Escargot

A gentle mesh of Thai and French cuisines

by Jim Johnson

231 Main Street, Marlborough
481-9509
Lunch Mon.-Fri. 11:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m.
Dinner Sun. 5-9 p.m.
Mon.-Thurs. 5-9:30 p.m.
Fri.-Sat. 5-10 p.m.
Major credit cards
Full bar
Handicap accessible

Oh, how I love Escargot. The subdued elegance. The fragrant aromas. The caring service.

And, of course, the food . . . a gentle mesh of French and Thai cuisines with flavors that know when to be harsh and fiery and when to be silent, subtle, and sublime.

The four menus our gracious server brought to the table made decisions difficult: one French, two Thai, and one an eclectic mix of specials. On this evening, both my dining companion and I were in the mood for Asian cuisine, but my descriptions of previous dinners nearly tempted him. On one trip, I'd started with (appropriately) escargots ($7.95), tender snails simmered in red wine. On another, I began with coquille St. Jacques ($6.95), the scallop and shrimp dish often found on restaurant menus but rarely prepared with such full-bodied flavor and almost never offered as an appetizer.

I'd had equal luck with entrees, most notably poached salmon ($14.95) served with lobster sauce. (For a Thai variation, the salmon choochee in a mild, creamy curry sauce is delightful.) As subtle and sublime as the salmon was, the shrimp with garlic butter ($12.95) had left all bashfulness behind, the garlic aroma practically misting over the plate.

The French desserts would return us to the Continent later, but we put our focus on the remaining three menus crammed with Thai delights. Already hungry, we ordered appetizers right away. I'd had the namsod ($5.95) before, and it was better than I remembered. The menu description doesn't do it justice: "minced chicken cooked in lime juice and fresh mint-roasted peanut Thai seasoning." Okay, the description also might not make complete sense. But the combination of lime and mint turns this dish alive. Add some red onion, scallions, and a touch of cayenne, and the dish packs power. All the taste buds get active duty on this one, a bold mix of flavor and texture.

Open ravioli of crab ($7.95) was a first for me. It won't be a last. A firm square of pasta lay at the bottom of a large bowl. Another wafted on the surface. Between them, fresh crabmeat bathed in rich broth. Bits of lemon grass acted as flavor boosters.

My first visit to Escargot featured a full Japanese menu. Most of these have been abandoned, but the popular ones remain. Even the shrimp teriyaki ($5) is as much Thai as Japanese; although the marinade is definitely teriyaki, the grilled shrimp are served in a light peanut sauce with sesame seeds and spiked with a sprig of cilantro.

(Other old favorites include soft rolls crammed with shrimp, chicken, and fresh vegetables; steamed dumplings stuffed with ground chicken and vegetables; and tomka, a full-bodied and fragrant chicken coconut soup that once had me asking for seconds.)

The couple at the next table, who had been debating the significance of karma (Get a life!), had made the natural progression from karma to curry, pondering the virtues of red, green, yellow, panang, and massaman. He wanted the massaman, with its mix of potatoes, peanuts, and onions. She wanted the yellow, slightly sweeter with potatoes, carrots, onions, and pineapple. We tuned out as they compromised with green and started debating their choice of beef, chicken, shrimp, or pork.

My favorite menu item is gra prao, prepared with mushrooms, peppers, onions, and plenty of basil leaves in a spicy sauce. The first time I had it -- with beef -- I ordered it three stars (Four stars violate fire code). Still, the fragrant basil fought past the fire.

This visit, we ordered pork prik king ($8.50). Prik king is a chili-sauce preparation featuring fresh, sliced green beans, and the meat of your choice. Although the sauce adds more flavor than fire, the spices make themselves known. We chose pork loin and enjoyed tender, lean pieces mixed with carrots, baby corn, and crisp beans. Poured over aromatic jasmine rice, the dish was a delight.

We both craved ginger and duck and met our needs with one of a half-dozen duck dishes. The name "duck with mushrooms and ginger" ($12.95) doesn't come close to describing the dish. There's so much more: peapods, celery, onion, cherry tomato, green pepper, and lots of lemon grass. The ginger flavor connected with the slight gaminess of the tender duck for yet another example of sublime delight.

We took the French route for dessert. If you're in a hurry, order the chocolate soufflé ($6.95) during your entree, since it takes 20 minutes to prepare. We were happy to linger with crême brulée ($4.95) in front of us, a creamy custard with crisp caramel crust and a touch of raspberries for late-summer effect. The soufflé was decadent: the top almost crunchy, the inside a burst of molten chocolate. With a nod to the East, two scoops of coconut ice cream set off two dollops of fresh whipped cream.

Service was attentive and gracious throughout. We barely noticed our server's presence, but we never lacked for it.

Two people can dine well for $40 to $50, less if on budget.