Even if the sights and sounds of Thailand are not in the plans this year, do not be denied the aromas and flavors of the exotic foods found there.
Mali Thai beckons in an unlikely Oro Valley strip mall on Rancho Vistoso. Owner and chef Prapaporn “Cherry” Wilaikaeo, cooks the foods and dishes that comforted her when she was a child in Uthai Thani, Thailand.
Wilaikaeo knew early on that she was destined for the kitchen — with good reason.
“I love cooking and I’m very happy when you are eating and smiling,” she said. “It (makes) my heart and soul smile… I enjoy food and that’s why I get that feeling.”
The aroma is the first thing guests notice when they walk through the doors. That clean-frying, spicy smell portends of good things to come. The hard part is choosing what to eat.
Dining here starts with a cautionary sign Wilaikaeo felt inclined to post: “Spice level warning, Level 0 to 4. We will no longer issue refunds when you order your food spicy and can’t handle it.” In her experience here, two years now, diners claim they can handle spicy food and order level 4. However, when the food comes, they discover they are in over their heads.
“(Customers who) have never had Thai food before … say, ‘Oh, of course, I love spicy food,’” head server Abby Ilger said, “and they don’t realize how spicy Thai food can be.”
“‘Til they have it,” Wilaikaeo added with a laugh.
Peruse Mali Thai’s menu and there will be plenty of familiar items and some not so familiar.
For starters try one of nearly a dozen appetizers. There are egg rolls filled with glass noodles made from mung beans, shredded carrot, cabbage and celery ($10). Also available is fried tofu ($10), coconut shrimp ($12), crispy calamari ($12) and seaweed roll ($12). Most are served with a sweet and sour sauce.
Three salads are available. Most common is the papaya salad, which is made with papaya, carrot, tomato, green beans and peanuts ($12). Diners may also select a lahb salad with ground chicken, red and green onions, roasted ground rice and mint ($12); or a yum beef salad featuring beef, cucumber, tomato, onions, carrots and spring mix ($16).
Here comes the tricky part. After choosing a protein, decide the spice level. Of the four levels of heat, level two can be challenging, according to diners, so start cautiously. Wilaikaeo said more heat in the form of house-made chili oil can always be added.
The protein of choice determines the price of the dish. For example, if a diner chooses chicken, pork or tofu, the dish’s cost is $14. Beef, shrimp or crispy tilapia is $16. A combination is $20 and giant scallops bring the price up to $29.
Wilaikaeo also features soups on her menu such as tom kha made with coconut milk, cabbage, mushrooms and white and green onion; and rat na with flat noodles, carrot, broccoli, and cabbage with gravy sauce.
There are plenty of colorful curries from which to choose, including red, green, yellow, pineapple and panang. They come with jasmine rice.
If none of that appeals, try one of the six fried rice dishes available, such as crab fried rice, pineapple fried rice, tom yum rice or spicy fried rice.
Top it off with a serving of mango sticky rice ($10) or fried banana with a scoop of ice cream ($10).
All the dishes are made fresh and what cannot be made in-house has to be ordered from Thailand. Peek into the kitchen and see piles of vibrant orange carrots, heads of cabbage and some sharp knives.
Ilger has been at the restaurant for more than a year. Her favorite dish is garlic noodles, No. 42, with shrimp and pork.
“I once ate it for a week straight for lunch and dinner,” she said proudly. “I’m still not tired of it.”
World traveler and server Nicole Freeman said the food at Mali Thai is the real deal.
“The food is fresh and made as people order it,” Freeman said. “It is very authentic, and it tastes good… Come try it, it’s worth a drive.”
Wilaikaeo treats all her diners as welcome friends and she wants those who have never tried Thai food to visit her.
“Come to try,” she said. “I hope you like it.”
Mali Thai
12142 Rancho Vistoso Boulevard, Suite 120, Oro Valley
520-929-6989
www.malithaiorovalley.com
Hours:
Noon to 8 p.m. Sunday and Monday
11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday to Saturday
