Green Papaya restaurant is a happy find

December 17, 2014 11:00 pm • Last Updated: April 10, 2015 2:12 pm

By Alex Nunes

The words "a culinary experience to remember" might not come to mind when you first pull into a nondescript parking lot across from a Chevy dealership on an otherwise forgettable strip two miles south of downtown Norwich.

But the phrase more than fits Green Papaya Thai Restaurant and 783 Bar, aptly named and located at 783 West Thames Street. It's a definite find, with memorable dishes and prices likely to entice you back.

The ambience at Green Papaya has some of the hallmarks of authentic ethnic dining: bamboo lanterns hang from the ceiling, while decorative masks and a tapestry depicting a woman meditating adorn walls painted mellow green and orange (comparable to the color of the outside and inside of a papaya). At the moment, there's also a festive Christmas tree with red ribbons in the corner of the dining room.

All this is juxtaposed by an expansive bar that has the makings of a lively Saturday night: TVs, dartboards, a pool table and more drink specials than can be listed here. (If you're looking for a quaint dining experience, you can be reassured knowing there is a long wall separating the two areas.)

As the name suggests, Green Papaya specializes in the dishes you'd expect to find at a Thai restaurant - Thai spring rolls, Pad Thai, Penang curry over white rice, to name a few. What might surprise you are the dynamic and unique dishes traditionally seen at restaurants specializing in other Asian cuisines, like Canh Chua (Vietnamese hot and sour soup) with shrimp or fish ($5) or Roti Cani, Indian bread served with a curry sauce ($4).

The appetizer list is likely to cause a mix of enticement and indecision. In addition to the aforementioned Roti Canai, the pre-entree delectables I sampled were the summer rolls ($4), seaweed salad ($5) and Asian dumplings (eight for $7).

The Roti Canai bread stood out for its moistness and delightful fluff. It came with a soup-like side sauce prepared with an aromatic mix of Indian seasonings and exceptionally moist pieces of chicken.

The summer rolls and seaweed salad were standard but well prepared. The seaweed salad was most notable for its generous serving.

The Asian dumplings are something to write home about. They come available with meat or vegetables, steamed or fried. I went with the vegetable variety prepared fried. The filling was tasty and balanced. The dumpling wrap was commendable for its crispiness and lightness. Too often, fried dumplings absorb the oil they've been pan fried in, making for a savory but greasy experience - not at Green Papaya.

For entrees, there's quite a bit to choose from: basil chicken marsala ($13) to seafood pan fried noodles ($16) to fried prawns in a honey walnut sauce ($16). There are even burgers and fish and chips for the non-adventurous members of your party.

(Note that several entrees come nearly half-price during the lunch special hours, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., Mondays through Saturdays.)

I tried the Dol Sot Bibimbap, a classic Korean dish comprised of rice, zucchini, carrots, a fried egg on top and spicy sauce on the side. I chose to have mine with beef for $14 (the other options are chicken, vegetable only, Korean barbeque short ribs and shrimp; prices range from $13 to $16). The Bibimbap comes served in a hot stone pot that crisps the rice at the bottom of the dish, adding texture to a fabulously flavorful dish. The tender beef strips paired nicely with the hot sauce, which could be described as barbeque-like, smoky with a kick.

The honey walnut prawns consisted of deep fried jumbo shrimp in honey sauce, served with rice and steamed broccoli. The shrimp batter was crisp and more light than heavy. The honey sauce had a natural sweetness that moistened the rice and added depth to the shrimp.

My Penang curry came with a liberal portion of mushrooms, string beans, zucchini, green peppers, bamboo shoots, carrots, miniature eggplant and firm tofu (you can also have it with chicken, beef, squid, duck or shrimp; prices vary from $13 to $16 dollars). The sauce was mildly spicy and smooth, with a wide and complex variety of Thai seasonings.

I'd say if you give Green Papaya a try, you're likely to leave with satisfied taste buds and the feeling that you've done something nutritionally good for yourself.

My only regret is that I didn't save room for dessert.