Taste Of Thai Offers Pleasant Surprises In Italian Setting

First impressions at the Taste of Thai might leave diners feeling a bit confused.

That’s because the decor at this small restaurant is largely left over from the last tenant, an Italian joint called Roccomanti’s.

But if you don’t mind eating phad Thai and curry off red-and-white checked tablecloths with plastic grapes dangling down from lattice overhead, you are in for some pleasant surprises at Spokane’s newest Thai restaurant.

The Taste of Thai - located in the largely deserted Fairwood Shopping Center - isn’t a place you are likely to stumble onto. It was brought to my attention by a reader.

It’s run by Ron Pack, his wife, Tuanjai and their partner, Bung-on Lawson. The women, both natives of Thailand, use family recipes to fill out the menu.

The list of offerings is fairly short, divided into salads, soups, noodle dishes, stir-frys and curries. The kitchen promises to gradually add more dishes. (It’s worth noting that MSG is used in several dishes, unless diners otherwise specify.)

A sign near the cash register listing daily specials also touts the kitchen’s willingness to accommodate requests. We put that claim to the test on a couple of visits, ordering vegetarian items not on the menu. Results were mixed.

Taste of Thai spring rolls are usually made with pork, but a meatless version was delicious. Filled with crisp veggies and thread-like rice noodles, they were served with a garlic-spiked sweet and sour sauce. That the spring rolls were slightly greasy didn’t detract from the dish.

A special order of bathing rama (tofu with spinach and peanut sauce) was less successful.

The deep-fried bean curd was too chewy (suggestion: cutting the tofu into bigger pieces makes for a creamier middle), the spinach was overcooked and the peanut sauce was thin, lacking flavor.

Other dishes showed the kitchen is on the right track. Of the two curries sampled, I liked the mussama best. It is a rich stew-like entree with peanuts, potatoes and chicken. A red chicken curry was disappointing, though. The flavor of the coconut milk-based curry was fine, but the dish contained lots of canned bamboo shoots - usually used as an inexpensive filler. On the plus side, it also contained fresh basil and slices of sweet red pepper.

The chicken laab hit all the right notes. A traditional Thai salad, this rendition featured ground chicken seasoned with lime juice, fish sauce, cilantro and green onion. It was deliciously tangy. A generous portion was served on red leaf lettuce. A beef laab is also offered.

A roasted shrimp special was cooked with enough garlic to warrant breaking into a new pack of breath mints. That’s high praise, by the way.

The hot and sour shrimp soup had a sharp, fiery flavor, but I wish there had been a little more to it. There were a fair number of shrimp, but some chopped veggies would have given the soup more body.

The kitchen does a fine job with the dish by which many judge a Thai restaurant - phad Thai. The stir-fried rice noodles had a good, strong fish sauce flavor, which is authentic, but not to everyone’s liking. The shrimp in this dish were properly cooked and plentiful. I liked the crunchy bean sprouts and wedge of lime served on the side.

Taste of Thai also does a nice job with its sticky rice, a toothsome preparation that is drier and more chewy than standard rice. It’s great for sopping up sauces. In fact, I preferred it to the overcooked white rice the restaurant served.

Finally, the black rice pudding was excellent. Just the right slightly crunchy texture, this dessert is rich without leaving you feeling stuffed.

, DataTimes MEMO: This sidebar appeared with the story: Taste of Thai Address/phone: 419 W. Hastings, 456-3335 Meals: Thai Prices: $4.25-$6.25 Days/hours: Weekdays, 11 a.m.-2 p.m. and 5-9 p.m. dinner; Saturdays, 4-9 p.m.; Sundays, 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Alcohol: beer and wine Smoking: No Reservations: yes Credit cards: MC, V Personal checks: yes