If you’re a fan of Thai food, you’ve probably heard of Bai Bua Thai Cuisine. It’s an institution on Hastings Street in Vancouver. They are serving up hearty and authentic Thai dishes at reasonable prices. Back when I was doing my summer job at PNE, we would always do group orders here for lunch and dinner. I have such fond memories of this spot, so I decided to come try it again after all these years. Check out my full review of Bai Bua Thai Cuisine below!
Bai Bua Thai Cuisine – Authentic Thai Appetizers and Salads
To start our lunch we went with the following starters:
- Crab and Shrimp Rolls ($9.90)
- Miang Kam ($16.90)
- Tom Yum ($13.90)
- Yum Kor Moo Yang ($19.90)
The Crab and Shrimp Rolls are filled with crab and shrimp meat and super crispy on the outside. I really like these and I highly recommend you try them. The wrap is really unique and because of its texture these rolls are really crunchy (in the best way).
The Miang Kam is a unique Thai dish that I have never seen done in Vancouver. It features wild piper leaves, roasted cashew nuts, roasted coconut matches, unpeeled lime cubes, diced shallots, ginger cubes, diced garlic, fresh chilies (optional). It is served with a thick paste of sweet-sour and salty palm sugar and tamarind sauce. On my visit, it came with peanuts so if you’re allergic make sure you check what nut they will be using.
This was such an interesting dish. I really like the thick sauce – it adds a lot of flavour. This is definitely worth a try for a unique and interactive experience.
The Tom Yum is a spicy and sour creamy soup with mushrooms, chili jam and milk. This version was much creamier than I am used too, and I think it was the only miss of the day for me. There was a really odd aftertaste that reminds me of Thai Milk tea.
For our last appetizer we got Yum Kor Moo Yang. This is a warm Thai style pork jowl salad with a tamarind dressing, shallot, green onion, coriander, mint and ground chili. The pork has a lovely snap and the dressing was punchy and flavourful. This is a must try dish for all pork lovers.
Bai Bua Thai Cuisine – Authentic Thai Entrees
We were getting pretty full from our appetizers, but had to try some mains. We went with:
- Green Curry ($16.90)
- Boat Noodles ($19.90)
If you go at lunch you can get the combo lunch curries that come with rice. We went with the full size Green Curry and ordered a Coconut Rice on the side. The curry comes with Thai herbs, coconut milk, eggplant, bell pepper, Thai basil, bamboo shoot and chicken. It’s quite mild in flavour, but the flavours are still there. The creaminess of this curry pairs well with the coconut rice.
The Boat Noodles features thin rice noodles with meat balls, bean sprout, basil, coriander, spring onion and fried garlic in a pork soup. The noodles were not too soft and there was lots of ingredients in the bowl. There is a small condiment caddy with fish sauce, chili powder and chili vinegar for you to doctor up the bowl to your liking.
Worth a Try?
Yes! This is a homey neighbourhood spot with authentic Thai dishes at a reasonable price. We came by on a weekend afternoon and the place was packed with happy patrons enjoying their meals. They also do a busy take out business, with lots of pick up orders. All the dishes we had were flavourful and a good portion size. If you love Thai food you need to check out this spot!
Bai Bua Thai Cuisine
Address: 2443 E Hastings St, Vancouver, BC V5K 1Y8
Website: http://www.baibuathaicuisine.ca/