Tasty Thai and Sushi - Delicious food makes up for minor shortcomings

Tasty Thai and Sushi opened in November in the space once occupied by Little Thai Too, followed by Fused.

Chef-owners Arun Maneejan, Timmy Khammaungjai and Kenny Souanasang operate the Thai side of the menu. Chef David deGuia, who began his sushi career as an assistant at Shogun in Summerville and later was sushi chef at Yokoso, Bansai, Bambu, Tsunami and Wasabi, brings a range of experience and menu development to the sushi menu. At Tasty Thai, you can be assured of a pan-Asian eating experience.

The long, rectangular run that was the former lay-out of Fused remains uninterrupted at Tasty Thai and Sushi. A fresh coat of sponge painting dapples the walls. Murals of waves and flowering fruit trees accent the front dining area.

The rear bar and music stage walls remain a gallery to local artists. Japanese noren (curtains) shield the kitchen proper from the sushi bar.

The new owners have added a few high-top tables adjacent to the sushi bar area, thereby expanding the opportunity for those who enjoy being close to the action when it comes to the sushi experience.

The length of the restaurant is an obstacle to speed of service. Beverages and drinks have a long passage to the diners eating in the front. Waiting is not unusual, whether the order is a simple draft beer or a Chiang Mai Sparkler ($8) of cava, raspberry liqueur and lychees.

Barriers to sound are spartan, and during our recent "winter," cold blasts of air accompanied every guest's entry into the dining room.

Arun Maneejan came from California to Charleston in 2006. He worked at Little Thai Too. In 2008, he opened Taste of Thai in West Ashley. The restaurants have similar menus. The King Street location has higher prices on some items, and sushi is also an addition.

Tasty Thai and Sushi appears to be operating on three levels: a Thai-inspired restaurant, a sushi bar with an investment in sakes, infused sakes and sake-tinis and a nightclub with drink specials, live music acts and dance party weekends.

To their credit, there is much competence in both the kitchen and the sushi bar. Ingredients are fresh, and attention is paid to the presentation of each dish. The perfume of basil dominates their rice paper rolls ($6.95). The satays of chicken or pork ($6.95) served with peanut sauce and the traditional cucumber salad are ample for sharing. Ka noom jeeb ($6.95), a steamed dumpling filled with ground shrimp and chicken, failed on the texture usually associated with this dish, but the flavors were appealing.

Soups are served by the bowl or pot, and the bowl can provide samplings for two. Try the tom kha gai ($7.95, $11.50) with its coconut milk-based broth, galangal, scallions, lemon grass and cilantro. It is Thai penicillin and a great restorative as a spring tonic.

Salads are substantive and easily can be your meal. Plan to share them as is the Thai custom. The yum ped ($9.95) with duck or the nam sod ($7.95) with the more traditional pork are good beginnings.

The menu at Tasty Thai will take you on a cook's tour of the Orient. Chinese fried rice ($9.95-$12.95), American fried rice ($18.95), wonton soup ($12.95) and teriyaki ($15.95, $19.95) along with curries, udon and satays will have your taste buds tripping over the flavors of Canton, Indonesia, Japan and the regional curries of Thailand. Not to mention the sushi menu (which for purposes of this review was not ordered).

The three-flavor fish ($15.95) uses a tilapia filet and is probably the best recipe to happen to this fish since aqua-farming. The balancing of sweet, heat, sour and salty along with crispy, dry-frying made for a dish the Thai would call arroy (delicious). Served on a fan of Napa cabbage, framed with leaves of baby bok choy and with a sauce of ginger, garlic, hot chiles and cilantro, it is a sensory feast for both your eyes and your appetite.

We veered off the menu of the Land of Smiles and tried an udon noodle dish, spicy udon noodles ($16.95) combining chicken and shrimp. Once again, what we saw demonstrated the Thai's ability to produce the ultimate in fusion cooking -- velvetized chicken (China), udon noodles (Japan) and a balance of chiles, lime, onions and holy basil (Thailand) that made for a satisfying dish. Oddly, rice accompanied the noodle dish. What was disappointing is that the jasmine rice, with its floral bouquet, was bland.

For those who enjoy the more incendiary aspects of dining, order the seur rong hai, the crying tiger ($25.95). A rib-eye steak is marinated in chile pastes and served with shrimp and asparagus.

Desserts are based on sticky rice ($4.95). You select your pairing: avocado, mango or Thai custard. The dishes are designed to temper your taste buds after a Thai meal. The custard and rice both fell short. A better choice is the green tea ice cream ($4.95).

Tasty Thai delivers competent chefs and fresh ingredients producing the adaptive cuisine of Thailand. The culinary quilts of influence can be seen in both the composition of the menu and the techniques used to produce the menu. It falls short on staples such as rice.

Its wait staff lacked the menu knowledge skills to elaborate or explain unfamiliar culinary landscapes.

Long (and needless) waits took place from seating, ordering, beverages and the meal sequence.

The price points of the menu require that the servers know ingredients, preparations and portion size. And the front of the house and the back of the house need to meet in the "middle" of the bar and choreograph the dance of service.

Tasty Thai knows how to make their food arroy (delicious). They need to fine-tune the Thai experience of sanuk (fun).

Tasty Thai and Sushi

Cuisine: Thai and sushi

Category: Neighborhood favorite

Phone: 577-8813, 577-8815

Locations: 350 King St.

Food: ¤¤¤

Atmosphere: ¤¤¤ 1/2

Service: H 1/2

Price: $-$$

Costs: Appetizers $5.95-$6.95, soups and salads $6.95 (lunch) to $9.95, fried rice 6.95 (lunch) to $10.95, specialties $15.95-$25.95, entrees $10.95-$16.95 or $6.95-$9.95 (lunch), curries $13.95 or $8.50 (lunch), sides $1-$7.95, sushi nigiri $3.75- $5.75, combos $15.95-$24.95, rolls $3.95-$7.95, sashimi $12.95-$13.95, salads $5.95-$8.95, tempuras $7.95-$8.95, desserts $4.95.

Vegetarian Options: Yes.

Bar: Full-service bar, specialty cocktail menu.

Hours: Lunch, Monday-Friday 11 a.m.-3 p.m.; dinner Monday-Thursday, 3 p.m.-10:30 p.m., Friday until 11:30 p.m.; Saturday, dinner noon-11:30 p.m., Sunday, dinner noon-9 p.m. Full-service bar, late-night menu served until 2 a.m. on Friday and Saturday

Decibel level: Moderate; live music.

Parking: Street parking, city lots.

Wheelchair Access: Yes.

Other: Sushi bar, specialty cocktail menu, sakes, delivery with $20 minimum, happy hour Monday-Friday 5-8 p.m. half-off appetizers, special prices on draft beer, sake, wine. Live music, Afro Beat Thursdays, $3 UFO drafts daily, $5 cocktails daily, rotating gallery of local artists. Home delivery available through www.charlestondelivers.com.

Web Site: www.tastythaincharleston.com.