TOOELE — I lived in Tooele as a child. Back then, when my family wanted an out-of-the-ordinary dining experience, we went to Salt Lake City.
But Tooele is growing, and so are the choices for eating out there — most of them national chains. Unfortunately, the bright lights of the chains might make Tooele diners miss one of the best places in town: Thai House.
Thai in Tooele? It's true. Sandwiched into a strip mall behind another restaurant, Thai House stands out for its authentic food and friendly, accommodating service.
Now, for me, "authentic" is a relative term. I've never been to Thailand, but slurping up some Tom Kha Kai out of an exotically shaped, flaming soup pot seems like a real taste of the place.
My cousin and I had dinner at Thai House on a Thursday night. My cousin, a Tooele resident, said the place already has attracted regulars. The dcor is basic strip mall — nondescript tables and white walls with a few exotic touches. But it's the food that really matters, and Thai House's offerings are Thai all the way. You can play it safe with egg rolls and chicken satay, or you can venture out of your comfort zone with a steamed squid salad with onion, mint, chili, ground rice and lime juice.
We took a middle course, starting with chicken satay, shrimp tempura and Tom Kha Kai. The satay, skewered on bamboo and grilled golden brown, was flavorful on its own but even better with the sauces served alongside: a standard but good peanut sauce and a delectable mix of vinegar, sugar and salt sprinkled with a confetti of celery, peppers and red onions.
The shrimp is hot and flavorful, but my favorite was the tempura-dipped broccoli accompanying it. The Tom Kha Kai was the highlight of our meal — a milky-spicy-sour concoction of lemon grass, coconut milk and galangal with chicken and whole, tender little mushrooms served in that fun pot. I can picture myself enjoying this soup some winter afternoon when I have a cold. A definite comfort food.
As an entree, I had the mussamun — a lightly spicy, yellow curry with beef strips, potatoes, onions and peanuts served with white rice to soak up every drop of curry. It was very satisfying. My cousin had the pad king, a mild and savory blend of chicken, onion, green onion and earthy "tree ear" mushrooms.
Thai House takes some pains with presentation and portions are generous. I wish we had had better plates, as we were given only appetizer plates and soup bowls but nothing bigger.
Our server looked surprised, even shocked, when we asked for dessert. Because Thai House sticks to Asian recipes, the desserts consist of a mango-based dish currently out of season and the selection we tried, a smooth, not-too-eggy custard served atop slightly sweetened sticky rice. Not everyone's cup of tea, but I liked it.
Thai House is worth a visit. There are a few Chinese-style offerings and tons of noodle dishes and vegetarian fare. You can choose beef, pork or chicken — and sometimes shrimp — with most of the meat items, or you can really go Thai with that squid!
Appetizers range from $5.25 to $6.95; soups, $5.95 to $8.95; salads, $5.95 to $7.95; entrees, $5.95 to $8.95.
If you go
What: Thai House
Rating: *** (out of five)
Where: 297 N. Main, Tooele
Hours: Monday-Saturday, 11 a.m.-9 p.m.; closed Sunday
Phone: 1-435-882-7579
Payment: checks, major credit cards
Reservations: none
Stacey Kratz is a free-lance writer who reviews restaurants for the Deseret Morning News. E-MAIL: skratz@desnews.com