Tasty Thai

Ah yes, another Thai restaurant. Same red and yellow curries, same basil strewn over piles of chicken or pork, same tangle of rice noodles mixed with egg and shrimp as all the others. But wait, not so fast. Tasty Thai has a few things that separate it from the rest including fabulous fish, delicious duck and some very pleasant artwork on the walls.

Sure, they've got ginger and garlic, lemongrass and coconut milk galore, but dig into the chile fish, a fillet cooked to crispy outside, flaky white inside with plenty of hot red chili sauce and things start to look a little different. Appetizers are familiar, although vegetable dumplings are served with a smattering of smoky fried garlic which adds pizzazz ($5.95) and fresh spring rolls are delicate and oh so healthily vibrant with vegetables ($5.95). Soups are good too, the Tom Kum Koong is spicy but with a hint of tangy lime juice and the Thai noodle soup for two is like Pad Thai in a broth, with rice noodles, peanuts, shrimp, chicken and an array of condiments presented in little dishes. Add a touch of hotter than Hades red pepper flakes or a chili sauce and a dash of sugar to make things more interesting.

Heat comes in four levels, including "Thai hot," a term not used lightly by the owner (he's not Thai, but opened the restaurant with his Thai wife in July), who waits on the tables in the small and very tastefully decorated dining room. So often in more casual restaurants there's not enough attention to the décor, but here the couple goes back to Thailand to get some very nice artwork with a touch of the modern. I did not venture into level four, but three was hot enough in green curry with scallops, bamboo shoots and coconut milk ($13.95). The scallops were very fresh with a touch of sweetness and I also liked the yellow curry with potatoes and pineapple with my choice of beef (you can also get tofu, veggies, calamari, chicken, pork, shrimp).

I always get Pad Thai and here it's familiar and very good with thin rice noodles and plenty of very fresh firm shrimp or any other meat or tofu, if you like ($13.95 with shrimp). This had a bit more sweetness than most I've had and combined with the spiciness was a good mix of sensations. Also good is the pineapple fried rice with choice of meat (we tried chicken), egg, raisins, pineapple and vegetables (the usual carrots, snow peas and herbs) in a light yellow curry with garlic ($10.95). Yes, there's so much more, but what shines here are the fish and duck dishes. Chile and ginger fish are both vibrant and crisp, the sauces are unusual yet not overwhelming. We also tried the spicy duck, a half a duck deep fried until the skin is very crisp then sliced and topped with scallions, peppers, mushrooms, onions, Thai basil and lots of spicy sauce with chili. The meat is very tender and the sauce doesn't sog up the crunchy skin ($17.95). I cut some up the next day and put it in an omelet which came out nicely.

As is usual, desserts are an afterthought. There's coconut, ginger and green tea ice cream or honey bananas which were too sweet for my taste, but it doesn't detract from the overall experience at Tasty Thai where the owners are open and friendly and the food is vibrant and more than just a touch above the norm in Thai cuisine.

Rachel Forrest is a former restaurant owner who lives in Portsmouth. Her column appears Wednesdays in Go & do. Her restaurant review column, Dining Out, appears Thursdays in Spotlight magazine. Hear her on Wine Me Dine Me„¢ with co-host Susan Tuveson Fridays at 6 p.m. on WSCA-FM 106.1. She can be reached by e-mail at rforrest@seacoastonline.com.