I’ve never been a big fan of burn-your-lips- off hot. Oh, I’ve tried, but my palate just isn’t the kind that can find and appreciate the flavor of the food behind the sting.
So to do justice to a place like Pattaya Thai, I just had to bring along an expert: retired Denver Post food writer Ellen Sweets, a longtime gourmand whose love of Tabasco and all other things fiery is renowned.
Like most Thai restaurants, Pattaya offers four levels of heat: mild, medium, hot and Thai hot. Ellen took the hot road; I took the mild road. And both roads led to the same place: We both fell in love with Pattaya Thai.
But it didn’t happen right away: We started off with the egg rolls ($1.25 each), which were disappointing: a barely warm, deep-fried crunchy batter filled with skimpy and flavorless vegetables. The fish cakes ($6.50), however, were a delight, eight flavorful pucks of dark brown deliciousness speckled with fresh kaffir leaves and served with a chunky sauce of cucumber, onion, cilantro and ground peanuts.
Another light but satisfying dish is the shrimp salad ($7.25), grilled shrimp with fresh mint leaves, onions, carrots and a dressing with lime juice and chiles. It’s a fresh, zesty mix of spicy and sweet.
The Silver Noodle Pad Thai ($6.50) is a heaping plate of the traditional pasta dish, pan-fried noodles with shrimp, chicken, bean sprouts and egg, topped with ground peanuts. We got it hot, much to my chagrin. One bite was enough for me, but Ellen loved it.
We stuck to medium heat for the rest of the dishes, thankfully. The Panang curry ($6.50) is a wonderful balance of mild curry, lemon, coconut milk and other spices drenching chicken, beef, pork or tofu. The Stir-Fried Thai Basil ($6.95) is another bowl of goodness, fresh and flavorful meat or tofu seasoned with basil and garlic and served with bell peppers and onions in a chili sauce.
We were less impressed with the Three Flavored Fish ($8.95), a deep-fried catfish topped with bell peppers, onions and nestled in sweet and sour chili sauce.
For dessert, we split the green tea ice cream ($2.50), a double scoop of beautiful and rich creamy coolness.
When I asked around, I discovered that Pattaya has become the favorite Thai restaurant of some hard-to-please frequent diners, as well as many in Denver’s Thai community. Give it a chance to become your favorite, too.
Pattaya Thai.
Thai. 1571 Wadsworth Blvd., Lakewood. 303-238-5587. $1.25-$8.95. 11 a.m.-9 p.m., Monday-Saturday. Ample parking. $15 minimum and 3-mile delivery range. Major credit cards
Front burner: Exceptional, authentic cuisine, fast and friendly service
Back burner: A store selling adult videos and other merchandise is located right next door.
Barbara Ellis: 303-954-1751 or bellis@denverpost.com
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