Thai Zie: Authentic ethnic food to die for
There is something absolutely charming about downtown St. Charles.
Maybe it's the quaint little houses, the hilly streets, the antique stores and boutiques. Maybe it's the abundance of places to have a good time: Italian eateries, Irish pubs, Mexican restaurants. And then there's the nice little family-owned and operated Thai bistro called Thai Zie.
The scene
The family's mom, Toom Wiitanen, is the chef; her son, Champ Akkarapol, is the owner; and the niece, who just came from Thailand, will take care of you impeccably as a hostess and server. The decor is typical of the nature of the cuisine -- bright, colorful and vibrant, with a long, jaunty orange wall on one side and large photographs of Thailand adorning it.
The food
If you see an appetizer that boasts being passed down through four generations, you'd better not pass it up.
The Kanom Jeeb is that perfected, indeed. Steamed pork and shrimp dumplings look like four perfect little handmade flowers, served with a thick sweet brown sauce and prepared with ease as a good transition into the abundance of flavors that follow in a typical Thai dinner. Go on, use your hands; no one minds.
Another warm-me-up is the Hoy Ob, half-shell monster mussels with basil in seafood sauce. The mussels were a tad bit too chewy, but the basil went great, taking some of the edge off the seafood sauce (the latter of which seems to be a near ubiquitous staple of this cuisine).
The restaurant is BYOB, quite a refreshing touch for a suburban restaurant, overlapping a touch of spontaneity with quite unexpected culture. (We brought some Negra Modelo with lime, which went along rather perfectly.)
You'll need the drinks to take the edge off of an extensive menu, which offers soups, salads, northeastern Thai food entrees, noodles, curry and the chef's specialties. It can look a bit daunting, but as long as you choose a solid meat and sauce flavors, it should be smooth sailing from there.
The good news is you can't really go wrong with anything you pick -- or be able to resist the compulsory aspect of sharing.
The pepper steak, made with tender beef, onion, tomato, Asian straw mushrooms and bell pepper tossed in light, sweet brown gravy projects a delicate and reassuringly simple flavor, especially for those averse to taking culinary risks. Another standout is the Bamee, red flavorful pieces of barbecued pork with the tiniest egg noodles and bean sprouts and crushed peanuts on top. A savory delight indeed.
The dessert menu changes periodically, but you're always safe with Thai Zie's staple, crispy banana egg rolls with chocolate sauce, filled with the soft goodness of mashed banana.
Don't fight it: You assuredly will have chocolate sauce running down your chin by the end.
The experience
On a low-key Thursday night, we were the center of attention. Something tells me, however, that most patrons feel this way, regardless of how many others fill the restaurant.
Don't be surprised that if upon finishing your meal the chef herself comes out with a bright beaming smile and chats with you.
It isn't every day you get goodbye waves from the server, the owner and the chef. If you're brave enough to weather the outdoors, head to downtown St. Charles. It most certainly will be worth your while.
Address: 11 North 3rd St.
Town: St. Charles
Phone: (630) 444-1690
Web: myspace.com/thaizie
Hours: Monday to Wednesday: 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Thursday to Saturday: 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Sunday: 4 to 8 p.m.
Cuisine: Authentic Thai
Meals served: Lunch, dinner
Alcohol/bar: BYOB
Credit cards: All major
Carryout: yes, and delivery too
Children's menu: No
Entertainment: No
Outdoor Seating: No
Reservations: Yes
Dress: Casual
Parking: Strip mall parking
Average entree price: $8-$10