Every now and then, a poll makes the rounds on social media asking, “What kind of food we are missing the most in Little Rock?” Without fail, Thai food is always one of the top answers. That’s understandable. There are only a few places in central Arkansas specializing in the genre, and while you can find some Thai-inspired dishes at Asian-themed restaurants, there are very few that focus only on Thai food. So there was some understandable buzz when Zangna Thai Cuisine announced it was coming to the Shackleford Crossing shopping center. The restaurant has been open now for more than a month, and Zangna is off to a positive start, with lines out the door each time I’ve visited.
HIP, TRENDY AND THAI
Located in a former self-serve yogurt joint, Zangna Thai has completely overhauled the space into a restaurant with a modern, artistic feel. Plenty of Buddha statues adorn the walls and counters. Textured walls and geometric ceiling fixtures go a long way to giving the restaurant a unique feel. The back of the restaurant is bathed in blue light, which left its mark on many of the pictures I took. The artwork on the walls is bold yet minimalist. A long booth that stretches across one wall helps Zangna seat 50 to 60 people at a time. It’s a space that is clean and efficient while still maintaining some elegance. Two flat-screen TVs on either end of the restaurant were the only accessories I thought didn’t belong, but as a whole, the dining room is confident and comfortable.
A TALE OF TWO VISITS
Perhaps the biggest reason that food lovers flock to Thai cuisine is its bold, striking taste. The best Thai food combines herbs, spices, citrus and earthy flavors in a clean, assertive manner. On my first visit to Zangna, this impressive flavor range was nowhere to be found. We started with an appetizer of the fresh rolls with shrimp, which is essentially a salad roll in a rice wrapper. While the herbs were fresh and the shrimp was fine, $8.50 for two rolls struck me as steep. For my entree, I chose the pahd kra tiem, a combination of garlic, cilantro and black pepper stir-fried together with chicken. I ended up regretting that choice, as the dish never really came together. All the flavors were muddled. The chicken was dry and overcooked, and the only garlic I detected was 10 minutes after the meal in the form of an unpleasant aftertaste. My tablemate’s pad thai with shrimp didn’t fare much better. This is a dish that should impress you with a blend of spice, sweetness and acidity. Instead, it tasted almost sugary with only a little heat present. It was an underwhelming meal in its entirety.
In the interest of fairness, I decided to come back for dinner with my wife on a later day, and I’m very glad I did. What I had on my second visit is everything I hoped Zangna would be. We started with a chicken satay appetizer, and where my lunchtime chicken was dry and lifeless, this bird was juicy, well-seasoned and a perfect starter. My dinner entree, called “Bangkok mango,” featured shrimp and scallops simmered in red curry and served with sliced fresh mango. This dish was a huge success, with the seafood cooked perfectly and the red curry offering just the right touch of heat and depth. The mangoes brought an element of sweetness, while deep-fried basil leaves added both texture and a slightly brighter feel to the overall composition. But it was my wife’s yellow curry dish that really made me put my trust in Zangna for the first time. Served almost like a soup with a plot of rice on the side, this curry managed to take sweetness, richness and earthiness, and combine them all together with the balance of a tightrope walker. The simple chicken, broccoli and carrots were also cooked well and tasty, but the curry itself is the absolute star, putting the slightest heat on your tongue as a parting gift. Throughout dinner, I kept going back to her dish and stealing bites to unlock and enjoy new flavors, and I will certainly be making a return trip to get another order in the near future.
For more on the items we tried, be sure to check out The Dish.
After eating there twice, my first recommendation would be to pass on the appetizers. The value just isn’t there. All of the starters are at least $7 and only include a few small bites. Meanwhile, the entrees are mostly in the $11 to $14 range, and they have enough food to have a meal and take leftovers home. While I didn’t find the appetizers offensive, the price tag is just too high when compared to the rest of the menu.
FINAL VERDICT
So what to do? My two experiences could not have been any more different, with one meal bordering on disaster and the other serving as one of the best dinners I’ve had this year. Having seen what Zangna Thai Cuisine can do, I’m inclined to recommend it with some reservation. The restaurant has some work to do in terms of consistency and quality control, but when it gets everything right, it is capable of a top-tier dining experience. Let’s hope that becomes the norm.
THE DISH
HOMEMADE THAI TEA ($3)
To be perfectly honest, I had no idea what to expect when I ordered this beverage. What came out was a mixture of sweetened condensed milk and brewed iced tea served layered in a beautiful presentation. I found it way too sugary, like drinking a sweet-tea milkshake, but those of you with sweeter palates than mine might enjoy it. (ss)
PAHD KRA TIEM WITH CHICKEN ($9.99 AT LUNCH, $11 AT DINNER)
This was a shockingly bad entree. The chicken had been cooked for far too long, leaving it dry and lifeless. The cilantro and black pepper were barely detectable, and the garlic left an alkaline taste in my mouth for a while after the meal. (ss)
BANGKOK MANGO ($17.99)
Simmering scallops and shrimp is an easy way to overcook them, but mine came out almost perfect, leaving their seafood essence largely intact. The red curry and mango make for an interesting play in a dish that shows some expertise in handling Thai flavors. (ss)
YELLOW CURRY WITH CHICKEN ($12.99)
This one is a dish to remember. The way the coconut milk intermingles with Thai chili and the turmeric-forward flavors of the curry paste is just a joy to be experienced over and over again. Perfectly cooked chicken and vegetables only add to the delight, but that curry broth … I could drink that with a straw. What a fantastic dish! (ss)
COCONUT ICE CREAM ($3.99)
This pleasant ice cream boasts real coconut and coconut milk, making it a unique dessert that you can’t find in too many other places. The dessert is finished with crushed peanuts and some gelatinous nodules that resembled soft jelly beans for a little texture. Overall, it is a solid dessert. (ss)
IN A NUTSHELL
Zangna Thai Cuisine fills in a gap in Little Rock’s food scene, offering Thai versions of Asian classics such as curry, noodles, fried rice and seafood.
Location: 2604 Shackleford Road, Suite D
Phone: (501) 227-7785
Web: Search “Zangna Thai Cuisine” on Facebook
Hours: 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. to “close” Tuesday through Sunday
Prices: $7-$17.99
Alcohol: No
Kid-friendly: Yes
Dress: Casual
Takes reservations: No