FOOD
PHOTOS BY WES NAMAN
The Pad Ped Ga Prow with Chicken, Pad Thai with Shrimp and Koo Pad Ga Prow with Shrimp (left to right) are just three of the many dishes available from the voluminous menu at Thai Cuisine II, located in a small East Nob Hill A-frame, formerly a Wienerschnitzel.
Spice/lime/basil Whether you’re a Thai food aficionado or you just like fresh, affordable food, Thai Cuisine II has you covered BY MIKE ENGLISH ’ve eaten at countless Thai restaurants in my life, but every time I go to one and look at the menu I feel like a first-timer, as I stare at the vast and confusing array of choices. Pad woon what? Thom yum who? Help me out here, waiter. Thai Cuisine II, the inconspicuous eatery in East Nob Hill (Central and Sierra) housed in an A-frame building that looks like a Pop N Taco, but actually is a former Wienerschnitzel, doesn’t really solve this problem for me. Opening the menu, with its numbered items ranging from A1 to 303, feels kind of like cracking open War and Peace, as written by Leekpai Tolstoy. But let me just say up front that navigating the menu at Thai Cuisine II (yes there is a sister restaurant, Thai Cuisine I, on Coors and Montaño) is well worth the effort. It’s packed with affordable, delectable dishes that offer something for any eater. My first experience at Thai Cuisine II was a recent solo work-day lunch when I was a little short on time and long on hunger. Takeout is always a speedy option at this restaurant, but I prefer to sit when I can, so I took a table and ordered the Green Curry with Chicken lunch special ($7.95). First a word about the atmosphere. The exterior of Thai Cuisine II is deceptive. It’s tidy and freshly stuccoed, but it still looks like the fast-food shack it once was. Step inside;
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however, and you’ll find a modest elegance. Sure, the tables are covered by plastic-over-lace tablecloths and there’s a muted flatscreen TV mounted in the corner playing the local news, but there’s an orderliness and cleanliness that suggests someone cares. Ceramic tile floor, golden Thai artwork Thai hanging on the orange walls, a granite-topped bar with seating for diners and warm lighting all help create a pleasant feeling. Cuisine II The lunch special rocks. In speedy succession (service was flawless), here’s what I got: a cup of 4201 Central NE, lemongrass soup (exceptional fresh flavor); two fried vegetable egg rolls and the house sweet and sour 505.232.3200 sauce (don’t leave without trying it); the green curry (basically a limey, coconut-milk bowl of chicken 11a-9p, Mon.-Fri.; soup, with bamboo shoots, zucchini and fresh basil leaves), served with an accompanying plate of 4-9p, Sat.; 5-9p, rice; a fruit plate consisting of a watermelon wedge and three purple grapes; and a cup of coconutSun. milk tapioca. thaicuisinenm.com I got the lunch curry with medium spice, which landed it in the heat realm of your typical New Mexican red chile. I raise this issue because it’s one of the variables at Thai Cuisine II that seems a little unpredictable. When I returned for a recent dinner with a couple of friends, one of them ordered the Pad Thai with Tofu (stir-fried rice noodles with egg, green onions, bean sprouts and roasted ground peanuts, $8.95) at medium heat and nearly had her head burned off. There were literally pockets of red pepper seeds hiding in the noodles. So beware. On that same dinner trip my other friend tried the Kao Pad Ga Prow with Shrimp (stir-fried rice with Thai chili, garlic, egg, basil, lime leaves, onions and topped with fried egg, $9.95) at spicy heat, and he was pleased by the flavors, if not the presentation (kind of block-o-rice-y-fried-egg). I tried the Pad Ped Ga Prow with Chicken (stir-fried Thai chili, garlic, basil, onions, lime leaves, bamboo shoots and sliced jalapeno, $8.95). It comes in the traditional two-plate serving so you can mix your entree and rice as you please. I’m a sucker for the spice/lime/basil combo you often find with Thai food, and Thai Cuisine II serves those flavors to fresh perfection. We also tried the House Sampler as an appetizer (a deep-fried collection of wontons, butterfly shrimp, etc., $8.95). I found everything overly crispy and not too notable, except for that sweet and sour sauce. Thai Cuisine II serves beer and wine, including sake. It also offers a soy-based vegan menu, for those so inclined. REVIEW
LOCAL iQ | ALBUQUERQUE’S INTELLIGENT ALTERNATIVE | DECEMBER 8-21, 2011