When travelling is woefully beyond my budget, the easiest way to imagine I’m somewhere else is to close my eyes, take a bite and be instantly transported.
It’s what I’m doing at Cassia – Windhoek’s new Thai restaurant – on a warm Thursday afternoon. Blissfully sailing away on a wave of lemongrass, galangal and sweet basil leaf as a light trickle of Thai music completes the daydream.
My greeting of “” – hallo in Thai – has outed me as someone who has visited the land of smiles and Duckie Scheepers is delighted. Originally from Chiang Rai, a city in northern Thailand, Scheepers has recently located from Henties Bay with her Namibian husband and is eager to beguile Windhoekers with her homeland’s famed flavours.
“I think we are the first offering really authentic Thai so I’m very happy to see people accept us and be so friendly,” says the petite Schee-pers, swishing her long, dark ponytail enthusiastically before offering some recommendations with a laugh.
“If you’ve never tried Thai food before, I recommend something not spicy because if it’s too hot, you’re gonna run away. I recommend chicken cashew nut and Tom Yum Goong.”
Tom Yum is a popular Thai soup which Cassia offers with chicken, prawn or fish swimming in a pleasantly spiced, slightly sour soup with notes of lemongrass, galangal, mushrooms and chilli paste.
My sister Mel doesn’t need any convincing to order one of her favourite dishes so we humbly request the Tom Yum Goong (prawn), deep fried shrimp and chicken pad thai, which is a splash of stir-fried rice noodles, chicken, egg, ground peanut and vegetables in sweet tamarind sauce.
Everything arrives hot, flavourful and delicious via Vesora Hekemo, who is our friendly server and courtesy of the Thai chef who has faced Windhoek’s lack of mangoes for mango sticky rice with creative determination.
“We don’t have mangoes at this time so the chef made mango ice cream,” says Scheepers reassuringly. It’s a sweet and creamy substitute for the fresh mango traditionally eaten with gelatinous rice drenched in sugary coconut milk so Mel and I are happy.
At Cassia, it seems, there are no complaints and Scheepers explains that the restaurant is named for the yellow flowers draped around in decoration.
Soon the eatery begins to fill with patrons ordering their fancy from a menu boasting assorted Thai noodles, stir-fries, fried rice and soups with chicken, beef, vegetables, pork or prawns.
The food smells amazing, the music soothes and Mel and I spend the afternoon at a table warmed by the sun through a window. Reminiscing about our travels, chatting with Scheepers, who pops in to make sure Cassia has given us a worthy taste of one of our many homes.
To this, sighing and vowing to return soon, Mel and I say what we always say when met with the incredible flavour and hospitality of Thailand.
“” (thank you).
In an age of information overload, Sunrise is The Namibian’s morning briefing, delivered at 6h00 from Monday to Friday. It offers a curated rundown of the most important stories from the past 24 hours – occasionally with a light, witty touch. It’s an essential way to stay informed. Subscribe and join our newsletter community.
The Namibian uses AI tools to assist with improved quality, accuracy and efficiency, while maintaining editorial oversight and journalistic integrity.
Stay informed with The Namibian – your source for credible journalism. Get in-depth reporting and opinions for
only N$85 a month. Invest in journalism, invest in democracy –
Subscribe Now!
