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Thai Delight, a Spicy Gem in West Jordan, Is a Secret No More | |
| By Nancy Hobbs Special to The Tribune |
05/16/2003 | |
| WEST JORDAN -- Members of the University of Utah's Asian studies department were discussing favorite restaurants recently, and when they came to similar conclusions about a little Thai diner in West Jordan, they forwarded their opinions. A couple of visits to the out-of-the-way Thai Delight, 6271 S. 3655 West, were inspired by the academes' enthusiastic and unanimous response to its food as the best and most authentic Thai cuisine in the valley. It wasn't a disappointment. The cafe is an ambitious operation run by Phon Sylasak, who took over a year ago, after her brother, Thongphett Sylasak, bought it from the existing owner. Their sister, Thip Suoth, is Thai Delight's full-time chef and cook. The family opens the kitchen for lunch and dinner every day except Sunday, and offers a seven-page menu -- 87 items -- for both meals. It includes some Japanese and Chinese selections, which is good for diners who prefer more mild and perhaps more familiar choices, but there is plenty of spicy Thai food as well. Though we ordered much more than we could possibly eat on each occasion (what better way to fill the fridge with delicious leftovers?), we realized we were only sampling a small fraction of the possibilities. But associate professor Wesley Sasaki-Uemura, a frequent diner who initially recommended the cafe, wrote in an e-mail that he and his wife "get one new [Thai] dish each time we go, and the chef does not appear to have a weakness in her menu." We enjoyed an appetizer plate of chicken satay (small skewers of chicken marinated and grilled to tenderness, served with a delectable peanut sauce) and shrimp wrapped in wonton skins and deep-fried (on the menu as koon gkra bork) served with sweet and fruity dipping sauce. Each was big enough to share among three or four people and cost less than $6. Although perhaps crossing the line from traditional Thai, we also ordered spring rolls as an appetizer. A generous plate of four large rolls arrived so fresh that the wonton skins were still warm and moist around a cold and crunchy filling of shrimp, lettuce, glass noodles and cilantro. The peanut sauce tasted even better with these gems, and was wiped clean from the bowl with the last bite of spring roll. The traditional Thai soup, tom yum kai, was delivered in a heated tureen, steaming hot and plenty spicy, with a tangy and delicious broth flavored with lemon grass, lime leaves and chiles. Strips of chicken, mushrooms and vegetables were plentiful. Another favorite dish was the papaya salad ($6), again spiced to our requested "medium" heat: enough to leave a slight but not unpleasant tingle on the lips, but with plenty of flavor. The salad is made of green papayas, with the unripe fruit shredded and mixed with fresh green chiles, tomatoes and a dressing of tangy lime juice and fish sauce. The result is refreshing: slightly sweet and sour, crunchy and spicy. Although the waitress asks what degree of spice you like with many of the meals, some items don't allow for individual variation. The kai pad med, better known as kung pao chicken, is one of those dishes. The generous dish of stir-fired chicken, bell peppers and cashews is also liberally spiced with whole roasted red chiles that give plenty of zing ($7). Our younger, more conservative diner was directed to orange chicken, which is battered, fried and served with a sweet orange and sesame sauce, similar to Chinese sweet and sour chicken ($7). Thai food frequently incorporates coconut milk, and it lends a distinctive taste to the choo chee -- shrimp stir-fried in red curry sauce and coconut milk, wonderfully flavored with Thai basil and kaffir lime leaves (one of the menu's priciest items at $8). We also enjoyed a more subtle influence of coconut in the day's special dessert: sweet sticky rice with fresh mango ($5). The rice was served slightly warm and not too sweet, topped with a perfectly ripened mango that was a luscious complement. At the end of our Thai Delight meal, we were sated and sent home with lunch for the next day -- all with a tab that was easily swallowed. Of course, you are not paying for fancy atmosphere or a pricey location. Thai Delight is in a strip mall just west of Bangerter Highway at 6200 South, and the interior is definitely modest. But as far as good food goes, Thip Suoth knows what she's doing, and has a growing clientele supporting her culinary efforts. ----- Thai Delight Cafe
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