THE BEST OF EVERYTHING Tangy Or Tame r It's Tasty Thai! Siam Spicy II stirs up complex flavors and textures just they way you like 'em. T his year marks the 14th anni- versary of a neighborhood eth- nic restaurant that has quietly become a favorite because of its reputation of cleanliness and food consistency. Since its 1995 opening, Siam Spicy. II on Northwestern Highway between Middlebelt and 14 Mile, Farmington Hills, has maintained a wanted steadiness in its constant flow of good Thai food ... The result is a making of many friends. Although peppers of Thailand are quite hot, Siam Spicy II does not serve its authentic Thai food overly piquant to the taste unless requested ... Being a good Thai restaurant is having chefs who know the difference in varied preparations to accommodate individual tastes of custom- ers ... Because of this there is no guess- work at Thai operations such as Siam Spicy II in Farmington Hills ... Its food is served as desired, mild, medium or tangy. Noodles are very big in Thailand ... natives eat them for both lunch and din- ner ... Of the many noodle dishes at Siam Spicy II, Pad See Iew, stir-fried noodles with Chinese broccoli and egg, is accom- panied by the choice of chicken, beef, shrimp or squid; and Pad Gai, stir-fried chicken with noodles, egg, green onion and lettuce, are favorites ... All noodle dishes at Siam Spicy II are prepared with authentic knowledge ... reasonably priced, filling and excellent value. Seating at Siam II accommodates 54 and it is open seven days ... Monday- Thursday, 11-9:30; Friday, 11-10:30; Saturday, 3-10; Sunday, 3-9. Thai dining as offered by small places like Siam Spicy II presents an interesting adventure with its complex fla- vors, textures and pungency that depend on ingredients native to Southeast Asia or to Thailand. Of special interest are the spicy or mild salads, which are favorites with Thai nationals ... The sour and spicy salads served at Siam Spicy II are at room temperature and meals in themselves. If you have never mastered chopsticks, you'll be happy to know that modern Thais usually eat their rice with a spoon and fork ... Rice is served in its own dish and the other food is savored separately between spoons of it ... The two are rarely mixed, but the Thais have a charming habit of composing each mouthful on the spoon. Thai food is generally hot unless oth- erwise desired, but adapts happily to Western palates, with searing and pungent sauces usually added at the table by Siam Spicy II diners ... If you prefer mild food, just ignore the sauces ... And for sure, don't order the lethal Nam Prik, a com- bination of pounded red chili peppers, shrimp paste, onions, black pepper and garlic, or Nam Pla, a pungent thin, translu- cent brown sauce made from the liquor of fermented fish or shrimps. Thai food is one of the world's exciting cuisines, and Siam Spicy II, Farmington Hills, with numerous tasty dishes suited as well to the Western palate, does it among the better neighborhood Thai restaurants ... 14 years of joyous ethnic dining is indeed a compliment. HIS NEW restaurant, Oliverio's On Benstein, opened last week and is already drawing many folks who have enjoyed Artie Oliverio's fine ways of food preparation ... It is located on Maple and Benstein, the second traffic light west of Pontiac Trail, Commerce Township ... kitchen open Sunday through Thursday 3-10, Friday and Saturday until 11. BACK IN THE 1960s, it ranked among Detroit's heaviest dining locations ... Darbys near the corner of 7 Mile and Wyoming, Tom's Tavern across the street, George Fink's George's Delicatessen just east of Wyoming, places like Rocky's, Sol Shpargel's Sol's Deli, Zukin's, Diamond Jim Brady's, Lotus Gardens, etc., etc., etc., westward down Seven Mile Road. Jerry Gurwin, at Al Gendel's Collision on Seven Mile, just west of Wyoming, recalls being a regular at Darbys and every visit having one of its many wonderful special- ties dished out by Sam Boesky and his stepson Bernie Kerner ... Gendel's ace body man, John Ladd, with Jerry 35 years since the days on 8 Mile, where Jerry had his Gurwin's Autobody Klinic, remem- bers Tom's Tavern well as the place where he was among those who walked with a seeming limp because the floor was so slanted ... The Tom's Tavern sign is still there after all these years ... Popular Jerry still parks his car in the former Darbys parking lot sharing memories with most of his old customers Jerry sees when fix- ing their autos these days ... many who met their spouses and friends at the areas numerous dining spots ... In fact, it was at Bill and Mae Kozin's Imperial Kosher Catering on Wyoming where Jerry and his late wife, Lee, were wed. Jerry is at Gendel's every day except Wednesday, Saturday and Sundays ... Sunday is for rest and playing with his grandkids ... Wednesdays and Saturdays are religiously reserved for golf. MAIL DEPT. ... "We asked my mom, Dorothy Haber, if she wanted a party on her 90th birthday, but she said no. I asked if she would like to have dinner with rela- tives at her favorite restaurant and she agreed. So 25 of us went to the Boneyard on Orchard Lake Road [Farmington Hills] for the barbecued ribs that my mother loves so much" ... Larry Haber MAKING ROUNDS ... To Sweet Lorraine's, Greenfield, Southfield, for Pecan Chicken ... To Rhapsody in Southgate for Hungarian Goulash. IVORY TICKLING guys and gals, plus organizations, will go for this in a big way ... 185 songs on sheet music for the piano that date back to the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s ... at no charge ... They are being donated by Judy Isaacs, who can be reached at (248) 851-5939. CONGRATS ... To Joe Cornell on his 80th birthday ... To twins Sondra and Sharon Wolf on their 70th birthdays ... To Robert and Shelley Landaw on their 10th anniversary ... To Howard and Susan Levin on their 40th anniversary ... To Arnold and Elaine Berman on their 60th anniversary ... To Scott and Bonnie Raskin on their 25th anniversary. I I - Danny's e-mail address is dannyraskin@sbcglobal.net . 201 S Old Woodward Avenue • Birmingham MI 48009 248.594.7300 • www.forterestaurant.com June 18 • 2009 B13