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An empire of exotic cuisine
by Beth D'Addono
Posted on October 2003
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I've never been to a Japanese mountain lodge, but that's what I thought of when I walked into Teikoku, the Japanese-Thai
restaurant that replaced Bobby's (tired) Seafood on West Chester Pike in Edgemont back in February.
The quiet rush of a falling water wall and the shine of natural river rocks mark the entrance to Teikoku (tie-KOH-koo),
a path that leads guests into into a large, open bar area, from which various dining rooms radiate. The entranceway's Zen
vibe is quickly dispelled by the noise that greeted us from the crowded bar. Soaring, A-frame ceilings strutted with
bamboo give the bar that lodge-like feeling, and despite the torrential rains outside, the bar was mobbed on a Friday
night with post-work drinkers and soon-to-be diners. The noise level was an issue that persisted all evening, one of
the few drawbacks to this welcome addition to the Route 3 corridor.
Owners Win and Sutida Somboonsong, who own the Thai Pepper restaurants in Ardmore and Wayne and Mikado in Ardmore, have
created a wonderful showcase for their native Thai cuisine, as well as traditional Japanese food and sushi.
The couple understands the local marketplace well. In addition to running four restaurants, they've catered for the
past 13 years. With the help of general manager Umer Naim (lately of the Stephen Starr organization), the pair have
put together a top-notch menu and impressive beverage program, including a vast array of high end sakes, like
eight-year-old Yashiorino and Itten, an earthy dry wine from southwestern Japan.
We had a brief wait at the bar, so we sampled a saketini ($7), a potent cross between a vodka martini and sake neat
garnished with a slice of crisp cucumber. We were then seated at a table placed awkwardly in the entranceway of the
tatami room, looking out onto the bustle of the bar area.
If the din bothers you, avoid the room. The dueling cacophony of the bar and other sounds bouncing off the wooden
surfaces and tiled floor made conversation nearly impossible. Good thing the food was so engrossing.
Teikoku, which means "empire" in Japanese, showcases Thai and Japanese cuisines separately on the menu. The two
styles are very different. Thai food is a complex balance of spicy, sour and sweet flavors, with plenty of heat
provided by the serious pinkie-sized peppers that are ubiquitous at any Thai meal. Traditional Japanese food,
which is so much more than raw fish, relies on cleaner, simpler flavors and less spice. The most common techniques
for preparing Japanese food are simmering, poaching and blanching seafood and vegetables, as opposed to the
more intense fried, stewed and curried dishes found in Thai cuisine.
Teikoku consistently delivered large, well-prepared dishes from both sides of the menu. The kitchen, however,
became overwhelmed by the crowd, and our meal was poorly paced. An ample wine list includes a decent number
of off-dry whites, including Gewürztraminer or Riesling, that offer a sweetness to calm the heat of the spice
and leave the aromatic flavors of the food and wine for savoring. I had a glass of Trimbach Gewürztraminer ($7).
Later, I had another. A cold Belgian Chimay ($12) also went down just fine.
We ordered an army of appetizers, and it was here that the kitchen distinguished itself. Special chicken dumplings
($7), or gyoza, delivered eight nicely stuffed ginger-chicken dumplings in a pool of soy sauce and rice wine vinegar
flavored with a hint of sesame oil. Beef sate ($5.95) was excellent, six skewers of meltingly tender beef served
with a dipping sauce of nam pla, ground peanuts and coconut milk.
Sushi is featured prominently in the spacious sushi bar, the communal dining room and on the menu. Happy to find
rich toro available($9), we savored the buttery tuna over rice with shredded scallions. We tried two special maki
rolls ($10.50 each). The flaming dragon roll was a contrast of barbecued eel, crunchy cucumber and brilliant green,
creamy avocado, sans the spicy sauce the menu promised. The spider roll was a flash-fried softshell crab dipped in
tempura batter and tucked into a roll of seaweed and rice, with just a hint of wasabi mayo in the mix. Sushi and
sashimi platters are available from $14.95 for seven pieces of basic tuna and cucumber to $49.50 for 25 pieces of
more exotic fish. Ala carte, prices are in the typical $1.50-$2.95 range. We also tasted a shrimp tempura appetizer
of two large shrimp and assorted vegetables deftly fried in a gossamer veil of batter.
Back on Thai soil, we shared a fiery papaya salad ($6.50), a toss of green julienned papaya in simple Thai vinaigrette
(lemon juice, fish sauce, sugar and chiles) with a crunchy texture reminiscent of shredded cucumber.
This bounteous sampling of appetizers was delivered in no time flat, our small table crowded with dish after dish as
we valiantly tried to keep up with the kitchen's speed. As the tatami room around us filled to capacity, the combination
of speedy food and deafening noise made for a hectic dining experience. A visit to the ladies room took me by another,
larger dining room that was a haven of blissful serenity and rich finishes of fabric and wood. Next time, that's where
I want to eat.
The choice of entrées on the Thai menu range from $12.95 for fried rice to $22.95 for seafood bouillabaisse, and on the
Japanese side, from a reasonable $13.95 for chicken teriyaki to $24.95 for steak and lobster teriyaki. We ordered
the sesame-crusted tuna ($19.95) and the Thai chicken red curry ($15.95).
It was at that point that our evening came to a halt. A 10-minute wait stretched into 20 minutes, 30, then 35.
Our server couldn't apologize enough. To be fair, management gave us a 15 percent discount off the check to make
up for the kitchen's lapse. It's a point of service that needs attention.
When dinner finally arrived, the tuna was outstanding. Two large pieces of fish, barely seared and ruby rare inside,
came perched atop a mound of sweet potato mash, a tasty departure from the usual wasabi flavored accompaniment.
My dish was a rolled breast of chicken bathed in a red curry-brandy sauce. It was vibratingly spicy, as requested,
though it was served barely tepid. My guess is that it sat a while before being delivered.
Teikoku's entrée list reaches beyond traditional teriyakis and curries to include Chilean sea bass with ginger-black
bean sauce ($18.95), polo duck ($17.95) marinated in Thai spices, and grilled scallops ($19.95) with edamame in a
teriyaki-truffle sauce. There really is something for just about anyone on the menu, plenty of choices for both
the sushi shy and the adventurous.
A cup of decaf ($2.50) and a shared chocolate pyramid ($7.50), an architecturally splendid and bittersweet
chocolate mousse cake, provided the meal's decadent post script.
Teikoku's crowded popularity bodes well for its success. Once the kitchen learns to manage the hungry crowds,
this restaurant will truly be an empire of exotic cuisine, just as its name portends.
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by Beth D'Addono
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