Oishii offers fresh, healthful Thai specialties
If you enjoy bona fide Thai food with a healthy, fresh composition, Buffalo Grove's Oishii Thai offers just what the doctor ordered. Dishes packed with flavor and vegetables at moderate prices, along with a pleasant, attentive staff, present an appealing dining option in a sea of strip-mall platitudes.
Tucked away in the Creekside Commons shopping center, at the heavily trafficked corner of Weiland Road and Buffalo Parkway, this gem lies on the same strip as a Pizano's and Wiener Takes All, making it the coolest kid on the block.
Chef owner Sinee Techa opened Oishii, which means delicious, in December, with the dream of re-creating the magical food experience of her childhood. She grew up in Thailand's countryside, where neighbors taught her the art of cooking and sewing at a young age. Also the owner of Wheeling's award-winning Lily's Window Fashions, Techa intends to push Oishii to the same level of eminence. She credits her food's fresh taste to not skimping on ingredients.
The restaurant's motto, "food heals life," greets you upon entering. Shimmering orange and buttery yellow walls, along with Anawat Sampanthavivat's reincarnation of Buddha (a series of lushly colored paintings), create a backdrop of tranquil serenity. Just 50 seats divided between the booths with chocolate brown cushion backs and granite counter tables exude intimacy and beauty.
Upon our arrival on a Sunday afternoon, we represent the sole guests in the eatery. Midway through our meal a father and his two teenage daughters pop in for lunch. Thai pop music playing softly in the background adds an additional notch of quiescence.
The menu contains a wide-ranging selection of Thai favorites spruced up with homemade sauces. Fresh vegetables and herbs reign over the array of soups, salads, noodle dishes, fried rice dishes, entrees and house specialties.
At the top of the heap, house specialties ($19.95), including basil duck, duck teriyaki, maple duck and garlic prawns, bestow the opportunity for lofty consumption, but most plates land in the reasonable $9.95 category.
Seventeen tempting appetizers baffle, but a quick consultation with our server clinches the deal. Crab Rangoon and the shumai (steamed shrimp dumplings) provide a good mix of tastes and textures.
The crab Rangoon's softly crispy exterior blends exceptionally well with its cream cheese, crab and herb filling. The shumai dumplings turn out to be delicate and savory.
We can't stop eating the larb chicken salad, a spicily addictive concoction of broiled ground chicken and fresh lime dressing. Even more piquant, the papaya salad creates a pleasant fire in the mouth, which I put out with a forkful of rice.
Entrees include chicken, beef, tofu, seafood and fish options, along with variations of curry, fried rice and thick or thin noodle dishes.
The cashew chicken resembles a blend of Chinese and Thai, with pineapple, tender pieces of chicken, cashews and bell peppers, topped with dried chilies. Although not listed as spicy, we find it on the moderately hot, yet delectable side.
The less spicy pad kee mao made with fresh basil leaves and a laundry list of fresh vegetables provides good balance to the chicken dish. We enjoy wide rice noodles that pair well with the tofu and cascade of broccoli, bell peppers and tomatoes.
For dessert suggestions, we ask our server for help. Her suggestions result in a well-rounded conclusion to the meal.
We marvel over the traditional Thai custard - a small square of coconut milk, palm sugar and eggs with a dollop of freshly whipped cream and walnuts. Equally exquisite, the diminutive banana rolls contain deep-fried bananas in a crispy blanket, covered with chocolate sauce.
Service throughout our meal reflects the restaurant's philosophy: elegant, friendly and understated. We enjoyed that we got to linger and had to ask for our check.
I'm definitely singing praises of this place to anyone looking for a healthy dose of delicious.
• Restaurant reviews are based on one anonymous visit. The Daily Herald does not publish reviews of restaurants it cannot recommend.
Oishii Thai
Facts: 1113 Weiland Road, Buffalo Grove; (847) 537-8880; oishii-thai.com
Cuisine: Authentic Thai with a healthy emphasis
Setting: Casual and serene restaurant in the Creekside Commons shopping center across from the Bank of America
Price range: Appetizers $4.95 to $9.95; soups and salads $3.95 to $9.95; entrees $9.95 to $19.95; desserts $2.50 to $5.95; wine $6 to $12 by the glass, $15 to $30 by the bottle
Hours: 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday (lunch menu starts at 11 a.m.); 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday; 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday; noon to 9 p.m. Sunday
Accepts: Reservations, major credit cards and traveler's checks
Also: Full bar; free parking