Strip malls grow
like weeds in the northern suburb where I live, and I always
wonder what else on earth they could possibly find to put in
them. I mean really how many salons and dollar stores do we
need? So I watched with train-wreck fascination as The Apollo
Center (could I make that up?) went up near my home in Symmes
Township.
When the sign
for Delight Thai Café appeared, I couldn't help but think,
"How delightful." I like ethnic food and I really like Thai
food. Of course, one has to wonder how Americanized any ethnic
type restaurant will be, but that's OK. I once went to a
Vietnamese place in Washing-ton, D.C., and had my ears blown
off by the spicy, authentic cuisine there. I've been to others
since, but none was as genuine as that one. I've never tasted
the cuisine in Thailand, but I do know this: It's spicy, fresh
and exotic. Delight Thai did not disappoint me.
I must say that
I suffer some anxiety when I go to a place like this. My fear
most likely stems from the months I spent in Europe, never
sure what I ordered in the bistros and ristorantes I visited.
It was my fault there; here, I always worry that no one will
be able to explain the dishes for me. Not a problem at Delight
(I love that name).
Besides the
complete descriptions on the menu, the waiter was a wonderful
and fully informed metrosexual with a delightful (get it?)
sense of humor -- very approachable and sweet. My wife asked
him what a particular sauce was and, without missing a beat he
said, "I dunno." He then proceeded to explain in detail what
many of the sauces were, and there are plenty -- from brown to
curry to sweet and sour to peanut.
To start, we
tried the Delight Café Roll ($5.95), rice paper wrapped crab,
pork, tofu cucumbers and egg. It was freshly prepared and
absolutely beautiful with the colors showing through the thin
rice paper. Served with a tamarind dipping sauce, it was
really fantastic. We also had the Crab Rangoon ($4.95), which
is not Thai exactly, but it was creamy and crabby. It was as
if I'd had one for the first time.
I also ordered
some Sushi and Sashimi ($2-$6 by the piece), prepared to order
by the chef whom our waiter kept calling "Sushi Guy." The tuna
was outstanding as was the shrimp and sticky rice, each served
with a soy dipping sauce and garnished with a delightful (I'm
killin' me) molded wasabi leaf; very pretty. If your taste in
sushi runs more exotic than mine, Delight's Sushi Bar can hook
you up with eel and sturgeon roe, squid and other wonderfully
strange items. "Sushi Guy" is clearly talented and experienced
-- and very proud of his product.
This sense of
pride permeated our entire meal. The tables are clothed with
place settings; the chopsticks come with the meal, nice ones.
Water glasses are on the table, quickly filled, and the food
is on the table in no time.
Our dinner was
a perfect Pad Thai ($9.95) with chicken, spicy and flavorful.
I've had Pad Thai before, but never as good as this one. The
servers here ask how spicy you want stuff on a scale of one to
five. My suggestion is to order low, our three was pretty hot,
and added spice from the spice pots available for the asking.
We also tried
the Thai Sweet and Sour ($9.95) with pork, pineapple, peppers
in a sweet-and-sour, spicy Thai sauce. Both are available with
seafood for an additional charge. The dish was plentiful and
exotic. Both our dinners were served, as are most of the
entrées, family style, with sticky rice and the spice pots.
There are so
many different items on the Thai Delight's menu it would take
a lot of trips to try them all and, honestly, I've already
been back. The lunch specials are particularly good and
affordable, and the Thai Iced Tea ($2.25) is worth at least
lunch.
In a world full
of overpriced, over-decorated, over-the-top restaurants (have
you seen The Cheesecake Factory?), it is a delight (hee) to
find a simple, pleasant and affordable restaurant right around
the corner. Try that new place near you. Maybe these strip
malls are good for something after all. ©
Delight Thai Café & Sushi Bar
Go: 11928 Montgomery Road, Symmes Township
Call:
513-677-6175
Hours:
11 a.m.-10 p.m. Sunday-Thursday, 11 a.m.-11 p.m.
Friday-Saturday
Prices:
Reasonable
Payment:
All major credit cards
Red Meat
Alternatives: Plenty of vegetarian dishes
Accessibility: Handicap accessible with handicap parking
Grade: B
yuck
OK
cool
