Address: #1-3690 Shelbourne St
Phone: (250) 477-2538
Website: http://www.thetropicalisland.ca/
Price: $10-15
Notes: Fantastically presented asian 'fusion'
The Tropical Island is located on Shelbourne, near Fujiya. This area is kind of a little pocket of restaurants that I always forget about - but there are quite a few interesting places in the shopping plazas that make up the blocks either side of Shelbourne and Cedar Hill X Rd.
The menu is totally 'asian fusion,' but it's more like stealing all the best dishes from the wide array of asian cuisine than mashing styles together within one dish. They also have really stellar presentation. If you order a coconut drink, it comes in a coconut, and the pineapple rice comes served in a pineapple. It's a small detail, but it is reflected in the quality of the food.
The space feels less (I don't know how else to put this) plasticky than some other restaurants in the same genre. The art on the walls is intricate and looks to my (untrained) eye to be originals, not replicas intended to give an impression of a certain culture. They are actually intended to make the restaurant more beautiful.
Food:
July 13, 2012
We have been here several times over the years since they opened, although not in quite a while. We decided to go for what we're pretty sure is a new addition to the menu - a sampler for 2. At barely over $30 before tip, it was a great deal; we got everything we usually would order plus dessert and left stuffed and satisfied.
Spring Rolls
These arrived very quickly to our table, and were piping hot! The outside was extremely crispy, and the inside was well flavoured. I liked having just the one springroll apiece, as they are a great treat but I have a sneaking suspicion they are not the healthiest thing ever. I often find just one spring roll is enough to satisfy my craving!
Green Curry
This was one of the best green curries we have ever tasted! The spices were strong without being overwhelming, and all the ingredients were incredibly fresh tasting! I would come back and just order this on its own.
Seasonal Vegetables with Garlic Sauce
This dish is one of our favourite sides to order. I have had it at other restaurants with much more garlic, and I prefer it with just a touch more, but I liked the sauciness.
Ginger Beef
I have a deep love of ginger beef. I discovered it pretty late in life, and it quickly became one of my most favourite things to order. The serving style here is quite dry, with lots of onion minced into the sauce as well as deep-fried basil (yum!). The beef is thin (think bulgogi style) and extremely well coated.
Rice
Rice is rice is rice, but this is an example of the detail in the presentation - a cute serving dish.
Deep-fried Coconut Milk
The dessert arrived as a mystery dessert, but I inquired as we paid as to what it was and was surprised to discover it was deep-fried coconut milk! The texture was impressive, very dense and practically pudding-like. I'm not sure if this is the standard dessert or it was a special for the day but it was certainly worth seeking out!
Service:
July 13, 2012
They were quite busy here, with several large family or friend groups taking over most of the restaurant. We didn't feel like we were waiting too long for our food, but you could tell that if they had more time we would have seen a bit more of our server. When we paid, they checked in to see if we had felt neglected, explaining that when it gets so busy they have a hard time judging how long it is for their guests. I liked that they were concerned in a very honest way, even though it wasn't a problem.
