Finally - The Thai Restuarant is Open.

Happy Belated Birthday Risa....sorry about your birthday dinner....

That just sucks on a milestone birthday! I'm with your husband I wouldn't want to try it again anytime soon.

Well. WOW. I have to take full responsibility for Risa's bad night at Galangal. I was the hostess. It was a very difficult night for me. Both owners were home sick, I had volunteered to hostess for them that night because they were way too ill to be able to come in. (thankfully it was only a 3 day bug and they were back on Monday.). It being St. Paddy's day.. EVERY table we had reserved for 6:00 came in 30 to 40 minutes late. (evidently traffic was really bad as was parking). It was my first night ever as a hostess and I really did the best I could under the circumstances but I didn't really know I should have told people coming that late that they had lost their table..... Therefore... when the second seating times came around... I was in a jam. I did my best under the circumstances. I apologized many times to this young couple and did what I could to make the late seating right by them. I failed to tell them about the menu items being grayed out to indicate that they were coming soon. As soon as the table opened up next to them, we gave them more space, I sat them as soon as I could. I didn't charge them for the food he didn't like and offered to make him something else. I apologized a bizillion times and gave them free dessert. 😉 I don't know what more I could have done. I am so sorry that her birthday was not what she had hoped for.

The restaurant is in its 10th day of soft opening at this point and it was the busiest, craziest night ever with both the host and the bartender (owners) out ill. It was really a challenge. I apologized to the owners the next day and told them what had happened. They so wished they could have been there and I know they would likely have handled it much better as they have the experience I lack.

Ultimately, the food and ambiance and service will be the measure of this restaurant and I know the owners personally and know they are committed to excellence in all of these areas. St. Paddy's day was a very difficult evening. I was in charge. I messed up. I take complete responsibility and hope that everyone will make their judgements based on their own experiences there, not on the experiences of this couple (and that particular evening).

I think the food is amazing. I hope they give it a second chance!

No fair!! Can they deliver to STT??? Or does anyone know where on STT i can get decent pad thai?

I think since it was a new restaurant I would have given it the benefit of the doubt-- I would have waited until after my second visit to write such a detailed review of the food and service. It sounded like the temporary hostess was trying her best! I had a much worse experience in an older established restaurant on the island but didn't feel the need to write the experience up on a message board--- every place can have an off night. The place we went to always gets rave reviews, so I knew it must be an off night. I'm sure most new restaurants have kinks they need to work out without it being broadcast on a message board. I can't imagine the nightmare the temp hostess went through with both owners sick and the St. Paddy's day crowd to boot! I think she was pretty brave! (tu)I'm looking forward to trying this place on our next trip down there.

I didn't think Risa's review was unduly harsh. She described her experience, said it was St Patrick's Day, and her disappointment that her birthday wasn't as she expected. She also told of free drinks and one meal, how kind and gracious the staff was, that she enjoyed her entree, and how nicely decorated the restaurant was.

limetime responded that the owners were ill and that she volunteered to fill in and exactly what the problem was.

All perfectly understandable to me and would not deter me from trying the restaurant.

Finally I can add my props to this list, as my wife and I celebrated our 13th anniversary last night at Galangal. The highlight for us was the gracious host and bartender (the owners!) Riza, if you do try again, Arthur and Gregory will make you feel special (even if it's not your birthday). Our waitress told us about the light print on the menu, so we didn't waste a moment trying to select a dish that was not available. I've spent a good bit of time in Thailand and thought the food was spot on authentic. Can I recommend the Papaya Salad as an app if you do return. Its probably my favorite thai dish and this one did not disappoint. My wife and I both got it as an app and loved every tasty bite. I had a sample of the calamari at the bar and did not expect to see any salad greens on the plate. It looked like the same calamari plate i've always ordered at a thai rest. Our wine was delicious and our entrees were to me very authentic. I can highly recommend the green curry with vegetables. It was perfect!, imo. The veggies were so fresh and just lightly cooked. Almost like coming out of the garden and onto the plate. I love my veggies lightly done, not overcooked. My wife ordered the Red Curry and was also 100% satisfied. The only letdown of the night was when the meal was finished. How sad our evening had to end. We both loved our papaya salad so much that I requested another one for dessert as well. Unfortunately, they were out!!! Probably fortunate for us as we wouldn't want to OD on it, yet! The papaya salad is made fresh fresh as it is ordered. Not premade or premixed, so it is a very nice choice.

There is some really nice art around the place that had me mesmerized. Thanks again to Gregory and Arthur for making us feel special!

Limetime2,
I wish to thank you for being so upfront taking full blame for a lousy night on this very public forum!
You bravely took on a new restaurant on a very busy night with rusty hostessing skills and the owners MIA due to illness.
Not many people would have took responsibility and 100% blame (tho circumstances were beyond your control).
You did your best & tried to make lemon aide from the lemons!! Sorry the night tested skills & patients & hope those who had an experience less than perfect will come back!

i cant wait to try the rest.,however i never go to a new establishment during the first month of opening no matter how much i want to try the place. where i used to live in md if you went to a new place your wait time could be upwards of an hour just to be sat and the staff still have kinks to work out. i actually did go once during the first month and it was a disaster so vowed to always wait awhile before trying a new place. i cant wait to try this one. i applaud limetime2 also for doing ( in my opinion ) a comendable job. Riza, please try it again on a night that is not as crazy, it sounds like your experience will be much better than your last.

We don't try any fine dining restaurant on a "special" night in Christiansted, parade or jump-up....it never works out.

I didn't think Risa's review was unduly harsh. She described her experience, said it was St Patrick's Day, and her disappointment that her birthday wasn't as she expected. She also told of free drinks and one meal, how kind and gracious the staff was, that she enjoyed her entree, and how nicely decorated the restaurant was.

limetime responded that the owners were ill and that she volunteered to fill in and exactly what the problem was.

All perfectly understandable to me and would not deter me from trying the restaurant.

Gee Tam, thanks for clearing that up for me. Guess all that whining about everything else that went wrong threw me off. I stand by what I originally said-- a newly opened restaurant needs time to get the kinks out and anyone who shows up there expecting everything to be perfect is living in a dream world. Especially after a major holiday crowd. (and with both owners gone and a temporary hostess doing her best, it sounded, to fill in). And again, I would not post such a detailed review of a restaurant trying to gain new customers based merely on my first visit. It just seemed like an unnecessary slam (couched in compliments). Like I said, I can't wait to try this new restaurant!

the day of the St Pat's parade is, we think, the worst day in the year to go out to eat in C'sted, and many restaurants (most, I think) don't even try to open that night.

I can just imagine! We were on the island during a February Jump Up a couple of years ago and decided we'd eat dinner at a restaurant overlooking where the Mocko Jumbies were getting ready--- I think the restaurant was called Scuda's at that time, didn't last long. Anyway, WOW -- what a crowd trying to get in! We had drinks and stood over by the rail watching the parade until they could fit us in for dinner (about 40 minutes, but we were grateful to get in, esp without reservations!) Dinner was fine, but we couldn't wait to get down to the street and all the fun! I don't think we'll try to eat at a restaurant again while any thing's going on downtown. Plus, the food they were selling at the stands on the streets smelled heavenly!

PS--- I always think of poor Norman Paperman when someone talks about their problems with running a restaurant and all the drama that seems to go along with it on the island. "Carnival is very sweet. Please don't stop the carnival!":D

You are welcome Paula. Just my opinion. No offense intended.

Tam

i had dinner there. of course, the cuisine is far from authentic but i expected that. i am thai and i know you can't get the authentic ingredients here. the service was great, the ambiance impeccable. but it is meant to be a quiet restaurant and big loud groups have no business being there. the atmosphere is meant to be cozy, or romantic, and quiet.
i can go back for the pad thai. i don't care much for the spring rolls. but the fish dish (forgot the name) was good.
i enjoyed the experience. i don't like restaurants that have a constant drone of loud people so this one suits me fine.

This is a great thread, how many places do you get a dialog going between a disappointed customer of a restaurant and one of the people who was working on the night the dissappointment occurred?

I don't think Risa's review was overly harsh. I do think that it was a mistake to try to go anywhere in town on St. Patty's day night, but that's not Risa's fault as much as it is a learning experience (I imagine you will be less likely to try that again!). By providing the review though Risa has done a service to the owners of this place....its the customers that don't complain that you have to worry about as they are the ones who don't come back/tell everyone their problems in private. Instead Risa got the dialog going and I think anyone reading this board would give these guys a chance, especially after limetime's excellent response.

And to Limetime, it is refreshing to see someone who can admit their mistakes and use them as a learning experience. To have to do it on a public forum is harsh but I think its great for you to take the time to do so. If you're working I'll make sure to be on time...I imagine you won't be holding reservations for the first seating for 30-40 minutes anymore!

Living here is not like living in the city, the downside is that more often you can have a bad meal at a good place as our restaurants are not the corporate quality controlled establishments of the mainland. However, you can also sometimes be stunned by the quality of the food you get, not the cookie cutter experiences that you get in the mainland, but something more true, honest, and personal. So you have to take the bad with the good, and clearly on this night Risa had the bad. Its too bad it had to be on a special night (birthday). Hopefully that gives you some Karma for the good!

Sean

My wife and I went saturday night and had a great experience. Made reservations for 6pm and were immediatly seated and had great service. My wife has spent some time in Thailand and said the food was very similar to what she ate while there. She said the main difference was the price ($1 vs $20) but thats to be expected here. Will go again soon I hope.