The mammoth Chinese/Polynesian Kowloon restaurant on Route 1 in Saugus has just opened a small separate restaurant off its lobby area that is serving a complete menu of Thai food.

The Chinois Bistro (Thai Grille) opened quietly about 10 days ago with a kitchen staff headed by Thai chef Amorn Vutcharangkul, who used to be the chef/owner of Thai Cuisine on Westland Avenue in Boston.

The 80-seat restaurant has an open kitchen where you can watch the chefs preparing delightful standards of Thai cooking like the deep-fried tod mun (minced shrimp and fish) appetizer, satay (skewers of chicken) with peanut sauce, tom you soong (hot shrimp soup), pad Thai (rice noodles with shrimp and bean sprouts) and some curries, pan-fried dishes and whole fish preparations.

The menu also lists the oddly named Thai Inter Duck, which I recall as a great-tasting dish at the chef's previous restaurant. The cut-up duck and vegetables were served in a hot and spicy chili and tamarind sauce.