Dolci Thai
“Every Bite Tells a Story”
Full disclosure: I know Dolci Thai Restaurant in Osoyoos very well, and I know the owner and head chef, Yaowapa “Leena” Ferreira, both professionally and personally.
When I visited Thailand in 2018 for a month, I fell in love with the food and the people. I ate my way through every gas station, roadside stand, bar, and restaurant I could find until I had to return home.
At the time, I was working as a police officer in Osoyoos and decided to stop by Dolci Thai for lunch, hoping to find even 10 per cent of the flavor and satisfaction I had eating in Thailand. What I didn’t expect was to be transported back to Thailand with every bite I took.
The first dish I ordered that day was Tom Sum, a spicy green papaya salad. This is not the papaya we’re familiar with in Canada, which is soft and red (and personally, unappetizing to me).
Green papaya is firm and crispy, with a texture similar to apple, and a neutral flavour that absorbs the sweet and spicy lime dressing it’s traditionally served with. The result is a flavour and texture so unique that there is truly nothing else like it in other cuisines. Tom Sum remains my favourite Thai dish.
Sheldon Herman photo
After finishing my salad, the restaurant quickly filled up. If I recall, there were 22 people inside, and Leena was the only one working – taking orders, cooking, refilling drinks, serving food, and processing payments. It was hard to believe that one person was running a full restaurant alone, so I did what I knew best as a police officer: I helped. In full RCMP uniform, I offered to assist Leena until I had to leave, but only on the condition that she teach me how to cook Thai cuisine.
Leena gave me a big hug and then sent me off to refill water and take orders from a table that had just sat down. This was a bit confusing for the American couple, who couldn’t quite understand why a Mountie was taking their order.
But when I told them that the police help everyone who needs it, they were satisfied with the answer. For the next 60 minutes, I did my best and only dropped and broke one glass.
Once the lunch rush ended and I politely declined the tips and gratuity Leena tried to offer, a lasting friendship was born. On my days off, I would visit her restaurant early, and she taught me how to make spring rolls from scratch.
She had me make 100 spring rolls for practice, and when I was done, she said that only 41 were up to her standards. “Go home and practice,” she told me. “You’re useless to me until you can make them properly.” So, I spent the next two days making dozens of spring rolls until I was confident I wouldn’t be yelled at again. She then taught me how to make her green curry, though, even after seven years, I still can’t make it as well as she does.
Luckily, Leena found her right-hand helper, Nil, who does everything I tried to do that day but better and much more efficiently. The two of them are true superstars at running the restaurant and delivering authentic, fresh flavours from Thailand. Most of the ingredients Leena uses are grown right in the backyard garden of the restaurant, ensuring every dish is as fresh as it gets.
When you visit Dolci Thai, I highly recommend ordering Tom Sum (Papaya Salad), Tom Kha Gai (Coconut Chicken Soup), and that Thai Green Curry I wish I could drink by the bowl. And here’s a little secret for you: while it’s not on the menu and neither Leena nor Nil will offer it to you if you mention to them that “Sheldon sent us for the secret menu item,” they’ll serve you Khao Soi (pronounced Cow Soy), a Thai noodle dish unlike anything you’ve ever had. Trust me, you won’t be disappointed.
So, the next time you crave something sweet, spicy, and everything nice, and don’t want to take the 18-hour flight to Thailand, head over to Dolci Thai in Osoyoos. Be sure to say “Hi” to Leena and Nil, and tell them Sheldon sent you.
Dolci Thai is located at 8710 Main Street, Osoyoos. It’s open 7 days a week, from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., though it’s best to call ahead as seating is limited, and hours may change depending on food availability and special events. Tel: 250-408-8941.
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Sheldon Herman is the author of the international best-selling book The Tortured Traveller: How I Survived The Worst Vacation Ever and has travelled to and eaten in 60 different countries. Neither the writer nor the newspaper received financial compensation for this article; the thoughts and opinions expressed are strictly those of the writer. If you’re a restaurant owner or have a suggestion for one you’d like to see featured, please send an email to [email protected].
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