Thai Spice: Finding Balance

Overview: in Los Gatos masterfully commands food preparation, balancing a combination of ingredients to produce dishes that have sweet, sour, salty, and spicy tastes. Each is beautifully displayed with color and crisp, crunchy, and soft textures. The use of Kaffir limes, lemon grass, Thai basil, fish sauce, chili paste, coconut milk and curries marks the food inimitable and satisfying. A large impressive menu offers Chinese items with a Thai slant. 

Décor: The main dining room accommodates larger dinner parties. Thai statues are strategically placed and dolls dressed in cultural attire line the window sills. Two top-linen clothed tables with wicker chairs decorate a small narrow patio. Gold-gilded and Thai-embroidered pictures depict folklore scenes. Heavy tile floors contribute to the coolness of the room—an intimate space that fosters convivial conversation that creates a lively environment.

Drink: A popular Southeast Asian beverage, Thai Ice Tea ($3.50) made with a strong brew of black tea, spice and condensed milk is a personal favorite and Thai Coffee ($3.50) brings pleasure to the palate. The Thai Spice has a wide variety of beers ($4.00) such as Singha Thai Beer,  Red Hook, Sapporo, Sam Adams,and Corona. Wine by the glass ($6.00 to $8.00) includes Zinfandel, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Soft Drinks ($ 2.95).

Appetizer: Artful starters quickly send the message to the diner that this not a predictable meal, although staples like Egg Rolls ($5.95); Fresh Rolls ($6.95) rice noodles, green lettuce, bean sprouts and mint wrapped in rice paper are served with special sauce; Fried Won Tons ($5.95); and Veggie Tempura ($5.95) deep-fried, lightly battered mixed vegetables with plum sauce. Traditional Thai items are Fried Tofu ($5.95) crispy fried fresh tofu served with plum sauce; Sa-Tay ($7.95); Fish Cakes ($7.95) deep fried spicy fish paste served with cucumber salad; Angel Wing ($8.95) crispy boneless chicken wing stuffed with ground chicken, vegetable and silver noodles served with cucumber salad; Crab Ball ($7.95); Crispy Butterfly Prawns ($7.95); Fried or Grilled Calamari ($8.95); and Thai Crispy Noodles ($8.95) crispy rice noodles tossed in sweet and sour sauce with shrimp and fried tofu.

Entrée: Different than curries offered at Indian restaurants, these concoctions are made with coconut milk. They ($9.95) are served with different proteins and vegetables in various styles such as Panang Red Curry with bell pepper and topped with sweet basil; Green Curry with bamboo shoots, peas and bell peppers; Yellow Curry with tender potato and carrots. Other sumptuous items are Spicy Chicken with Hot Peppers ($8.95) consisting of sautéed chicken with green pepper, onion, garlic, carrots, and mushroom and Chicken with Thai Basil ($8.95) made with sautéed chicken with chili, garlic, bell pepper and Thai basil. Traditional delicacies like Ra-Ma Thai ($8.95), made with beef or chicken with steamed spinach topped with peanut sauce; Spicy Eggplant with Chili Garlic Sauce ($8.95) made with the vegetable sautéed with sliced beef or chicken in chili-garlic sauce, bell pepper and sweet basil; Chili Pork with Green Bean ($8.95) made with pork sautéed  with chili paste, bell pepper and green bean; and Ginger Pork with Mushroom ($8.95) consisting of pork sautéed with strips of fresh ginger, black fungus mushroom, onion, bell pepper, and carrots. All these dishes provide warm exotic flavors. Items like Prawns Curry with Pineapple ($12.95) prawns and fresh pineapple simmered in red curry, coconut milk sauce, peas, bell pepper and topped with sweet basil; Pompano Delight ($15.95) crispy fried pompano a fish found in waters near Florida prepared  whole with bones topped with your choice of chili garlic or sweet and sour sauce; and Cho Chee Trout ($12.95) deep-fried deboned trout with a special curry coconut milk sauce topped with kaffir lime leaves, gives comfort and extravagance on a plate. Considered the national dish of Thailand, Pad Thai ($8.95) Pan fried Thai noodles with eggs, tofu, bean sprouts, and crushed peanuts in special sauce, is a hearty dish that is easily a patron favorite, but the Spicy Noodle ($8.95) pan fried large flat noodles with tomato, chili, garlic, vegetables and basil, is another option to consider.

Sides: Rice is a perfect accompaniment to items on the menu and the Thai Spice offers a wide selection of rice prepared in different ways, like Steamed Jasmine Rice ($1.50); Brown Rice ($2.00), Garlic Rice ($3.00); and Shallot Rice ($3.00). In Thailand another dish is made with young greens arranged with herbs and Peanut Sauce ($ 2.00). Each salad uses fresh ingredients such as Cucumber Salad ($2.00); Thai Salad ($6.95); Green Papaya Salad, which includes shrimp on top of shredded green papaya, tomatoes, peanuts, chili tossed with special Thai dressing ($7.95); B.B.Q. Beef Salad grilled beefsteak tossed with thinly sliced lemon grass, mints, onion and spicy sweet dressing served on a bed of lettuce ($8.95); Thai Spice Beef Salad ($8.95); Roasted Duck Salad ($10.95); Prawns or Calamari Salad ($10.95); and Bean Thread Noodle Salad includes special noodles tossed with ground pork, shrimp, and calamari with spicy dressing($ 9.95).The soups ($4.95 to 13.95) are hearty and include Hot and Sour Soup, Coconut Milk Soup with Thai herbs, mushroom, galangal, lime juice and cilantro in hot and sour coconut milk broth and Cabbage Soup Combo Napa cabbage, ground pork, shrimp, squid, carrots, and silver noodle in clear broth.

Dessert: Deep Fried Banana with Homemade Ice Cream ($4.95); Deep Fried Banana with Honey ($3.95); Sticky Rice with Mango ($4.95); and Sticky Rice with Thai Custard ($4.95). And who can resist Homemade Ice Cream with exotic Thai Fruit ($3.50)? Or just any ice cream with a tropical bend like Coconut Ice Cream ($3.50) and Mango Ice Cream ($3.50)?

Service: Neat. polite and professional service with hospitable smiles.

Signature Dish: Special Mango Salad, a crispy deep fried deboned trout served on shredded mango, green apple, tomatoes, red cabbage, and onion, with a spicy dressing and cashews.

• Thai Spice
• 337 North Santa Cruz Avenue, Los Gatos
• Chef: A team of talented cooks.
• Cost: $15 to $40