Thai one on at Playa Bruja’s newest eatery

Karma Kitachen Karma Kitchen

The idea of a Thai restaurant in Playa Bruja – Playa Bruja?! – evokes exclamations from almost all who hear of it. And no wonder: the far north end of town, with its windswept beaches and tiny strip mall full of souvenir shops, hardly seems like a place where, well, a Thai place would open, let alone thrive. But I’d wager Jeff Sorensen’s Karma Kitchen will be a success: At first, perhaps due to sheer novelty, but then maybe solely because of his Pad Thai.

The B.C. native landed in Mazatlán about a year ago, and opened the little restaurant March 24. Years of traveling had developed in Jeff a love of Asian food, especially Thai, and his natural cooking abilities eventually led him to cooking for friends and now his sparkling new Karma Kitchen.

The small but complete menu offers appetizers, salads and entrees; all are enough for a meal. Flavors shine in the Vietnamese Rice Paper Wraps: crisp vegetables and plump shrimp rolled in rice paper, served with a tangy-sweet soy/chili/cilantro dipping sauce – enough for two or as a light lunch. The Thai Green Coconut Curry (the owner’s favorite), is served with a mound of white rice (unfortunately not Jasmine rice). The bowl brims with chucks of chicken and tender-crisp veggies - green, red and yellow bell peppers, tiny green beans, onions, squash and fresh basil leaves - all swimming in an irresistible hot/sweet coconut milk broth. Thai Mango and Grilled Beef Salad pleases the eye and the tongue, a gaily colored mélange of fruit and veggies, topped with still-steaming chunks of tender coconut milk-marinated beef and drizzled with a light cilantro vinaigrette. In a nod to its Mazatlán locale, Jeff’s classic Pad Thai features plump shrimp as part of its peanut-ty goodness, and its array of bright flavors are complimented by a bed of wide rice noodles. No wonder it’s everyone’s favorite.

A Thai Chicken Satay, Vietnamese Lettuce Wraps (with pork and traditional Vietnamese spices), Chinese Beef & Broccoli and Korean Grilled Beef Strips round out the menu, and there’s refreshing peppermint iced tea to clear and cool the palate between courses. Vegetarians will be happy to note that everything is available sans meat or fish, too.

One tends to hear happy noises coming from nearby tables – always a good sign – and with the addition of Jeff’s amiable demeanor and rugged movie-star good looks, the Karma Kitchen is a good place to be.

Janet Blaser has been eating for a living and writing about it for 20 years. Send comments, suggestions, recommendations to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .