Thai Son – Pennsauken, NJ
Sitting tucked inside the Saigon Plaza shopping center next to the very poplar SunSeng Supermarket is Thai Son Vietnamese Restaurant (TS). The inside of TS is very relaxed with their all wood decor, dim lights, and open floor plan. The menu is very large and daunting, and I sometimes have the feeling when I visit a new restaurant with a menu so large to that feeling you get playing scratch-off lottery tickets. You do have a chance to hit the jackpot, but many more opportunities to leave a feeling like a loser. My first scratch at TS would be their Crispy Pork Spring Roll.
This was the perfect way to get things started at TS. With the provided sauces, it hit all the right notes of Vietnamese cuisine being sweet, salty, sour, bitter, and spicy all at once. Any meal at TS should start with them and do not be shy about using the provided sauces and condiments to meet your preferred flavor. My next two scratch-off selections would be the Egg Noodle with Pork Belly and Shrimp with wok fried lemongrass, carrots, onions, and bell peppers in curry sauce and coconut milk.
These two dishes could not have been more different, but provided the same result of enjoyment. Their were plenty of succulent slices of pork belly in the egg noodle dish as well plenty of perfectly cooked and decent sized shrimp in the lemongrass dish. I do not think I would have enjoyed either dish without the other as they were able to balance each other out. The lemongrass dish at times seemed a little too overpowering, while the egg noodle was a tad bland, but going back and forth eating each was delightful.
The service at TS was accommodating and friendly, and the prices were very affordable. This type of meal is not for everyone, but if you are adventurous, like strong flavors, and able to create the flavors that you like by mixing and matching then TS could be a good fit for you. I must say that I enjoyed my time there, and will definitely go back, but they were not the best I have ever had, but one of the best in South Jersey.
BlueJeanFood 