Tropika

6004 104 Street, Edmonton Phone (780) 439-6699

Wow. All I can say is make sure you order the Gado Gado. On second thought, don't. Because I'll also require that you order the stuffed, deep-fried tofu, which comes with its own veritable mountain of Gado Gado. On third thought, do order a separate plate of Gado Gado. It. Is. Just. That. Good. Tropika serves the best Gado Gado I have ever had in my life! Anywhere. Even in Asia.

The menu at Tropika is extensive, impressive, and a bit overwhelming. There are so many good choices. Luckily there are photos to accompany most of the dishes described, which is always welcome when presented with many exotic and complex dishes from another culture.

Their drinks menu is also extensive and there are quite a few tasty cocktails. I do caution you however, not to order a cocktail built for 2 or 3 or 4. That is, unless you want to feel like a great big goof drinking an alcoholic slushie from a gigantic ceramic Tiki head using a 2 and a half-foot plastic straw. I wish I was kidding about that, but I am not. About any part of it.

The decor is about what you'd expect from a good Edmonton ethnic restaurant, and is probably better than most, which is to say that it is attractive, clean and serviceable, but not challenging or interesting in the least, although I did make a mental note of the intriguing way they used squares of clear-lacquered Oriented Strand Board in place of ceiling tiles. The effect was actually pretty neat. The rest of the restaurant is nice, but unremarkable.

The service on each occasion has been excellent. The servers are attentive, without being overly prone to hover and the gentleman greeting at the door (the owner or manager, I presume) is jolly, quick with a smile and a cute joke and equally importantly, quick with a table.

The Tropika home-style crispy chicken is out of this world. Mildly spicy, slightly nutty, astonishingly crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. I suspect it is deep fried in peanut or coconut oil, so it's not for those watching their fat intake, but WOW! It is totally worth not eating anything else for the rest of the week if that's what you have to do to justify eating this dish.

The value is exceptional! For a dinner for four, which would easily have fed six and possibly eight, provided the party included at least one Olsen twin; the cost was only $100, including giant drinks.  In my book that's stellar value!

Rating Food:  5.5 stars, Service: 6 stars, Decor: 4 stars

Style Mlaysian food

Payment Accepted MC,V, Interac

Reservations   not required

Prices  about $20-25 per person for a really big meal

Ratings Key

1 Star - Horrific in every way
2 Stars - Simply awful
3 Stars - Average on a good day
4 Stars - Better than average, but only just
5 Stars - Pretty good, I’d go back
6 Stars - Yum, give me more!
7 Stars - Exceptional. Outstanding. Bliss