Restaurant Review:

OK, let’s get this on the table: Besides bad puns, I’m a baby when it comes to spicy food.

I’m an embarrassment to my parents, who used to get their Asian dishes so spicy it would curl parts of their body that were thought by doctors to be unbendable.

If you are a food masochist like my parents were, Thai Spice will certainly challenge your taste buds and your tolerance.

The dishes from this six-restaurant chain come either with no spice, mild, medium, spicy or fire.

Two types of chilies are used, depending on the dish. For example, the restaurant’s most popular dish, pad Thai, has crushed red chili, while the shrimp and basil dish uses green chili.

I ordered all my dishes medium and it was about perfect, though the dishes made with red chili I found to be a touch hotter.

The spicy I tried once and for me, it was too much, but if you prefer that level, it seemed accurate. I want to continue to love food, so I bypassed the fire level.

The restaurant is set up simply and has both dining in and takeout. A good portion of the people were waiting for food to take home, and I noticed it was done without much of a wait.

I sat at one of the outside tables, enjoying the evening air, and began my meal with an appetizer that I rarely pass up when I am at a Thai restaurant.

The Dynamite wings are a crunchy mix of drumettes and wings.

The taste was a little distinctive. I liked the combination of the spicy honey sauce.

I got my order medium, and this was one item where I might have been able to increase to spicy.

The sauce that comes with the wings is a great dichotomy of spicy and sweet that balanced each other well. I was also impressed with the quality of the chicken, which tasted fresh. The portions of meat on the bone were more than ample.

My first dish was the shrimp and basil, and the first thing I do with any shrimp dish at an Asian restaurant is count how many shrimp are on the plate.

This medium-size entrée had 10 pieces of shrimp that were a nice size and well cooked.

Mixed in the stir fry dish were carrots, bell peppers, onions (both green and white), shredded cabbage and Thai basil.

I liked the dish, and at medium it wasn’t too hot, but there was a kick to it courtesy of the green chili.

The complaint I had with it was I wanted more basil. I figure if a dish is called shrimp and basil, it should be a prominent part of what I am eating, and it wasn’t.

I also believe any chance to put more flavor in a dish should not be missed.

I was quite pleased with the pad Thai. I ordered it medium, but it was a little spicier because of the crushed red chili.

What impressed me about this dish was that it was not just noodles and bean sprouts like I have had at comparable places.

This dish had generous amounts of shrimp and chicken. The chicken was very tender, another plus because places will often use low-grade poultry, hoping the flavors cover up the bland, tough meat.

The menu here is extensive and features many authentic Thai dishes. There is Tom Ka Kai soup, chicken curry and several vegetarian offerings.

Another thing I liked about the restaurant was that several of the dishes they offered could be ordered as a dinner or a la carte.

This is a good, simple restaurant that has plenty of food on a menu that you will never get bored with.

Thai Spice

ADDRESS: 263 E. 17th St., Costa Mesa

PHONE: (949) 722-9188

WEBSITE: www.liveonthego. com/Costa-Mesa-Asian- Thai-Spice-17th.aspx

CUISINE: Thai

SPECIALTY DISH: pad Thai

ALCOHOL SERVED: none

ENTRÉE price range: $6 to $10

FAMILY FRIENDLY: yes

CREDIT CARDS ACCEPTED: MasterCard and Visa

RATING: ***

JOHN REGER reviews local restaurants and may be contacted at [email protected] or P.O. Box 2984, Seal Beach, CA 90740.