Thursday, December 10, 1998
Toi serves as tasty escape for night owls
RESTAURANT: Bruins find appetizing alternative
at trendy Thai food joint
By Nerissa Pacio
Daily Bruin Senior Staff
It’s time that the oppression known as Jerry’s Famous Deli comes
to an end. Granted, there aren’t many choices for the starved,
sleep-deprived student in desperate search for sustenance. But it’s
time to demand more than cold, greasy $8 french fries at the only
self-service restaurant where tips are still required (You mean to
say we actually had a waiter?).
This time around, when a late night craving strikes, head over
to Toi on Wilshire.
Think industrial warehouse thriftstore meets Mel’s diner meets
Tommy Tang’s (sans the Sunday night drag queen show). Self-dubbed
as a "Rockin’ Thai food" restaurant, Toi promises the
non-traditional, from the neon light-peppered ambiance to the
slightly off-beat menu.
Though more mellow and slightly smaller than its popular Sunset
Boulevard counterpart, Toi on Wilshire still captures the mish mash
quirkiness atypical of a place serving Asian cuisine. Beatles
memorabilia, vinyl records, a bicycle and tin movie reels plaster
the walls that reach up to a rafter-exposed ceiling. The glow of
dim red candlelights and multicolored year-round Christmas bulbs
warm the surroundings of the 15-table space.
Keeping entertained while the sparse restaurant staff drifts
from table to table is an easy task. Just read the fortune cookie
inscriptions or arts and entertainment magazine cut outs (and other
bits of reading material gathering dust under one’s bed) beneath
the glass covering each table.
Celebrities, celebrity wannabes and angsty model-types frequent
Toi on the trendy Sunset strip. But expect to see more students or
late twenty-somethings and thirty-somethings out for a 10 p.m.
dinner at Toi on Wilshire.
The best bet for night owl grub, which is surprisingly light on
grease, is the pineapple curry fried rice ($7.95). Large chunks of
pineapple mingle with sauteed chicken, juicy shrimp, toasted cashew
nuts, onions and garlic, tossed in a light yellow curry sauce. This
large platter of rice is the best value and bursts with tangy,
salty and sweet flavors all at once.
For a more velvety yet hearty noodle dish, try the rad nah
($6.95). Smooth, flat rice noodles and crisp broccoli blend with a
light, brown Thai gravy and your choice of meat or tofu.
While customers can request almost any dish as vegetarian, the
inventive vegetarian eggplant, pumpkin and tofu dish surprises
those expecting bland veggie fare ($7.95). Light soy bean and
garlic sauce wraps and soaks chunks of fried tofu, fresh eggplant
and sweet pumpkin squash.
Save the cravings for classic pad Thai ($6.95) or tom yum poh
tack spicy, sour soup ($10.95) for more traditional Thai joints
where the focus is more on, well, tradition. Light on spiciness and
scanty on zest, these staple Thai dishes fall a bit flat here.
While the a la carte entrees still satisfy the taste buds, these
dishes tend to be smaller in portion and are not accompanied by a
much needed bowl of steamed rice, which costs an extra $1.50. The
best values on a student budget are the heaping fried rice plates
and noodle dishes.
Even for dorm-marooned pedestrians, Toi on Wilshire remains an
option. Offering free delivery, Toi is an alternative to the
confines of Westwood. And for those with cars, race on over before
they close at 3 a.m.
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