Good Lunch

THAI

by David D. Kim

Purists head to Thai Town for the real thing — non-English menus and dishes laced with tiny peppers so hot you may, literally, cry in your soup. For those unwilling to schlep out to Hollywood Boulevard (or cry in public), three popular L.A. mini-chains offer Thai food that’s kinder and gentler to American palates, even if they subtly douse the flames of authenticity.

TALESAI (11744 Ventura Blvd., 818-753-1001). “Sleek” is the byword at this upscale Thai joint, defined by its undulating glass façade and flourishes of modern art. Inside, black banquettes line the walls, and a circular bar-counter beckons from room’s center. You might think all this atmosphere comes at a high price, and you’d be right at Talesai’s West Hollywood location. But in its Valley locale (and at the newly opened Café Talesai in Beverly Hills), you get glam surroundings, elegantly prepared food, and hey, the price is right. Most menu dishes fall under $10, though an occasional special may push up your tab. One intriguing appetizer, Hidden Treasures, layers shrimp and crab-meat into succulent mouthfuls, resembling escargot. Shaking Beef arrives still cooking on its hot plate, spraying a fine mist of grease. The meat is perfectly grilled, however, and its piquant dipping sauce is borderline addictive. Presentation is key here, and a daily special of jumbo prawns and Japanese eggplant looks picture-perfect on its fish-shaped platter, though four prawns seems a bit stingy. It’s a minor complaint, given Talesai’s consistently fresh and artful cooking, spearheaded by the founder’s mother, Vilai. While Talesai doesn’t deliver, it’s worth the trek for a stylish Thai-food outing, as affirmed by the menu’s numerous celebrity endorsements. You may not take my word, but could Brooke Shields and Chuck Norris be wrong?

NATALEE (10101 Venice Blvd., 310-202-7003). This Culver City stalwart recently crossed the street, moving into a futuristic metal structure that evokes bomb-shelter chic. Once the homely stepsister to L.A.’s other Thai mini-chains, Natalee has now staked its claim to hipness, packing eager diners into the restaurant’s whimsically Jetsonian interior, swirling

Natalee in Culver City.

with Atomic-Age detail. Wait for your table on pod-like stools at the bar, abutting a smallish counter serving…sushi? Yes, sushi, with its own menu, to boot. Other cross-pollinated Asian cuisine — such as Korean BBQ beef, Malay veggies, and Thai-style Cornish game hen — appears on the regular menu, alongside the usual Thai suspects. Truth be told, the food is not always as spectacular as the setting, though it’s consistently well priced and filling. Start with the Kra-Thong-Ton appetizer — tiny “taco” cups spilling over with ground chicken, corn, and assorted veggies — a sort of Thai tapas. For a peppery kick, get your groove on the Disco Shrimp, laced with chilies and onion. Chao Nam Combo offers the whole shebang of seafood — fish, scallops, squid, shrimp, and more in an aromatic chili-garlic sauce — though some of the shellfish betrayed the chewy texture of a too-recent thawing. What really shines here is the energetic vibe of the room, a virtual demographic crossroads of L.A., creating a fun, popular place to get your Thai fix.

CHAN DARETTE (13490 Maxella Avenue, 310-301-1004). As well known for its attractive waitstaff as for its consistently flavorful Thai cuisine, the Chan Dara chain may well be the original “cheesecake” factory of L.A.’s Thai scene. Fortunately, the food lives up to the eye candy, delivering well-prepared Thai standards with upscale flair. Chan Darette expands upon its three sister restaurants, adding a wider fusion menu. Springy bite-sized pork wontons dot the Sen Lek Spicy Noodle soup, customized with duck, chicken, or shrimp. For appetizers, try the decidedly non-Thai-sounding Peking Duck rolls — tasty shredded duck and cucumber coddled in a steamed-flour wrap. Always reliable chicken Larb includes crunchy lettuce leaves perfect for scooping up the spicy, ever-so-slightly sweet ground chicken. Pay attention to frequent specials, such as the steamed halibut with pistachios; its accompanying chili-lime sauce is redolent of Bangkok’s best street food. At close to $20, this dish isn’t cheap, and most menu items are already on the pricey side. Lunch specials top out at $13, however, and represent the more popular entrees, ranging from tender Grilled Beef Waterfall to create-your-own “Spicy Crazy Stir Frys,” all of which can be delivered. Manager Joe Sorachana frequently rotates the belt-loosening desserts, including the expected (mango sorbet) and a few surprises (tiramisu, anyone?). Of course, if those fail to tempt, there’s always the cheesecake…