Friday, December 12, 2014

"Food Fit For a King"

Thailand is the longest reigning Monarchy in the World!  The expression "Food Fit for a King" might very well have been coined in old Siam.  Today the vast majority of Thai restaurants, especially outside of the homeland, serve "common" Thai cuisine.  This is not so much due to any sort of social caste system, but because the depth of knowledge of classic and royal Thai cuisine has long been lost amongst the youth of today's modern Thai restaurants.  

Duangrat's has been serving the DC Metro since 1987 and is the area's longest operating Thai restaurant.  Duangrat's is proud to remain classic and traditional- this is a dying breed in today's restaurant scene.  

Duangrat's takes the expression of this blog title literally.  We are proud to be the official Thai cuisine caterer of the Royal Thai Embassy in Washington D.C.  We are also the only Thai restaurant in the DC Metro area entrusted to prepare "royal" style Thai dishes for visiting members of the Royal Thai family.  This month, the Thai Embassy contracted Duangrat's to provide over 5,000 finger hors d'oeuvres for guests at its Thai National Day gala at The Willard Intercontinental Hotel.  

At Duangrat's, you don't have to be be royalty to eat like one.  Enjoy Thai cuisine made by those who make "Food Fit for a King"…

200 hand-made pieces, 4,800 more to go!


Thursday, June 26, 2014

Weekend Thai Dim Sum Menu Sat. & Sun. 11:00 to 3:00!

Weekend Thai Dim Sum Menu
Sat. & Sun. 11:00 to 3:00

Enjoy our extensive award-winning Thai small plates menu.  Over 30 items, from $3 to $7.  It's a fun way to sample a variety of Thai food with family and friends.  Our Dim Sum is available a la carte and made to order.    


"Lychee Dumplings"
(click on image to see our Thai Dim Sum menu)







Wednesday, March 19, 2014

Duangrat's Crisp Duck Basil is here!

New on Duangrat's menu, Crisp Duck Basil, yummy!  What took us so long?  We take our recipe development seriously, experimenting and tweaking with ingredients and techniques until perfection.  

Our preparation begins with braising a whole duck so that our marinade is infused with the skin, while retaining moisture.  It's perfectly browned!  


We braise our ducks first!
Once braised, our duck is sliced thin, dusted & flash-fried, then wok-tossed with a light coating of our signature chili-basil sauce.  PERFECTION on a plate!


Thursday, March 13, 2014

"Chalk Board Specials"

Duangrat's is excited to introduce rotating, small batch specials.  Limited run dishes that are good 'til they're gone!  

The dishes will range from adaptations of simple, comfort foods our chefs & proprietors enjoy at home to more complex, time consuming preparations that we are not able to offer on a regular basis.  

There are so many delicious snacks & dishes in the Thai culinary repertoire that we have held out on, but have always wanted to share with you.  We simply did not want to commit to them on paper due to scarcity of ingredients, resources, inability to keep up supply with demand…

Our solution?  An old school chalkboard!  We'll write what we have to offer, and erase when we don't. Simple as that!   

Without further adieu, on tonight's chalk board:



Shrimp Chips w/ Coconut Dip $5
Puffed shrimp enriched rice chips served with house made coconut pork dip (contains peanuts).  An unusually delicious local snack!

Five Spice Pork Belly Noodle Soup $13
Tender pork, crisp pork belly, curled rice noodles, boiled egg, tofu & sprouts in rich, savory star-anise broth.  

Fat Tire Amber Ale (12oz.) $5
5.2 ABV  Our supplier goofed up and we ended up with a random case of 12oz. Fat Tire (we usually sell the 22oz. bottles).  Help us kick the case!  


"Shrimp Chips & Coconut Dip"




Wednesday, March 12, 2014

Make your own Pad Thai!



Two servings:
(loose measurements, adjust to taste)
4 tablespoons oil (vegetable)
1 teaspoon garlic- finely chopped
1 tablespoon preserved turnip- chopped
1 tablespoon firm tofu- diced
(1 tablespoon dried shrimp)
10-12 medium shrimp, peeled & deveined or 1 chicken breast sliced medium thin
4 cups of rice noodles
2 cups of water
2 tablespoon roasted peanuts- ground
4 tablespoons sugar
3 tablespoons rice vinegar
3 tablespoons fish sauce
1 tablespoon paprika
2 eggs
1 cup fresh bean sprouts
1 stalk scallions- julienned
lime wedges


* specialty items:  fish sauce, preserved turnip, firm tofu and rice noodles can be purchased at Duangrat’s Oriental Food Mart:  5878 Leesburg Pike, Falls Church, VA 22041

1.     Heat a large pot of water until it begins to vaporize, cut heat.  Soak 4 cups of dehydrated rice noodles until color turns from translucent to white, texture turns from brittle to soft, but firm (apprx. 10 minutes.)  Remove from water, drain, set aside.

2.    In a wok or large skillet, heat oil on high heat and quickly stir-fry protein, garlic, preserved turnip, firm tofu (and dried shrimp).

Stir-fry until protein begins to brown. 

3.     Add 2 cups of water, allow to boil and protein to fully cook.  Add the pre-soaked noodles and continue to stir-fry until soft & moist (if dry/ sticky- add a little more water). 

4.     Add bean sprouts crushed peanuts, sugar, vinegar, fish sauce and paprika and stir-fry, mixing ingredients thoroughly.  Once noodles lightly brown, slight char & smokiness achieved- cut off heat.  

5.     Scrape noodles to one side of the pan w/ spatula; break-in eggs on the empty side and beat w/ spatula tip to mix yolk & egg white.  Allow egg to cook (forming a thin sheet).  Quickly scoop the noodles over top of the egg sheet.

6.     Use spatula to scoop from under egg sheet and flip noodles over.  Remove pan from heat and place noodles on serving plate.  Suggested garnishes:  crushed peanuts, lime wedges, raw bean sprouts, and scallions.

Duangrat's welcomes Chef Haidar Karoum

Haidar Karoum, Executive Chef of Proof, Estadio and Doi Moi celebrates his birthday @ Duangrat's!  Happy B'day Chef!

Chef Karoum & Eddie Duangrat