Thai Thanee

This cozy downtown Doylestown, Pa., spot serves traditional Thai cusine in a warm and unhurried atmosophere.

By: Amy Brummer

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   A decade ago, finding a local Thai restaurant in the suburbs was no easy feat, but it was only a matter of time for people to come around to this distinctive cuisine, enough so that downtown Doylestown, Pa., has had two for the past three years. A little less formal and fusion than Siri’s French Thai across town, Thai Thanee is a cozy little space a couple of doors down from the County Theatre, a perfect place to stop in before a movie, or grab a bowl of tom kha gai ($4.95) on a chilly afternoon.
   The long narrow space is warmed by plum colored walls, gold-framed Thai quilts and flattering lights. On a recent visit we sat in the front window overlooking the street and enjoyed reading the menu. In addition to traditional dishes such as pad Thai ($12.95), satay ($6.95), lard na ($7.95) and pla goong ($9.95), the menu also included dishes with charming names, including Hallo Bamboo (stir fried chicken or beef with bamboo shoots, pepper, broccoli and basil, $12.95), Hot Jungle (sautéed chicken with vegetables in a spicy sauce, $14.95), Lovely Duck (stir-fried with tamarind and mango, $19.95) and Young Lady in the Garden (sautéed sweet/sour shrimp and calamari with pepper, onion, pineapple and tomato.
   As a party of three, we selected the Crying Tiger ($8.95) and the Wheel of Fortune ($16.95). The Crying Tiger is a traditional Thai beef salad with a sweet and sour dressing, tomato, cucumber, onion and peanut. The thin slices of beef were on the chewy side, but remaining ingredients overcame that particular flaw with a crisp texture enhanced by a bold, yet balanced combination of fish sauce, lime, chili, basil and mint. The Wheel of Fortune is a sampler of hot appetizers and includes a selection of sauces — sweet tamarind, spicy tamarind, sweet/sour, plum and peanut. Standouts were the light crispy spring roll, the firm sweet shrimp and crab dumpling and the deep fried tofu. The ring of fried calamari and Bangkok shrimp were too heavily breaded, which obscured the taste of the seafood.
   For main courses we chose the pad Thai with shrimp, Mussaman curry with chicken ($12.95) and Raging Sea ($19.95), a medley of salmon, shrimp, calamari and mussels with basil and onion. Other dishes that intrigued us were the Thai bouillabaisse ($18.95) with diver scallops and jumbo black tiger shrimp over glass noodles, a sea bass filled with spinach and crabmeat called Lovely Fish ($23.95) and Fruity Duck ($19.95), a preparation finished with spices, fruit and raspberry schnapps.
   Vegetarians will be pleased with a dedicated section of the menu listing meatless dishes, which mirror the other appetizers and entrees. We also noted that both the fried tofu in the Wheel of Fortune and the cubes of silken tofu in the pad Thai were outstanding. Firm, creamy and faintly sweet, the curds added a soothing presence amidst the pronounced flavors in Thai cuisine.
   The pad Thai hit all the high notes — springy noodles, tangy sauce, crunchy peanuts, lots of crispy bean sprouts and that custardy tofu, except the shrimp was undercooked. The waitress, who was very friendly but spread a little thin the night of our visit, offered immediately to have it cooked further.
   The shrimp in the Raging Sea was well cooked, however, and this dish was as exciting as its name, a dynamic combination of sweet shrimp, squares of velvety calamari, fat briny mussels on the half shell bathed in a spicy, tangy brown sauce spiked with basil leaves. A minor drawback was the salmon, which was cooked nicely but had too strong a flavor. Mussaman curry was a nice counterpart to this, with a rich peanut coconut sauce enlivened with chili and cooled with diced potato and thin slices of chicken breast. Jasmine and green tea rounded out the meal. The overall atmosphere is warm and unhurried, enhanced by soft classical Thai music filling the room.