What to get and not to get at Dara
Diagonally across the intersection from Crepevine on Shattuck are one Thai restaurant and one Thai-Lao restaurant, right next to each other. We know that it’s pretty much impossible for us to get a pure Lao dish in America, given that we can’t really tell the difference between Lao and Thai names. Still, the three-lettered word addition on the sign has an alluring effect on us mini-globavores. So we choose Dara over Cha Am.
Secluded high above street level with a red brick gradation ascending up to the door, Dara offers its patrons two seating choices: out in the garden curtained by a multitude of mini palm trees, bamboos, and kalanchoes, or indoor, surrounded by faux gilded statues, metal vases, and wall ornaments. There’s no music; except for the talking in the kitchen far back, the only sound you hear here is your own voice.
The dinner menu at Dara has a list of house specialties, Lao finger foods (with familiar items like sai gauk, satay gai, noke todd, nam lao), various noodles and curries, and of course, pad thai for those who never order anything else when they go to Thai restaurants. The lunch menu is more compact and has no separation between Thai and Lao dishes. The foods range from really good, good, alright to eh-inducing, but the quick and gracious service is always the same. I ask our host if we pronounce the names correctly, he smiles and nods “of course”. I’m sure the “not” is hidden behind his big grin. ð
Get: sticky rice roll with peeled shrimp, wrapped in moist rice paper. Although accompanied by a thick tamarind dip, the rolls are already robust with their supple grains coated in some sweet and salty sauce. Its solid and chewy texture makes you full for hours. This is xÃīi disguised in gáŧi cuáŧn form, ~$9 for two fat long ones.
Definitely get: mor din – stir fried glass noodle with mussel, salmon, fish cake, shrimp, squid, straw mushroom, cilantro, bell pepper. All sorts of goodies for about $13. I cannot understand why pad thai is more popular than mor din. (FYI, Dara also dishes out a better mor din than Little Plearn Thai Kitchen on south Shattuck.)
Get with caution: kao gee ($8.95) – simply a block of baked sticky rice seasoned with anchovy fish sauce, fried shallot, green onion, a little bit of egg, and peanut sauce to spread. The rice has a light crisp on the surface, but the taste, however interesting, gets monotonic after a while.
Get with caution: soub naw mai even if it’s on the House Specialties list (with kao gee). This is bamboo shoot (mai) salad with minced pork, spiced up by a generous dose of ground chili pepper, black pepper and mint. I have mixed feelings about this. It’s good at first, but then it’s too spicy for me, the bamboo shoot is refreshing at first, but then too soggy and not chewy enough. It’s good as a small side salad, but not as an $8.95 entree.
Get: catfish curry noodle soup (lunch menu, $9.95). Don’t expect to see any fish under the rice noodles, it has all dissolved in the broth. This soup is as vibrant in colors as it is in taste: sour and hot play the two high keys. I like how the main ingredient, the fish, stands behind the scene.
Definitely get: som tum gai yang (lunch menu, $9.95). What can go wrong with BBQ chicken (gai yang in Thai, or ping gai in Lao), simple white rice, and green papaya salad (som tum in Thai, tam mak hoong in Lao)? The portion is too small. Although I’m a meat lover, I think the mild som tum totally steals the lime light on this plate (pun intended :-P). Its crunchy strings, soaked in sugar and tangy lime juice, are fruit crack.
Of the limited times we’ve been to Dara, the only disappointing thing we encounter is how the diners, however young, like to order nothing more than pad thai. The playing-safe mentality is stickier than sticky rice. Seeing how big the menu is at Dara, there is one thing you should NOT GET here: pad thai.
Address: Dara Lao Thai Cuisine
1549 Shattuck Ave
Berkeley, CA 94709
(510) 841-2002
Other Thai-Lao restaurant in the vicinity:
Champa Garden
Hey! This is my first visit to your blog! We are a collection of volunteers and starting a new project in a community in the same niche. Your blog provided us useful information to work on. You have done a outstanding job!
1You have remarked very interesting details ! ps decent site.
2I used to be very pleased to find this net-site.I wanted to thanks in your time for this excellent read!! I positively having fun with each little bit of it and I’ve you bookmarked to take a look at new stuff you blog post.
3gelatin horse trick
4I wanted to thank you for this great read!! I definitely enjoying every little bit of it I have you bookmarked to check out new stuff you postâĶ
5he blog was how do i say itâĶ relevant, finally something that helped me. Thanks
6You could certainly see your expertise within the paintings you write. The sector hopes for even more passionate writers such as you who are not afraid to say how they believe. At all times go after your heart.
7Enjoyed studying this, very good stuff, thankyou. “I will do my best. That is all I can do. I ask for your help-and God’s.” by Lyndon B. Johnson.
8I have been surfing on-line greater than three hours lately, yet I by no means discovered any interesting article like yours. It is beautiful worth sufficient for me. In my opinion, if all web owners and bloggers made excellent content material as you did, the web will be much more helpful than ever before.
9I am no longer positive where you are getting your information, but great topic. I must spend some time studying more or working out more. Thanks for fantastic information I was on the lookout for this information for my mission.
10Good info. Lucky me I reach on your website by accident, I bookmarked it.
11My coder is trying to persuade me to move to .net from PHP. I have always disliked the idea because of the costs. But he’s tryiong none the less. I’ve been using Movable-type on a number of websites for about a year and am nervous about switching to another platform. I have heard very good things about blogengine.net. Is there a way I can import all my wordpress posts into it? Any kind of help would be greatly appreciated!
12Hi, i think that i saw you visited my site so i came to âreturn the favorâ.I’m attempting to find things to improve my web site!I suppose its ok to use some of your ideas!!
13After all, what a great site and informative posts, I will upload inbound link â bookmark this web site? Regards, Reader.
14I wanted to thank you for this great read!! I definitely enjoying every little bit of it I have you bookmarked to check out new stuff you postâĶ
15What i don’t realize is in fact how you’re now not actually much more neatly-preferred than you may be right now. You are very intelligent. You already know thus considerably when it comes to this subject, made me personally consider it from so many numerous angles. Its like women and men are not interested until it is one thing to do with Lady gaga! Your individual stuffs great. At all times take care of it up!
16You have brought up a very fantastic details , regards for the post.
17I enjoy your writing style truly enjoying this website .
18Really informative and superb body structure of written content, now that’s user pleasant (:.
19hey there and thank you for your info â I have certainly picked up anything new from right here. I did however expertise a few technical points using this site, since I experienced to reload the website lots of times previous to I could get it to load correctly. I had been wondering if your web host is OK? Not that I’m complaining, but slow loading instances times will very frequently affect your placement in google and could damage your high-quality score if ads and marketing with Adwords. Well I am adding this RSS to my email and can look out for a lot more of your respective exciting content. Make sure you update this again very soon..
20I like this web site very much, Its a very nice billet to read and incur info . “Never contend with a man who has nothing to lose.” by Baltasar Gracian.
21I love looking at and I believe this website got some genuinely utilitarian stuff on it! .
22fantastic points altogether, you just gained a new reader. What would you suggest about your post that you made some days ago? Any positive?
23Hiya! I know this is kinda off topic nevertheless I’d figured I’d ask. Would you be interested in exchanging links or maybe guest writing a blog post or vice-versa? My website discusses a lot of the same topics as yours and I believe we could greatly benefit from each other. If you are interested feel free to send me an e-mail. I look forward to hearing from you! Great blog by the way!
24Yeah bookmaking this wasn’t a speculative decision outstanding post! .
25There are definitely numerous particulars like that to take into consideration. That is a great point to convey up. I supply the thoughts above as basic inspiration however clearly there are questions just like the one you bring up where a very powerful thing will probably be working in honest good faith. I don?t know if greatest practices have emerged round things like that, however I am sure that your job is clearly recognized as a good game. Each girls and boys feel the affect of just a second’s pleasure, for the remainder of their lives.
26Magnificent beat ! I would like to apprentice whilst you amend your web site, how can i subscribe for a blog website? The account aided me a appropriate deal. I have been tiny bit acquainted of this your broadcast offered vivid clear idea
27I am often to blogging and i really appreciate your content. The article has really peaks my interest. I am going to bookmark your site and keep checking for new information.
28Valuable information. Lucky me I found your site by accident, and I am shocked why this accident did not happened earlier! I bookmarked it.
29Very interesting info !Perfect just what I was searching for! “To see what is right, and not to do it, is want of courage or of principle.” by Lisa Alther.
30I always was interested in this topic and stock still am, thanks for posting.
31I am thankful that I detected this website, just the right info that I was searching for! .
32Excellent blog here! Also your website loads up very fast! What host are you using? Can I get your affiliate link to your host? I wish my web site loaded up as fast as yours lol
33Thank you for the sensible critique. Me and my neighbor were just preparing to do some research on this. We got a grab a book from our area library but I think I learned more from this post. I am very glad to see such fantastic info being shared freely out there.
34Very well written information. It will be valuable to anyone who usess it, as well as me. Keep up the good work – looking forward to more posts.
35Hello there! Would you mind if I share your blog with my zynga group? There’s a lot of people that I think would really enjoy your content. Please let me know. Cheers
36Excellent weblog here! Also your site rather a lot up very fast! What web host are you using? Can I get your associate hyperlink on your host? I want my web site loaded up as quickly as yours lol
37fantastic post, very informative. I wonder why the other experts of this sector don’t notice this. You must continue your writing. I am sure, you’ve a great readers’ base already!
38Most of whatever you state is astonishingly appropriate and that makes me wonder the reason why I hadn’t looked at this in this light previously. This piece truly did switch the light on for me as far as this issue goes. Nonetheless at this time there is one issue I am not necessarily too comfortable with and whilst I try to reconcile that with the main theme of the point, allow me see just what the rest of the visitors have to point out.Nicely done.
39I consider something really special in this site.
40Thank you, I have recently been looking for info about this subject for ages and yours is the greatest I have discovered till now. But, what about the conclusion? Are you sure about the source?
41Hello! I just would like to give a huge thumbs up for the great info you have here on this post. I will be coming back to your blog for more soon.
42Hi would you mind letting me know which hosting company you’re utilizing? I’ve loaded your blog in 3 different browsers and I must say this blog loads a lot quicker then most. Can you suggest a good web hosting provider at a reasonable price? Thanks a lot, I appreciate it!
43Hey, you used to write magnificent, but the last several posts have been kinda boringK I miss your tremendous writings. Past few posts are just a little bit out of track! come on!
44Electronic Business Card – The Smart Card. Create and share your professional electronic business card easily. In minutes. Choose from 100+ templates, connect with clients, and grow your business today!
45Electronic Business Card – The Smart Card. Create and share your professional electronic business card easily. In minutes. Choose from 100+ templates, connect with clients, and grow your business today!
46My partner and I absolutely love your blog and find most of your post’s to be just what I’m looking for. Does one offer guest writers to write content in your case? I wouldn’t mind producing a post or elaborating on a few of the subjects you write in relation to here. Again, awesome blog!
47When I initially commented I clicked the “Notify me when new comments are added” checkbox and now each time a comment is added I get four e-mails with the same comment. Is there any way you can remove people from that service? Thanks!
48Hi, i think that i saw you visited my web site thus i came to âreturn the favorâ.I am attempting to find things to enhance my website!I suppose its ok to use a few of your ideas!!
49I am curious to find out what blog platform you’re working with? I’m having some small security problems with my latest website and I’d like to find something more secure. Do you have any suggestions?
50