Michigan's finest upscale,
yet casual American bistro

The Best Of Everything

Savor the taste that is the
talk of the town

Natural ingredients make River Kwai a hot spot.

"Oakland Grill gets wows for
class act." — Observer & Eccentric

"Our meal at Oakland Grill was
exceptional and it left us talking
about our food all weekend long."
-- Oakland Press

DECK
NOW
OPEN!

r

4 p.m. - 7 p.m.

Early Bird
Special!

TUES., WED., THURS. & SUN.

50% Off

Buy One Entree At Regular
Price Get Second Entree
Equal or Lesser Value

HALF THE PRICE

• Dine In Only • With Coupon
• One Coupon Per Couple
• Not Valid With Other Offers

L Expires 9/30/98 ,

JN

SERVING LUNCH & DINNER
TUESDAY - SUNDAY

32832 Woodward ► Royal Oak

(Rid- south of 14 Mile Rd.)

8/28
1998

(248) 549-7700

98 Detroit Jewish News

of a searing curry.
Kwai makes its own roasted chili pep-
hai food is considered to be
Soup
is
an
integral
part
of
a
Thai
pers,
chili paste and curry ... Also its
South Asia's haute cuisine,
meal
...
Soup
and
a
Thai
fast-food
own
desserts,
like coconut ice cream
with its complex flavors,
dish
of
noodles
make
a
complete
meal
or
the
once-in-a-while
made steamed
textures, piquancy and
in
Thailand
...
Order
a
clear
prawn
or
banana
rice
cake
...
This,
along with
pungency that are the result of ingre-
shrimp
soup
flavored
with
the
home-grown
herbs, adds
dients native to Thailand ... Like
lemon
grass
and
hot
curry
in
a
to
its
authenticity.
lemon grass and makua puang, a pea-
Thai restaurant and you under-
People who visit Thai-
like Thai vegetable with a rather bitter
stand,
the
role
and
the
impor-
land
come back and ask for
taste.
tance of soup in a Thai meal.
dishes they tasted while
At River Kwai on East Maple,
Pairin is so adept at making
there ... Pairin will make
between Woodward and Old Wood-
soup
that
her
ambition
is
to
their
requests ... even the
ward in Birmingham, Pairin (pro-
one
day
open
a
Thai
restaurant
very
popular
soup entrees ...
nounced Pai-Lynn) Tomala, co-owner
that
serves
nothing
but
this
as
long
as
they
don't ask for
with her daughter, Sopa Tomala
one
item
...
soup.
substitutions.
Macny, grows the lemon grass herself
She came to America in
River Kwai serves noth-
at home ... As well as basil, mint,
D ANNY
ing
but Thai-style food ...
1975
and
in
1982
was
work-
chives, garlic, onion and kaffir lime ...
RA SKIN
Nothing
else ... So if you
ing
in
a
Thai
restaurant
as
a
Outside the restaurant, she also grows
Local Columnist
want
a
filet
mignon or sir-
waitress,
dishwasher
and
man-
some of the herbs, but they are for
loin,
for
sure
it isn't the
ager.
show only ... Those grown by Pairin
place
to
go.
The
River
Kwai
location
in
Birm-
at home are used in the restaurant.
Everything is prepared in the little
ingham is that of the former Wise
River Kwai would seem like an odd
open
kitchen near its window facing
Guys
Coney
Island...
There
are
some
name for a Thai restaurant, but not so
East
Maple
... Dishes that Thai natives
who
still
come
in
asking
for
the
dogs
strange with the knowledge that this is
come
in
for
like the Pad Lad Nah
...
and
don't
be
surprised
if
some
day
not only the title of a movie, but also
(Noodles
Face
The Gravy), wide rice
they
get
one
...
I
don't
know
if
there
is
an actual river running through
noodles stirred in soy
Kanchanaburi, Thailand.
.
sauce and garlic,
It opened in April 1997, and
choice of meat, broc-
has received numerous raves
coli and greens
among customers for the authen-
sauteed
in a light
ticity of its dishes.
brown
gravy
... or its
The legitimacy of this little
fish dishes and the
restaurant ... seating is only for
six soups presently
about 53 in one room ... is magni-
made, especially the
fied by the fact that it is like the
Tom Yum Goong
food Pairin and Sopa ate at home
soup of whole
... many made from recipes used
shrimp, straw mush-
by Pairin when bringing up her
rooms, tomatoes in a
children ... If someone suggests
tasty broth of lemon
substituting at the restaurant, she
grass that is slightly
is quick to say, "No, they go
tempered with chili
together."
paste instead of hot
Among the very difficult to
curry.
find dishes are Pad Bai Gra Pow
In fact, the entire
Kah Gob, frog legs with numer-
River Kwai menu is
ous basil leaves, green peppers and
filled with authentic
onions, sauteed in a homemade
Thai favorites.
chili paste and other Thai season-
Among the best
Macny.
River
Kwai's
Pairin
Tomala
and
Sopa
Tomala
ings.
liked of those who
Kow Land Nah Pehd is an orig-
know Thai food is
inal River Kwai dish of sliced roasted
the Plah Land Prik, a crispy fillet of
such
a
thing
as
a
Thai
coney
island,
duck sauteed in a toasted garlic and
fish topped with homemade jalapeno
but if anybody can dream up one it
mushroom sauce with bamboo, served
sauce, onions and green peppers.
would be Pairin.
on a bed of rice.
No. 1 seller at River Kwai is the
River Kwai is closed Mondays ...
Pairin is especially proud of her
Pad Thai ... choice of meat or tofu
Open Tuesday through Thursday, 11
soups ... and well she should be with
with spicy Thai curry, coconut milk,
to 9; Fridays, 11 to 10; Saturdays, 4
their savory delight ... Either sour and
onions, bamboo, green peppers and
to 10; Sundays, 4 to 9.
bitter or sour and hot flavors that in
eggplant.
It is worthwhile to note that River
Thailand also serve to temper the heat

T