The man in my life has a mistress and I have no one to blame but myself. After all, I introduced the two of them. Oh, I know all about her and their little dalliances. They make no attempt to hide their affair. She’s exotic, spicy and always makes him smile. All she had to do was touch his lips once and he was addicted. He longs for her everyday, no matter where he is…and that ladies and gentleman, is how I lost my boyfriend to the seductions of Thai food.
In all innocence, I had no idea that he had never indulged in Thai food before meeting me. (I mean, isn’t eating Thai food in California as American as eating apple pie?) Anyhow on a whim one night, I suggested that we grab some takeout at Taste of Thai on Broadway…and that’s when I lost him. He took to Thai food like a junkie does to crack rock. The curry, the rice, the peanuty goodness they enveloped him with their heavenly scents...it was literally love at first bite. From there, dining out became a quest to find the holy grail of thai food restaurants. After sampling a multitude of Thai joints from one end of town to the other, we were satisfied but not wowed. I thought a pilgrimage to Thailand was going to be next on his agenda. But then one evening, some friends recommended Thai Chef's House. It was out in the ‘burbs but we decided to give it a shot; after all, nothing ventured, nothing gained—right?
So, the place resembles a Waffle Hut from the exterior. Yes, we were apprehensive too. However, if you take a chance and cross the threshold you’ll find friendly faces and some delicious dishes at an affordable price. The interior is clean and adorned with various intricate wood carvings…nothing too fancy. I also appreciate that the tables are spaced out enough that you don’t feel like you’re piled upon one another like sardines nor do you have to yell to be heard. We’ve returned to TCH several times and have yet to be disappointed. The artichoke soup is sweet, tangy and creamy all rolled into one...it'll knock your socks off. Their yellow curry with chicken is simultaneously mild and smooth. Along with the meat of your choice, it’s loaded with hearty chunks of potatoes, carrots slices and onion slivers. We usually go a bit mainstream and pair this dish with their delicious thai fried rice and steamed “shumai-esque” dumplings. During one visit we were craving some fish but we were disheartened to find that all of the fish dishes offered were battered and fried. We mentioned our disappointment to the gentleman who waited on us and he promptly offered to prepare us a steamed white fish topped with a delicate black bean and ginger sauce (even though it wasn’t technically on the menu). The impromptu fish dish was a hit and we left satiated. The only miss we’ve ever had was an ill-executed eggplant entrée. The dish was a bit bland and the cooking of the clunky eggplant bites was inconsistent—some pieces were mushy and other pieces were undercooked; neither of us cared much for it. One of these days we do hope to save enough room to sample a dessert; but in the meantime, the carefully packaged boxes of leftovers will have to suffice.
So for now, as long as he keeps me in on the action, I’m okay with my man having a dish on the side. Now if I could just get him to quit propositioning our waitress to give him one of their “I Love Thai Chef’s House” tees (I kid you not!), I’ll be happy.
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