Thai Chili Offers . . .
by Aileen Humphreys

Eating at Thai Chili is like finding a secluded beach with a perfect view and just the right amount of sun.

The atmosphere is relaxing, the food presentation is unique and in the end the bill is less than many other sit-down college hot spots.

The only problem: Thai Chili is no longer a hidden secret.

Packed with diverse crowd ranging from awkward new couples to groups of college-age friends, Thai Chili is a feel-good dinner out. The staff treats customers like royalty, but anyone can show up in shorts and T-shirt and not feel out of place.

Located in an unimpressive strip mall off of Briarcliff Road, Thai Chili may be overlooked by someone seeking a memorable spot for dinner, but insiders know the cuisine surpasses the modest location.

My dinner at Thai Chili started off reasonably priced with two Thai egg rolls for $2.75.
Because I was eating with two other people, the rolls came to the table sliced into six pieces- I didn't even have to ask. The egg roll crust was flaky and light - a welcome surprise after eating the "deep fried" description on the menu.

Though I stuck to the staple of oriental appetizers, Thai Chili offers exotic openers from Nam-sod (minced pork, chili, ginger, onions, lime juice, and peanuts) for $6.95, to fried young squid with hot sauce for $7.25.

A specialty of Thai Chili is the carrot butterfly, which is a favorite decoration of customers. Maybe some people eat the butterfly, but we just played with it and wondered what delicacy would appear with our $10 entrees.

Three types of curry are offered on the menu: Spicy Red, Spicy Green and Panang. Each is served with rice and chicken, pork, or beef for $10.25.

The two I tried, the Spicy Green and Panang, both with chicken, were wonderful. The Spicy Green was tangy but not overwhelming and it tasted even better as a leftover.
An unfortunate addition to both the green and red curry was a few slices of Thai eggplant, while the Panang, served only with bell peppers and basil leaves, was creamy and light curry with a tomato undertone.

Many restaurants can do curry well and rice is hard to fumble, but Thai Chili stands out because the quality of the meat is superb. The chicken was flawless - no weird textures, colors or mystery chunks in the middle.

For $3.95, an order of fried ice cream arrived at the table with fire sweeping across the homemade raspberry sauce and engulfing the crusty sugar shell on two vanilla ice cream scoops. The rich rum-based sauce went well with the maraschino cherry and whipped cream, and the meal made me forget I was in a shabby strip mall.

There are 36 dinner options at Thai Chili spread out among Chef's Specials: Curries, Entrees, Vegetarian Dishes and Noodles and Fried Rice.

Vegetarians will get the best deal for their money. Eight veggie dishes range in price from $8.25 for Veggie and Tofu Delight (stir-fried vegetables with tofu) to $8,95 for Tofu Panang Curry (spicy curry with tofu and bell peppers).

Those with padded pockets can spread big bucks on an entree and others can get away with a substantial meal like Spicy Veggie Chicken for a reasonable $9.95.

The most expensive plate is Red Snapper Ginger for $18.95. Seafood options on the menu include squid, salmon, shrimp, flounder, red snapper and catfish. Forget the Atlanta Fish Market. Thai Chili provides the goods without the valet parking or the wait.

Though it doesn't seem like an obvious choice, the restaurant would be ideal for a 21st birthday party or any other big get together. The dazzling food and service is matched by enjoyable accommodations. The stark white room is accented with authentic Thai statues and dark wood tables.

Perks include group meals that can be served on the floor around a traditional oriental table (reservations needed) and guests can bring their own bottle of wine, but there is a $10 corkage charge.

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