Siam Marina 25th Anniversary Dinner

Last month my foodie friend, Karen, and I spent a Sunday afternoon enjoying a meal at Siam Marina in Tinley Park. There was a special fixed-price anniversary menu with a couple seatings and we were excited to sample some of the menu items during their five-course dinner celebrating 25 years in business and five years at their current Tinley Park location.

One thing this Asian fusion spot is known for is the lengthy cocktail menu and Karen tried out a couple cocktails that she really enjoyed - an Asian Pear Martini and the Bangkok Punch.

Dinner started with Baked Oysters with Parmesan. It was baked in a cilantro lime sauce and topped with crispy diced bacon and parmesan cheese. It was delicious!

Next up: the Namsod Salad. It was so unique and unlike any salad I've had before. It's made with freshly-steamed chicken flavored with lime juice, fresh ginger, roasted peanuts and hot peppers served over a bed of lettuce. As one who is kind of a wimp when it comes to spicy food, I really enjoyed it. It had just enough of a kick to wake up your taste buds, but not so much that it was overwhelming. I also like a little crunch in my salad and the roasted peanuts took care of that.

Following the salad was the Five Spice Lamb Chop. I'd had these once before and was so excited to see that they were on the menu. The marinated chops are grilled and served atop garlic wasabi mashed potatoes. It's really quite a treat and the potatoes are a perfect accompaniment. And I just love the dishes they served them on. I remember them from my last visit and they are the cutest.

The fourth course was another I'd had before and adored. It was the Seafood Panang, made with shrimp, green mussel and sea scallops in cardamom and coconut milk curry with Thai basil and freshly pounded peanuts. I wasn't a fan of curry until I had it at Siam Marina. This sauce was so creamy and savory and scallops are one of my favorite things in the world, so that addition made my day. They were cooked to absolute perfection.

After those four wonderful courses, I didn't think I could possibly even try dessert. It was a lot of food. But we sat and chatted and sipped and by the time dessert came out, we were ready for it. The menu said that dessert would be a surprise and the chef's choice - either a Godiva White Chocolate Mousse or a Hummingbird Cake. We ended up getting a sampling of both and they were such a wonderful combination. 

The Hummingbird Cake is so unique and was a perfect finish to the lovely experience. It's a white cake baked with mashed bananas and crushed pineapple with crushed nuts and coconut flakes. It's a total taste of paradise that made you feel like you were far from home.

At the end of our dinner, we got a nice gift - a jar of Chef Tammy's Sweet & Sour Sauce. I love the sauce for dipping a nice crunchy spring roll. It's so good.

The place is nicely decorated and a classy spot for a special occasion or just a weekday dinner to help you escape from the ordinary.

Siam Marina

16846 Oak Park Avenue

Tinley Park, IL

708-407-8825

siammarina.com

P.S. If you like Thai food, be sure to check out their sister restaurant, Asparagus, in Merrillville, Indiana.