Bites Nearby: Mint's Thai Kitchen

It is often said that good things come in small packages, but a Forest Hills restaurant is proving that good things come in small and hidden packages, too.

Tucked away on the bottom level of the three-story shopping strip on Austin Street off 70^th Avenue, Mint’s Thai Kitchen offers a wide array of savory, spicy, sweet, fruity, tangy, nutty, fishy and meaty flavors … often in the same dish.

From noon to 4 p.m., Mint’s has a two-course lunch special for $8. For the main dish, patrons decide between shrimp, squid, chicken, beef, vegetable and tofu prepared in 11 different styles.

For example, Wok Cashew Nut features jasmine rice, water chestnuts, onions, cashew nuts, scallions, sugar snap peas and chili plum sauce, while Drunken Noodle has wheat noodles with tomatoes, Thai basil, snow peas, water chestnuts, bok choy and chili sauce. Red Curry is a spicy dish with jasmine rice, kabocha squash, pineapple, cherry tomatoes, Thai basil and coconut milk broth, and Green Curry comes with jasmine rice, bamboo shoots, eggplant, string beans, peppers, Thai basil and coconut milk broth.

The lunch special appetizers include the following: Green Papaya Salad, Julianne green papaya, cashew nuts, tomatoes, long beans, Thai bird chili and lime segments; Root Vegetable Spring Rolls, parsnip, carrots, beet root and glass noodles with plum sauce; and Beef Tamarind Consommé, clarified beef broth, pearl onions, tomatoes, dried chili and young tamarind leaves.

The main entrees are divided into three sections: Curry; From the Wok (with jasmine rice); and Rice and Noodle. They usually include a choice of shrimp, beef, lamb, chicken and vegetable/tofu. Probably the spiciest dish is Wok Charred Squid, chili-garlic puree, Thai basil, sugar snap peas and black peppercorn sauce. The curries include Red Curry with Shrimp, Green Curry with Chicken, Panang Curry with Beef and Massaman Curry with Lamb. Other options are Pad Thai with Shrimp and Salmon-Fried Rice.

The most expensive portion of the menu is the specials section, which is technically the fourth entrée section, but the items are not too detrimental to the pocketbook. Lemongrass Roasted Organic Chicken with papaya salad, sticky rice and homemade chili sauce costs $12. Pan Seared Duck Breast with parsnip, sugar snap peas, broccoli and pineapple tamarind glaze is listed at $18. Then there’s the Seafood Chu Chee, sea scallops, New Zealand mussels, squid, shrimp, Japanese eggplant, broccoli, sugar snap peas and chuchee curry with coconut milk broth, which checks in at $19.

Starters demonstrate the eclectic nature of Thai cuisine as well. The Satay Sampler ($6) offers a combination of grilled beef, lamb and chicken on skewers with peanut sauce. The Crispy Calamari ($7) is marinated in Thai spices accompanied by crispy capers and chili peanut sauce.

All diners who are not lactose intolerant are urged to try either the Thai Ice Tea or the Thai Ice Coffee. Both cost $3 and awaken the taste buds with a combination of sweet, bitter and unexplainably exotic, probably due to the evaporated milk.

The most striking desserts are both $6: Thai Coffee Crème Brulée and Baked Taro Custard.

The ambiance is nothing special. The tables and chairs are small and crammed together. But this is certainly an authentic Thai restaurant, right down to the music in the background.

Address: 70-15A Austin Street (lower level); Phone: 718-268-1470

Hours: Sunday through Thursday, noon to 10 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, noon to 10:30 p.m.

Prices: Curries run from $10-$12; Wok entrees are $10 or $11; Rice and Noodle dishes go from $9 to $12; specials range from $12 to $19.

Rebate: Mint’s reduces all checks by 10 percent if the patron is willing to pay cash.