Royal Thai opens the door to a spicy world

Stephen Santacroce

Recently I had the opportunity to travel to Asia for business.

Most of my time was spent in Taiwan, and in between my busy work

schedule I delighted in sampling the diverse Taiwanese cuisine, a

blend of many of Mainland China’s regional tastes, with some Japanese

influences thrown in, all done with the Taiwanese people’s enthusiasm

for anything food-related.

Once my business trip was complete, I took advantage of my

location and made a short side trip to Bangkok to visit an associate

and get a glimpse of a country of which I had heard much but never

seen.

I was not disappointed, even though I was in Bangkok for only a

few days. I enjoyed visiting the many temples and markets of this

exotic land, as well as the hospitality of what has to be the world’s

most friendly and polite population. Of course I took every chance I

had to sample the local foods, from satays served at street stalls to

much more elaborate meals in some of the finer restaurants.

I’ve always enjoyed the exotic flavorings of Thai food, and had

always heard that the spiciest Thai food served in the U.S. is no

match for the “real stuff,” and I can easily validate that claim. I

had several dishes that, while delicious, brought tears to my eyes,

and I was told that even those were toned down for my foreign palate.

With pain came pleasure however, and I continued to eat on, cooling

my mouth with cold beer in preparation for the next treat. My trip

was of course too short, and I eagerly await an opportunity to visit

this enchanting land again.

In the meantime I have to satisfy myself with the many excellent

Thai restaurants serving us here in Orange County while reminiscing

with my many photos of my other adventures.

One of my favorite Thai restaurants has always been Royal Thai

Cuisine on West Coast Highway in Newport Beach. Royal Thai has long

been a staple in the area, serving the area’s resident fine Thai food

for many years, both at the original Newport location, as well as

other restaurants in Laguna, La Jolla and San Diego.

The original Royal Thai is unassuming inside and out. Located just

past the entrance to the Balboa Peninsula, Royal Thai is on a busy

section of road that makes access somewhat challenging if approaching

from the wrong side of the street. Parking is limited, and it’s wise

to just let the valet’s park your car for you.

Inside, pale ivory walls are adorned with Thai art and photos, as

well as the requisite portraits of the king and queen of Thailand.

The lighting is subdued without being dark, and crisp white table

linens complete a casual, yet elegant, look.

The Thai language is descriptive and melodious; long-flowing words

often describe even the simplest idea or name. English translations

try to capture the spirit of the language, and Thai menu items such

as Pot of Gold or Crying Tiger often give the diner little idea of

what composes a certain dish.

Pot of Gold, or Katoang Thong ($6.95) as it’s called in Thai, is

one of my favorite appetizers. Small flour cups are fried until crisp

and filled with a mixture of ground chicken, onion and potatoes, and

seasoned with a mild yellow curry sauce. A cool cucumber chutney

accompanies the dish and cools the slightly spicy curry. As with all

of the dishes on the menu, the spiciness can be adjusted to the

diner’s preference, although even the spiciest dishes were no

comparison to the overseas version.

Satays ($6.95) are a staple of Thai street food and another

favorite starter of mine. Thin strips of chicken or beef (sadly,

Royal Thai doesn’t offer a pork satay) are threaded on skewers and

grilled over hot coals. The charred meat is served with a peanut

sauce that is similar to a light peanut butter thinned with spicy

sweet and sour sauce.

A slightly more exotic dish is the Tod Mun ($6.95). The dish

doesn’t sound appetizing: cold fish cakes served atop greens, but one

bite into the chewy cake, which has the consistency of a paste that’s

been boiled and then cooled, dipped into the delicately sweet

cucumber sauce served alongside, and you’ll be hooked.

The entree menu includes several house specialties including a

dish called Crying Tiger ($10.95). Marinated strips of filet mignon

are grilled and served with a bed of greens and raw herbs, including

mint and Thai basil. The already succulent meat is served with a

light spicy sauce that adds an extra flavor element to this popular

dish. We’ve asked several times why it’s called Crying Tiger and

gotten a separate answer each time. I won’t print any here -- go and

try the dish and ask for yourself!

Many of the entree selections are chosen by the type of sauce, to

which the diner can choose to add chicken, beef, pork, shrimp,

scallops, duck or calamari. It’s fun to create your own menu, adding

shrimp to the Kang Quah ($10.95), a sweet red curry with chunks of

fresh pineapple, or chunks of beef to the Green Ginger ($9.95), a

sauce of onion, green peppers and mushrooms.

Of course no Thai menu would be complete without noodles, and

Royal Thai offers several excellent noodle dishes, including a crowd

pleasing Paht Thai ($7.95). This popular dish features wide rice

noodles stir-fried and mixed with chicken, sprouts and other

vegetables and sprinkled with chopped peanuts. For an extra buck you

can also add plump shrimp to the dish.

Royal Thai has a modest wine list featuring some

middle-of-the-road varieties, but I personally feel that the best

accompaniment to Thai food is cold beer or Thai iced tea that is

sweetened with condensed milk. Both beverages cool the palate after

eating all of the spicy dishes, preparing it for the next taste

sensation.

The staff at Royal Thai is friendly and helpful, eager to offer

suggestions or explain the preparation of a certain dish. There is

truly a sense at Royal Thai that the owners and staff want their

patrons truly to experience Thailand, to the extent that the

restaurant hosts cooking classes and even guided trips to Thailand

several times a year.

I’m eager to visit Thailand once again, to enjoy the friendly

hospitality and see some of the sights outside of the busy city of

Bangkok. Until that time I have no problem settling for wonderful

meals at Royal Thai-meals that at least bring back the taste, if not

the sights and sounds, of their native land.

* STEPHEN SANTACROCE’s dining reviews appear every other

Thursday.