally! Yeah!
Started off with the Thai sausages which are made in house. The quality of the meat was quite high, and they arrived with a nice char presented with some greens and a Thai chili sauce. The sausages themselves were of high quality, but I would have liked a bit more seasoning, and perhaps letting them ferment just a bit longer. Thankfully the sauce rounded out the flavour nicely.
Followed with the pad gapao gai (chicken with holy basil). The chicken was perfectly tender and browned to keep in the juices. The basil had been flash fried to get slightly crispy before being added to the stir fry. This was a lovely dish with just a hint of spice. It needed a bit more heat for my taste as well, and they happily provided 2 additional sauces upon request. One was a chili jam, and the other was exactly what was needed - a mixture of lime juice, diced Thai bird peppers, fish sauce, and a bit of sugar. By adding the magic sauce the dish tasted perfect to me! I was a happy camper.
The key to Thai food in my mind is that balance between sweet, salty, sour, and spicy. That magic sauce had it perfectly balanced - which is something I haven't found in Vancouver before! The chef's skill came through quite clearly with that sauce!
So I'm pretty happy with Maenam so far. Basically things are toned down for a Kits palate, but they have the "right" balance available upon request.
If I could give one bit of humble advice to the kitchen - perhaps ask how spicy the customer would like the dish (and then balance things out appropriately for the sweet, sour, and salty as it is clear you know how to do) so that everyone is happy straightaway - or automatically offer the "magic sauce" to add. If someone doesn't ask they might wander away thinking it was too "fusion" or "Canadian" for their taste.
While I miss Gastropod, Maenam is an excellent addition to the Vancouver dining scene, and I wish them well. I will definitely be returning and telling my friends (and encouraging them to ask for the extra spice and seasoning as well!)!Listed in: Rewards Network Joy, Vancouver Thai Food, Quack!
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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5/16/2009 First to Review
* Looks like May 26th will bring high quality Thai food to Vancouver finally!!!! Woo hoo!!!!!! *
I… Read more »
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Review from Sarah M.
Vancouver, BC
7/25/2011
NO NO NO NO NO!
OMG
Since I moved to Vancouver I have not had good thai!
WHY IS THAT?
Please if you see this review point me to a good THAI RESTAURANT (NO MATTER THE PRICE) PLEASEEEEEEEEEE :)
OK. So I took my boyfriend for his birthday here, we both thought it was disgusting. The food is so mediocre, this place it's over rated.
The service was just ok. food is just so tasteless!
come on people why do you love this place so much?
Just coz it's popular and all those TRY HARDS people say its good doesn't mean it is actually good. Don' believe everything you hear.
I will never come back there and please I BEG YOU ALL TO TELL ME WHERE ARE THE GOOD THAI RESTAURANTS IN VANCOUVER?
Cheers :) x -
Review from Raymond O.
Vancouver, BC
6/22/2009 9 photos
I guess I had so much high expectations at this point.
The good part is that the food was really tasty. Starting with the "smaller" section of the menu, we had "Muslim Oxtail Soup" which had a nice, spicy broth. It was good enough for two and was a good build up on our appetite.
We then proceeded with the "Pad Thai". Noodles were perfectly cooked with it's soft and chewy texture. Ingredients were rightfully balanced with no unnecessary fillers. Of course the result of which is a palm-sized dish meant as an appie, but questionably priced like an entree.
Heading to the "bigger" portion of the menu, we had the "Crispy Pork Belly with Green Peppercorns". Crispy where? The pork belly was chewy including the skin. Overall taste was too salty for my liking. Next, please.
After a bit of a disappointment, we were finally transported to Foodie Heaven with the "Smoked Duck Red Curry" dish. I can only say good things about it. The flavours of the smoked duck married with the red curry, pineapple chunks, and soft-boiled egg was a winner - spicy, sweet and salty.
An even brighter light came calling in the form of "Dark Chocolate Pot De Creme". The ingenuity in the combination of this dessert is the reason why dishes like these could be priced accordingly. For a restaurant serving authentic Thai came a fusion of sourness in the Tamarind Semifreddo sitting on top of a wafer waiting to fall on a bed of dark chocolate custard. That's Thai-Italian-French altogether in one tiny glass.
Overall presentation was lackluster. And while Thai condiments should come for free in each table, were being sold at CAD2.00 each.
And that's essentially why I'm giving it three stars. In fact I find that there was more potential for the Chef in creating fusion Thai dishes to justify in maintaining the same price point.Listed in: GENERATION K
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Review from Lee N.
Vancouver, BC
7/6/2009
Ok I am a connoisseur of Thai food from the best Royal Style restaurants to my favourite Back Alley Stalls I know Bangkok's best (and the South and North). I liked Gastropod and thought great they will do Thai food as well, ok I have been wrong before. The flavours are good but way to North American Fusion for me, lots of that around town, no need for more. I am equality disappointed with the wine list, everyone doesn't want flowery cocktails and allot of great wines are available here that goes well with spicy Asian food.
I'll give the late night menu a go after midnight sometime and see if it's more than Fuel next door that keeps me coming over to the neighbourhood. -
Review from Peter S.
I have been to Thailand a few times, and I can confidently say that Maenam serves up authentically yummerific Thai! I have looked far and wide for a proper Thai place in Vancouver, but there is always something lacking in flavour. (I am not a huge fan of extreme spice, so I was happy with my Maenam experience)
I had the Smoked Duck Red Curry. The chef absolutely nailed the red curry sauce. WOW. The first bite brought me back to a dark side alley in Bangkok. I originally thought that this place was a tad overpriced. I mean, it's Thai food right. The ingredients are fairly cheap. But then again it is 4th Ave, and they do support local farms. But the drinks. Ya. Overpriced. I had a sparkling pink one for $12, and they don't offer Thai beer at the bar. YET!
But, they just opened, and I was very impressed overall. I am sure they will be a 5 star soon enough.
Next time, I am trying the Crispy Pork Belly dish and Lobster Lychee salad. Sounds quite heavenly.Listed in: Spicy Vancouver
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Review from courtney j.
Vancouver, BC
3/9/2010
I'm going to go out on a limb here and say this is the place for the best dessert in Vancouver.
Yes, the meals are fabulous and wonderfully prepared, the soups are DIVINE and that crispy fermented pork is a wonderful sour, chewy, salty delight....But the moment I took a bit of the coconut sticky rice with mango, I was in heaven.
It took me immediately back to the suburban forests around Chang Mai where I took a cooking class, and this was the dessert we made. All at once sweet, salty, creamy and fruity, it's an incredible taste.
You can't not love it. I promise! -
Review from Steve B.
Vancouver, BC
6/30/2010
Best meal out in along while!
Service was attentive without being annoying. Staff was knowledgable without being pushy. The food managed to balance the perfect amount of sweet, hot, and spicy. Wine was reasonably priced and my cocktail was tasty. Overall an amazing meal, I will definatly go back and can't wait to take friends there. -
Review from Phil S.
Vancouver, BC
7/18/2009
I almost gave it an "I've had better" rating but after some soul searching felt A-OK would be more appropriate. My friend and I shared the satays, oxtail soup, pad thai, panaeng curry and rice. The satays were little lukewarm for my liking. The pork satays were a tad dry but the chicken ones were better. We both enjoyed the peanut dip that came with it. One gripe though was either there was too much galangal or cumin in the marinade cuz the satays were too 'yellow' in colour for my liking and I know satays, I spent my childhood to young adult years a city of satays being sold on the street corner.
The soup though was excellent, I love oxtail soup and giving it a Thai spin most definitely took it to another level. Even my dining partner who is not used to spicy food raved about how good the soup was!
Now came the staple - pad thai. Well it was good pad thai and granted the noodles were freshly made and it came with the right condiments, it was tasty and all that but I've had better, at Khunnai or even Thai Pudpong. The paneang beef was undoubtedly the tastiest beef curry I've had years but for $13 it was too measly. I was not expecting a large portion but it lacked ingredients in a rather sad way. Though it was a big plate, it was not really an entree sized dish.
The service was excellent, we were checked on a total of 4 times and though it was nice to be looked after so well, I sensed the friendliness immediately disappear the minute the bill came.
The verdict - I'd return again only for a social occasion or if someone else wants to try this place but not when I am craving Thai food cuz I hate to sound like a broken record but I've had better but still it was a pleasant experience and I had a nice time catching up with a good friend I haven't seen in over a month. -
Review from Katie F.
8/30/2009
There are so many places to eat in Vancouver that it took me 3 months to get here even though it's been on my "places to try" list since it morphed over from Gastropod - sniff, sniff and a moment of silence please :)
I love the menu - it's more of and upscale thai place so it doens't have the wealth of choices that a traditional thai resto does and more emphasis on drinks. That being said, I like it a lot here! Great service, great food, and nice atmosphere. Nice presentation.
Hubby and I had the roti and peanut sauce to start - yum... they do the stiffer rather than the plaible style roti. It's a bit of a pet peeve of mine that they charge for the peanut sauce, but what can you do?
Went onto the Thai sausage - hubby loved it but I only thought it was OK. The spicy sweet chili sauce is a nice pairing, but remember to take out the pepper if you see it inside your sausage slice - don't say I didn't warn you if you burn your tongue!
For mains, we had the Pad Thai which was excellent - great flavor and noodles were perfect in terms of texture/firmness. We also had the Penang Beef with rice - yummy... also a nice mix of heat and sweetness together. Beef nicely tender.
I was stuffed by the time dessert rolled around, but I can always make room with a name like "Chocolate Pot de Creme". This was an interesting dessert. Hubby didn't care for it, but he has a very sweet tooth. I really enjoyed it - it flowed well with the Thai theme as it continued the nice mix of tastes and textures in a single dish.
You pop the crispy layer with your spoon, then dig in, cathcing a bit of the ice cream, the crispy layer and the chocolate mousse with a bit of salt. Mmmmm. Loved it! Unique and nice way to end the meal.
Although I loved Gastropod, I'm very happy with Maenam and can't wait to come back again!
