Oishi Thai - Panama City Beach

Because we vacationed with our good friends, Joe and I got a date night at Oishi Thai. This sunny little restaurant was off the touristy path, but packed full of patrons. Most tables seemed to be filled with empty nesters, but a large contingency of Asians filled two pushed-together tables, which I took to be a good sign.

After researching all that Panama City Beach had to offer, I wanted to eat at Oishi because they serve two of my favorite cuisines: Thai and Japanese. Their sushi, as you can see, is gorgeous. I love the way this spider roll looks like a fairy castle set in an asparagus forest and surrounded by a moat of eel sauce. That made my meal. It was quite tasty, though I could have done with much less eel sauce. In fact, I would have been fine without it. But that's because, as I've said in a previous post, I like my seafood to be dressed sparingly so its delicate sweetness can come through.

Who doesn't love crisp soft-shell crab legs and nutty pencil-thin asparagus? Probably only those who haven't tried them!

For my entree, I ordered Tofu Kee (?) Krow (?) Ok. I could have totally made that name up. It was something similar to Pad See Ew, but with tofu instead of chicken and a ton of barely cooked veggies instead of broccoli. This dish, which I requested as medium spicy, was loaded with big flecks of freshly ground black pepper. The lingering heat from the black pepper and the refusal of the tiny venue's AC to function, made me remember my 'real' Thai meals in the steamy streets of Bangkok several years ago. I was sweating, but it was a happy sweat.

 Joe's dish... Duck Pad Ped, was equally bright, crunchy and black pepper laden. Let's just say we were both in a happy sweat. This dish was good, but the duck was lightly breaded and fried-- a preparation that seems redundant for such a naturally rich and tender meat.

Overall, we enjoyed our date night. While it wasn't the very best Thai or sushi I've had, it certainly was beautiful to look at.