I promise I was being patient, but there was a chance that it didn’t look like I was.

I was standing around waiting for the VIP Chef’s Table event to begin and was regretting that I actually started my New Year’s resolution to arrive to places on time. Sure it was June by this point, but the fact that I finally started it had to count for something. I wasn’t feeling such regret because I wasn’t having fun but more because every second I was not eating wasn’t fun.

I was at the back lot of the Hollywood Palladium for the third annual Chang Sensory Trails. The global event that kicked off in London was now on its second leg in Los Angles before making its final stop in Singapore. The day-long festival by the leading beer in Thailand, Chang Beer, celebrates culture, food, and music of the country and I was here to explore that and more. As I was standing around sipping a bottle of the light and crisp Chang Beer, I couldn’t help but be excited about the exclusive table event that was only minutes away.

The dinner within the festival was curated by chef Bao Bao, owner and chef of Baoburg in Brooklyn and hosted by the event’s chef ambassador, executive chef Louis Tikaram of West Hollywood’s E.P. & L.P.  Just a few more minutes of me staring and drinking beer and the guests for the dinner were let in to the dining tent, seated, given introductions of the dinner, and the four course menu began.

With a fresh and cold glass of Chang Beer at the table, the first course was brought to the table. Hoi-Naang-Rom-Sod. A single raw oyster was topped sea urchin, salmon roe, cilantro, garlic lime dressing, and a sweet chili paste. I didn’t know it at the start of the meal but this would end up being my favorite dish to come to the table. It may have been a straight forward presentation with the single item on display, but it was absolutely delicious! Each component came together to create a handful of ingredients in one bite. Making it even more exciting was that there were so many textures. From the weightless roe to the creamy sea urchin, there was so much involved in such a small amount of space that I was incredibly sad the minute it was gone.

Second to the table was the Mieng-Pla-Dook-Fuu. On top of a deep green leaf was a crispy catfish covered with a spicy green mango salad and cashew nuts. The incorporation of the leaf by chef Bao Bao was nice way to connect the dish to the nature of Thailand, however I didn’t care for the taste of the leaf itself. Before you question whether I went full Mogli like in The Jungle Book, it was supposed to be eaten. When the plate was placed in front of us, Bao Bao and Tikaram excitedly explained the way the leaf should be folded around the catfish and eaten almost like a taco. While I enjoyed the fish and the sprightly taste of the salad, the leaf came with such a bitter taste that it started to serve more as a distraction than anything else. With that, I left the remainder on the plate and finished it off as is.

The next dish was the Khang Hung Lay. A Thai style pork stew curry with pickled ginger and garlic, and pork rind. Yet again Chef Bao Bao created a dish with so much flavor that each spoonful seemed to be more vibrant than the last. I enjoyed how deep the stew was in its taste, the accent of ginger that would pop up throughout, and the way it was so filling. I truly underestimated how full I could be off of this one plate.

The dish to end the event was the Khanom-Sai-Sai. A steamed un-chan sticky rice flour with salted caramel and a coconut filling. It was an adorable presentation of the dessert wrapped like a present that revealed itself when opened. What rested within it was a coconut that was sweet and delightful. It may have been small, but it was so vibrant that leaving any of it on the plate would have been a crime.

As the final plate of all the plates were cleared from the table, I was so pleased to think of just how patient I had been. Granted, I had no other option than to be patient, but looking at the food that I had enjoyed I could easily say that it was definitely worth the wait.

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