Lunch Thai Style
by Xian Ke
Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology
Alexandria, VA 22312
May 28, 1998

For Washingtonians on the go, a quick bite at a fast food joint has become commonplace. Yet, for the price of an extra-value meal and a little more time and patience, area restaurants that may have once been only considered for its dinner specialties yield a wealth of taste-bud enticing, exotic options.

One such locale offering highly affordable ethnic cuisine is TK Restaurant - or, more simply, TK Thai. Though located in the middle of a typical shopping center, TK Thai at first glance does not seem well-suited for the quick, inexpensive meal. Its small, dark interior is lined with slick black trimming and decorated with assorted quaint prints of Thai villages. At one end of the restaurant is a small stage, focussed upon by barely-noticeable tricolored lights mounted on the ceiling. A compact disc of Thai music is put on repeat and blasts quietly but noticeably on a corner stereo system. On the other end is a modest but well-stocked bar with a large-sized television. For the Thai who frequent TK during nocturnal hours, these options make for a lively night of singing and partying.

Those that frequent TK Thai during lunch, however, might find the restaurant less than bustling. But don't let the lack of visitors deter from the authentic cuisine. Central on the menu for the midday hours are the ten lunch specials, whose $3.99 price rival that of even TK's own soups. Again, don't let the price fool you. The proportions of food are very generous, and will definitely keep the restaurant-goer filled for the rest of the workday, if not for dinner as well.

The selection on the lunch menu range from the very traditional to the slightly more American. Distinctive about Thai food and many Asian foods in general is its spiciness, and there is definitely enough spice in many of these dishes. For the daring, try the red curry chicken over rice, or the red curry beef over rice. Compared with the green curry variety of the same options, red curry has an even more piquant flavor. Yet, first tastes are very deceptive, since most of the spiciness is packed in a white sauce laid at the base of the dish. The author no sooner worked through the bamboo shoots, peas, and other vegetables that she started cowering over the relatively milder sauce in the green curry beef.

Another group of dishes with a tang is the Panang chicken over rice and the Panang beef over rice. With a delicate sauce counting peanut butter and coconut milk among its chief ingredients, the Panang platters also include peppers that make them a bit spicy, though not as much as the curry dishes. TK also does not skimp on the meat, though the chicken could have been juicier.

The same objection over chicken was found in the Thai BBQ Chicken with Rice and Vegetable. With broccoli, cabbage, and rice alongside barbecued chicken covered by a sweet and hot sauce, the dish was found to be more typically American than the other specials. The chicken also could have been less bony, as it was necessary to work around various fractures to arrive at the meat.

To quench the spicy flavor in many of the dishes, TK Thai offers a homemade drink that will be sure to please the taste buds, whether they are spice-inclined or not. Made with Asian green or red tea, and charged with a sizable amount of sweetness, the Thai iced tea is also distinctive because of its color. A layer of reddish cream on top adds a unique flavor to the tea, helps balance out the flavoring, and not to mention make for an interesting visual combination as it is sipped down.

Another thirst-quenching option is one of nine soups, ranging in price from $2.50 for a small bowl to $5.90 for a large one - comparatively more expensive than the lunch specials. Fresh Asian vegetables such as watercress, lemon grass, and mustard green are prominent ingredients. The pork with watercress soup was found to be watery but palatable, with salt supplying much of the flavor.

Of course, one may also venture away from the lunch specials and order from the assorted appetizers, salads, entrees, and noodle dishes. The selection of salads is especially plentiful, ranging from the house salad with lettuce, hard-boiled egg, and fried-bean curd to the more exotic spicy squid, papaya, and beef tripe salads - all with a choice of the house or peanut dressing. Among the noodle dishes, the rice noodles with Chinese broccoli, gravy, and beef - though rather typical - was still flavorful, with just a little spice to liven it up. The hodgepodge of squid, fish balls, fried bean curd in a "special sauce" turned out to have a surprisingly cohesive taste, not to mention a bold red color.

Though most of its lunch dishes are rather typical for a Thai restaurant and its decor does not rank among the most creative (one wall decoration even had a noticeable tag), TK Thai is distinctive due to its low price. Even its most expensive dinner entrees only cost $8.95 per plate. With little wait time and attentive service (the waitress answered even the most inane questions regarding the restaurant and Thai food), TK Thai is a place waiting to be discovered by the busy office worker, cash-strapped student, or simply anyone seeking a tasty, fulfilling meal for a great price.