Restaurant Review: Get Curried Away

At first glance, the name Thaicoon seems like clever wordplay that couldn’t possibly live up to the stereotypical image of a sharkskin-suited, cigar-chomping spender with deep pockets.

There is no grand entrance to this somewhat off-the-beaten-path, Asian eatery (frequented by nearby Furman University students and Greenvillians who know it as a reliable, non-downtown dining spot), just an unassuming storefront in a sidebar of a shopping center. Thaicoon sits halfway between Cherrydale shopping center and Furman, in a strip mall whose most prominent tenant is Publix. It isn’t until you get inside and observe the generous bar with its rows of twinkling bottles, the rich yet subdued hues of the walls, and the spare but elegant tables and booths that you begin to understand the intent behind the title.

The lengthy menu, hefted over by one of the cheery, young servers, seals the deal. Page after colorful page of tempting photos that accompany food explanations (which range from the utilitarian—a list of ingredients—to the cautionary—“this steak will make you cry”) is more like an Audubon Field Guide to Asian dishes, eminently suited to the discerning diner who celebrates choices. Thankfully, the menu’s mastermind, owner Bobby Cobb, has helpfully gone beyond the appetizer/entrée split and divvied the dishes according to cuisine: sushi, Thai, and Ricefire creations, the last being Bangkok-born chef Adisak Chankaew’s signature plates that draw from a multitude of Eastern culinary traditions.

Appetizers prove pretty standard fare: spring rolls, pork dumplings, chicken satay, tempura, and a selection of Thai soups. Rather than risk too low a dip in blood sugar, we indulged in more than one of these small bites. The Ricefire dumplings were not so doughy as to be flavorless, but chewy enough to be satisfying. The spring rolls provided a satisfying crunch, and their dipping sauce has just the right amount of kick to complement shredded vegetables. The Bangkok sampler is meant to be enjoyed by several—it is certainly enough for four—and includes satays which are generously scented with curry, rendering the peanut dipping sauce unnecessary. The platter’s Thai wings, by comparison, were less flavorful on their own; double and triple dipping seemed necessary for our party.

For those who prefer sushi (as either an appetizer or a main course), Thaicoon’s selections range from traditional Japanese maki to the ubiquitous California rolls. For the seafood lover, Aloha maki is loaded with snow crab salad, scallop, cucumber, masago, scallions, fresh salmon, red snapper, avocado, tobiko—a veritable school of fish, in a tight presentation. Curries make up the backbone of Thaicoon’s most reliable offerings, though. An order of panang arrived in a thick and savory orange-red sauce, while the Thai-basil green curry was both fragrant and flavorful.

The signature Ricefire creations also earn a well-deserved place in the spotlight. Though Thai food can have some of the most complex flavors of any of the world’s cuisines, sometimes one craves something beyond the comfort of a curry. And for those times, these feature presentations are most creative, such as the roast duck, de-boned and crisp-fried, topped with a Thai red-curry sauce, pineapple, tomato, and bell pepper. “Amazing Tofu” is also crisped and topped with a three-flavor sauce, then served with sautéed vegetables. One companion enjoyed the spicy catfish, lightly fried and slicked with a soy-ginger sauce, whose heat can be adjusted according to preference.

Servers unfailingly ask for the diner to score the spice factor on virtually every dish on the menu. It’s a 0-10 scale with ten standing for “Thai hot” (in other words, not unless you were born with a gene to tolerate that level of intensity). A five is pretty spicy, even for a fan of hot chilies like me, so choose carefully. Speaking of heat, the Thai beer, Singha, proves a cooling accompaniment to most meals served here. A refreshing, light lager, it makes a crisp counterpoint to the heat of any dish, but my companions had a pot of sake and pronounced it just right. There are plenty of domestic brews and, for those who prefer them, an array of colorful cocktails.

If you save room, there are cheesecake spring rolls that are cut to look like their first-course counterparts, as well as a well-edited selection of ice creams. With that in mind, perhaps the best thing that Thaicoon offers is not one specific dish, but the total package. Especially now, when many people eschew dinner out for a more economical home-cooked meal, Thaicoon continues to pack the house by giving patrons hearty helpings that are relatively inexpensive but also filling—deep pockets not required.

Location:
5000 Old Buncombe Road, # 45

Hours:
Mon.-Sun., lunch and dinner

Price of Dinner Entrées:
$7-$22

Contact:
www.thaicoon.net, (864) 246-7255