The Weekly Eater

BY NADINE KAM

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A taste of Thai cuisine
in Waipahu

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Having grown up in Waipahu I can tell you there isn't a lot of culinary activity going on; never has been. While townies of a certain age wistfully reminisce about where Chunky's or Coco's used to be, in Waipahu you'll hear that same mistiness reserved for the old general stores like Kawano's and Arakawa's. You just don't get that sense of history, romance and loss with Goodie-Goodie Drive-In.

Times are changing, though. Dining in Waipahu has grown beyond the okazu-ya/drive-in/Filipino take-out outlets. It's possible to get good Mexican fare at La Familia, soul food at Mom's or Catfish & Pies, and of course primo poke at Tanioka's.

But forget about ambience. A couple of generations removed from the plantation, there's still a practical streak running through those who grew up there, and where restaurants are concerned, it's wham, bam, just pass the food man! It's the opposite mindset from town, where great ambience can compensate for mediocre food.

RICHARD WALKER / RWALKER@STARBULLETIN.COM Allen Liao, owner of Basil Thai Cuisine at Waipahu Town Center, shows the seafood salad dish.

So it'll be interesting to see whether Waipahu will adopt Basil Thai Restaurant. Here, there's an attempt to create a pleasant environment. Where many Thai restaurants are dressed in sprays of orchids, at Basil Thai, the whole room is like an orchid, painted in soft lilac with accents of green lampshades and tablecloths.

I'M ALL FOR culinary diversity in neighborhoods and Basil Thai seems made to woo those unfamiliar with Thai cuisine. For one thing, some dishes have more of a familiar Chinese influence, starting with the mostly pork-filled (you can also request vegetarian) spring rolls ($6.95), served whole with a skimpy supply of mint and lettuce leaves. I suppose it's possible to ask for more, rather than risk having the usual bounty of greens cast away as useless garnish.

Although the spring rolls are a standard appetizer, this is one of the few places where you may be better off sampling something else. The one to try is Basil's Fried Chicken ($6.95) which is marinated with garlic, lemongrass and other spices, dredged in cornstarch and deep-fried, then brushed with a glaze of honey and sweet chili sauce. It's a pretty large order for an appetizer, easily able to feed four.

You might also try the satay prawns ($6.95), four skewers with two of the shellfish apiece, grilled and served with a smooth peanut-butter sauce. Satay beef and chicken are other options.

Next you'll have a choice of yellow, red, green or chicken and peanut-sauce curries ($7.50) with your choice of chicken or beef (it's a dollar more for shrimp or a mixed seafood). The restaurant's been open a month, but the cook should probably read the menu again. An order of the peanut-sauce curry tasted like a basic red curry. An order of the baby squid and green peppercorn ($7.95) wok stir-fry did not offer a single of the explosive little orbs.

Another of those Chinese-style dishes is the stir-fried chow fun ($7.50), thicker than the usual pad Thai ($7.50), topped with beef and broccoli (chicken is an option, and an extra dollar buys you shrimp or mixed seafood). All this swims in a dark oyster sauce gravy.

It's all quite heavy, so you may not need dessert, but if you saved room for dessert, the tapioca pearls are cool, refreshing and light. Or simply take your pick of Thai iced coffee or tea ($2.25).

One aspect that needs improvement is service. Even with few people in the restaurant, they are slow to greet and seat patrons. Restaurants can live and die by the attitude conveyed by the staff. Complacency can be lethal, but enthusiasm is infectious and catches on quickly.

In this getting to know you stage, the restaurant is offering a 10 percent discount on all take-out items or a free soft drink with lunch through Dec. 31.

BASIL THAI CUISINE Waipahu Town Center, 94-050 Farrington Highway (opposite the Long's and Blockbuster end of the complex) / 680-0568 Food 1/2 Service Ambience Value 1/2 Hours: Lunch, 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. and dinner, 5:30 to 9 p.m. daily Cost: Dinner for two about $20

See some past restaurant reviews in the
Columnists section.

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Nadine Kam's restaurant reviews run on Thursdays. Reviews are conducted anonymously and paid for by the Star-Bulletin. Star ratings are based on comparisons of similar restaurants:

	excellent;
	very good, exceeds expectations;
	average;
	below average.

To recommend a restaurant, write: The Weekly Eater, P.O. Box 3080, Honolulu, Hawaii 96802. Or send e-mail to nkam@starbulletin.com