Architects like creative spaces, odd curves and alcoves that give a building character, while tenants generally prefer symmetrical squares and rectangles. The regular spaces make it easy to find furniture and to rearrange it at will, though the resulting business is more likely to look mathematical than artistic.
Restaurants are like water, fitting into oddly shaped containers and making use of every square inch, and they are found in ends and afterthoughts of real estate around the South Bay. Among the interesting examples is Redondo’s Tara Thai, which is squeezed into a corner of a mini-mall on PCH. The place has little curb appeal because you enter from the point of a triangle – there’s not much room outside to make an impact – but the sea-green and burnt orange interior is pretty and sophisticated. Thai pop plays in the background and a fish tank, plants, and an artistic assortment of Asian knickknacks add visual appeal.
At first glance the menu looks like the standard Bangkok-style specialties, but those who know regional Thai cuisine will notice specialties of the Northwest, albeit under different names than usual. One of the chefs is from the Chiang Rai region, and there is a subtle influence of the cooking of China and Myanmar. The most celebrated dish of this region is Khao Soi, a mild yellow coconut curry topped with very crisp fried noodles, shallots, and whatever protein you like. That dish is called Tara noodles here, and though the curry is a bit soupy compared to the versions I had when I visited Chiang Rai, the flavors are spot on. If you order this item, ask that it come out first because it’s at its best straight from the kitchen – after a few minutes the noodles become soggy and while it’s just as tasty the texture is less interesting.
Other starters we have tried were larb and Thai-style beef jerky, which isn’t really jerky as we know it. Instead of oven-drying the seasoned beef, Thais partly dry the beef, then season and quick-fry it. The result is chewy and has a slight crispness, but more flavor and moisture than American jerky. You’ll waste some time trying to cut it – just regard it as finger food and enjoy. We were slightly less happy with the larb, which was too mild – and I’m not just referring to the chili, but to the sour and tart flavors that are traditional in this dish of seasoned ground chicken. Thai restaurants often under-season what they serve to non-Thai customers, and it may be that since I didn’t specify seasoning they made it very mild, but even the timid at our table found this bland.
There was more zip to a plate of Crying Tiger, beef marinated in a sweet garlic, black pepper, and chili sauce and then grilled. Caramelized sugar and garlic is an almost infallible thing to do with red meat, and it worked its magic here. Another item that worked well was deep-fried catfish topped with sautéed bell peppers, onions, pungent basil, and an edible and assertive type of whole green peppercorn. On one visit we ordered this without specifying heat, on the second we asked for it to be Thai hot, and the difference was noteworthy. The virulently hot green chilies that were in the mix the second time left me momentarily gasping for air, but as soon as I recovered I wanted another bite. Note that the catfish is not boneless, and some bones are small – there are other fish served as filets, but the catfish gave more flavor and are preferred by many Thais.
The other items I’ve tried here were a Pad Thai – not my favorite, as the sauce was a bit too sweet – and a very good mild pumpkin curry. The Thais use the same type of pumpkin as the one called kabocha in Japan – very different from the watery, flavorless pumpkins sold around Halloween, and if you’ve never tried kabocha in curry you’re missing something. The vegetable sweetness goes beautifully with onions, bell peppers, and basil in a creamy yellow curry, and it was one of the highlights of our meal. Try it with brown rice instead of white, which is an option here; the slight nuttiness enhances the flavor.
Dinner at Tara Thai is modestly priced – on both visits we dined very well for less than $20 per person and took some leftovers home. This surprising little place is a very useful asset to the neighborhood, a pretty, pleasant place to explore one of the world’s great cuisines.
Tara Thai is at 234 South Pacific Coast Highway in Redondo. Open daily at 11 a.m. – closes 10 p.m. Sun-Thu, 10:30 P.M. Fri-Sat. Parking lot, beer and wine served, corkage $6. Menu at tarrathai.com, phone 310-379-8593.
