First, I feel like I should not be working on this review in the morning because now I am wishing I could go back for breakfast but Maryland to Utah is not exactly a “let’s go for breakfast” trek so… BOO! This was a breakfast I would have at least once a week and I would probably go for other meals as well. When we drove up and I saw Pho, one of my favorites, I was good but… Thai BREAKFAST at Chabaar!
My Heart had been here for breakfast with one of our friends during a work trip to Salt Lake City but hadn’t taken me. On this trip we were actually meeting that same friend and his wife for breakfast and this seemed like the perfect choice
My Heart and our friend had the Kai-Jeaw Moo Sub ($8.50): Eggs, minced pork, red onion, carrot, mushrooms, and green onions are combined and fried and served over a bed of rice. You break through that lovely egg mixture into steaming rice. It is packed with flavors and textures, a definite “sticks with you” breakfast.
Our friend’s wife had the Thai Omelet ($10), which is more like an egg crêpe, that is then topped with sautéed chicken, lettuce, cucumber, carrots, cilantro, bean sprouts, a sweet chili sauce, and peanuts. Bright and colorful and filled the fresh flavors and great textures with a hot, rich “omelet”. Wow!
But, Mine Won! (When we try a new place, my Heart and I will judge our choices to see who made the best choice, i.e. “I Won”.) I ordered the Joke Moo Sup ($9), a rice porridge (short-grain Asian rice is cooked down until it is very soft) cooked with ground pork and celery and then topped with fresh ginger, green onions, carrots, and a raw egg yolk. (I have no idea what the powdery stuff was, although it may have been ground ginger.) This dish is steaming hot so you quickly, but gently, stir in the egg, which then “cooks” and also brings together all of the toppings…
making an incredibly rich and flavor-packed porridge. The egg adds a richness and there are little bits of ground pork, shredded veg, and fresh ginger – honestly, I could eat this every morning for breakfast AND it was so filling I could not finish the bowl. I was stuffed and it definitely filled me up for the day. I imagine the rice was cooked in a chicken broth because it wasn’t bland at all but then, combined with the ground pork, the egg, and all the fresh ingredients, it was so savory my mouth is watering from the memory.
This type of rice porridge (or Congee) is common throughout Asia. My son’s girlfriend is half-Korean and she says that her mother used to make a similar dish when she was a girl, especially if she was sick because it is very mild. The names and variations are innumerable.
I always think the sad part about living all over the country and traveling is that I miss foods I’ve found in some places, especially places that we return to and become favorites. I love this breakfast and it really would be a staple if we lived anywhere nearby.