7:30 Saturday night. Flames explode to the ceiling as the row of Thai chefs shake and toss red hot woks over the open fire. Sizzling shrimp jump three feet into the air, somersaulting with crisp green beans, cilantro, straw mushrooms. Diners faces glow and darken with the burst of flame, with the touch of fiery curry to the tongue. The roar of flame, the blare of conversation. This is more than dinner; this is an event.
And then the 6-foot chicken clucks and cackles its way around clogged tables probing for the birthday boy. Unfortunately, he's right behind me, crunching barbecued ribs from the regular Kowloon menu.
"Squawk," the chicken surprises him. Kentucky fried. I wish, as the nasty chicken croaks loud and obscene birthday greetings up from the bottom of its oversized gizzard. Pluck this creature out of here. I implore the waiter. Ten minutes and an imposing balloon bouquet later, the chicken flutters out. Balloons and I fight for head space.
The Thai Grille, despite its occasional circus side show, is a favorite place of mine. Inside the big and busy Kowloon, the Thai Grille is a surprising retreat. The food is elegant, tasty and fresh. The decor is especially beautiful, with touches of class: rose linen, slivers of lemon rind afloat in the water, courteous service. And if you like Thai food, you will be pleased with the spunk and spark on the consistently fine offerings.
Ensconced in our corner, we did our best to brave the din, beginning with appetizers ---- a mix of the familiar and the exotic. The chicken satay ($5.25) arrived first ---- thin, white slices of chicken meat skewered and grilled over the fire. This simple preparation depended entirely upon the judgment used during grilling. The meat was sweet and juicy ---- a tribute to the griller's skill.
Thai rolls ($5) were a non-greasy version of the spring roll. Small and crispy, they contained bits of tofu, bean thread, carrot and cabbage. Tod mun ($5.95) was the most interesting. Shrimp were minced to a smooth consistency, formed into small, flat patties, deep friend, and served with a cool cucumber sauce. The patties has a resilient, nearly rubbery consistency that while unusual, was not off-putting. These were tender, highly spiced morsels; a pleasure to get to know.
Tom kha gai ($2.50), a coconut milk and chicken soup, was flavored with lime and thick slabs of mushroom. Cilantro and scallions contributed as well, the sum of the parts yielding a most mellow-based flavor that served as a foundation to the more complicated arrangement of spices.
Steamed mussels ($5.75) were both beautiful to behold and delicious. They came to us in a wooden-handled, aluminum pot. Upon lifting the lid we found many shiny;, black mussels, accented with basil, onions and laced with rings of colorful red pepper. The herbed broth "and flavored mussels were wonderful.
The Pad Thai ($6.45) is a satisfying mix of rice noodles, fresh shrimp, sprouts and delicate spices especially suited for those timid about pepper, though the Thai Grille's version is a bit spiritless. It might have been stir-friend mere seconds too long.
Fancy chicken ($9.95), a house special , featured a rich, dark spicy sauce. White chicken meat was stir fried with a variety of vegetables, cashews and pineapple and served up in the pineapple shell. This may sound a little Polynesian-ized, but it has all the zest and bite of Thai food. While very tasty, it was also salty.
A favorite dish was the pan friend shrimp with basil and green peas ($8.95). The spicy flavor of basil, combined with onion and herbs, resulted in a robust sauce that complemented the shrimp well.