Bangkok Gourmet has four times been named the best Thai restaurant in Ohio by Zagat restaurant guides. Glowing reviews paper the entrance hall. The key to Fogle's success has been in adapting the flavors of her native Thailand to American tastes. The dishes are authentically Thai, but the fire has been toned down and often the flavors are given an elegant twist. Nowhere is this more apparent than in her most popular appetizer, chicken sate.
Flavor permeates the charcoal-singed skewers of chicken.
They would taste good even without the luxurious, coconut-based sauce. It originated in Malaysia, but it is prepared differently there than in Thailand. In Malaysia, the peanut sauce is seasoned with soy sauce and lime juice. In Thailand, the seasonings are coconut milk and curry paste. Although the dish is borrowed, it has become a Thai favorite.