32 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY january 9-15, 2025 www.montereycountynow.com The explanation is all very simple, at least according to Thunyathorn Vencill—call her Jane, everyone else does—of the recently opened Love Thai Cuisine in Pacific Grove. “The flavor,” she says with authority to the question of why Thai food has such a fan base in the U.S. So popular is the cuisine, in fact, that from Pacific Grove to Monterey, a familiar pinpoint pattern has formed. Draw a line from Love Thai and Mai Thai at the top of Forest Avenue one way and it connects with Zab Zab Thai Cuisine. Drag the diagonal the other way and it links to Pacific Thai Cuisine. The fabled Thai Triangle. Of the four, Love Thai is the newest addition. The restaurant opened in November, filling the space vacated by Taste of India. Vencill says she was attracted by the location—easily visible from the street with some outside seating. Despite the proximity of other points on the triangle—Mai Thai is located in a shopping strip within sight—the dining room at Love Thai fills quickly on a recent Friday night. “We get busy sometimes,” she says, noting that a November opening, in the wake of tourist season, allows time for the staff to smooth out any bumps. There are some surprises on the menu. Khao man gai is a simple and comforting dish of chicken on a bed of rice, with a thin blanket of richness that eases over the palate, a rustic earthen foundation, a hint of sweetness and a snarl of ginger. It’s often lost in the demand for curry and stir-fried noodles, as is American fried rice. “It’s good for kids,” Vencill says of the latter, pointing out that while it is a staple in her home country, “Restaurants don’t do it here.” Another surprise is the kitchen’s willingness to break from tradition. But for Vencill, menu options such as fish and chips or fried artichoke have a purpose. Not everyone craves panang curry or pad see ew. “We try to have some variety,” she explains. “Everybody can come.” Others in the triangle depart from tradition a little. Zab Zab offers a fried calamari appetizer (but go for the spring rolls; the fresh herbs pop) and Pacific Thai Lotus—a stuffed artichoke—has been on the menu at Pacific Thai since it opened in 2008. Thai cuisine was influenced by others, of course. Chilis arrived in Thailand from the Americas by way of Portuguese sailors in the 1500s. Rice was introduced from China. The Thai version of cashew chicken can be found at Mai Thai. The mellow nuttiness is tugged on one side by the sweet vegetables, on the other by a nipping sauce. And that’s what defines Thai flavors, Vencill says. In the layers of sweet, sour, salty, with earthy spices, bright herbs and a flicker of heat, but all in balance— at least to certain palates. “If you eat tom yum soup in Thailand, you will be sweating,” she adds. The legendary spiciness associated with Thai cooking can scare off the timid. But even at restaurants like Mai Thai, where for most of the diners one recent afternoon, English was a second or third language, chefs vary the heat levels. “We try to make it not so spicy,” Vencill says of the base flavors at Love Thai. “You can add spice.” The restaurants share a number of dishes, pad Thai in particular—a versatile noodle dish marketed as a national culinary statement. And it worked. “The first thing people think about is pad Thai,” Vencill says—so much so that even though curries sell well at the new restaurant, she is a bit surprised when guests look past it. “I love pad Thai. My husband loves pad Thai.” So it’s probable that the deft balance of flavors makes Thai fare so popular. In 2002 there were just 2,000 Thai restaurants in the U.S. Now more than 7,000 exist. Of course, Americans had to meet those flavors somehow. In 2002, the Thai government launched a program to spread Thai restaurants around the world. This “gastrodiplomacy” has been tremendously successful. But Vencill is right. The cushy tenderness of the chicken satay, the earthy-sweet sheen from marinade that plays well with the comfort and tickle of heat in the peanut sauce—government support may have helped form the Thai triangle, but deft flavors from the kitchens draw diners in. Love Thai Cuisine, 1180 Forest Ave., Pacific Grove. 2416398, lovethaicuisine.com. First course Curry dishes and—especially—pad Thai are popular at all Thai restaurants in Monterey County, including the new Pacific Grove spot Love Thai. Open Market…With the holidays over, Seaside Certified Farmers Market has resumed its Thursday 3-6pm schedule beginning Jan. 9. Everyone’s Harvest reopened its other year-round farmers markets earlier in the week: Marina started back on Sunday, Jan. 5 (10am-2pm); Pacific Grove returned Monday, Jan. 6 (3-6pm). The Seaside farmers market is at 1259 Canyon Del Rey Blvd. everyonesharvest.org. Beer Goggles…If beer makes you smarter (one can hope), then Tuesday night trivia at The Brass Tap in Marina should be a breeze. But you can only find out if their 60 taps can help by taking part. The questions are in several categories. Spoiler alert, they can be challenging; turns out beer is not a substitute for retained knowledge. But you can win Brass Tap gift cards, which is a good thing. This week’s trivia night takes place Jan. 14 from 5-7pm. 99 General Stilwell Drive, Marina. 383-7404, brasstapbeerbar.com. E Is For Enchiladas, And Education…Michael’s Taqueria is hosting a fundraising event for Pacific Grove Middle School PTSA on Wednesday, Jan. 15. Mention the fundraiser when you dine in or order takeout from 10am-8:30pm and 10 percent of your meal sales will be donated. 1126 Forest Ave., Pacific Grove. 647-8654, michaelstaqueriapg.com. Macabre Mixology…The Edgar Allen Poe Speakeasy is coming to Salinas. This traveling macabre mixology experience is stopping at The Fox Theater from Jan. 17-19 on a national tour. Dive into the dark world of Poe’s chilling tales and four themed cocktails to accompany them. There is a 6pm and 8pm showtime Friday and Saturday and a 6pm showtime Sunday. $49.50 per person. 241 Main St., Salinas. 7588459, foxtheatersalinas.com. edgarallanpoebar.com. Fish Tales…Old Fisherman’s Wharf turns 180 in 2025. To kick off a year of celebrations, for the month of January the Fisherman’s Wharf Association is holding an “ode to calamari” contest. What does that entail? For those good with rhymes, it means writing and submitting a four-sentence poem on the subject before Jan. 31. Love calamari? Hate it? The subject is up to you, as long as it’s about the appetizer. First, second and third place win Wharf Dollars that can be used at any business on the wharf. 238-0777, montereywharf.com. By Jacqueline Weixel morsels eatanddrink@montereycountynow.com “The first thing people think about is pad Thai.” Eat + DrinK Daniel Dreifuss Thaiangulation A new spot, Love Thai Cuisine, takes shape among three similar restaurants. By Dave Faries
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