Some ethnic restaurants like to explore the possibilities within their native cuisines, by deepening them, by embellishing them, by heightening them or by experimenting with them. Others aren’t so interested. After all, ethnic cuisines have an intrinsic novelty all their own; they are different, after all, because they are ethnic. So why rock the boat?
Thai Village is of this latter sort. Its Thai food is unabashedly run of the mill, a stir fried mish-mash of all the obligatory ingredients indifferently thrown together, impassively cooked up, and set before you without a hint of pride or passion. You are expected to like it because it is authentic Thai cuisine, and maybe that’s good enough for Joe American, but I didn’t see any actual Thais anteing up, maybe because Thai consumers require something more from their cuisine, like maybe a little finesse.
The soup of lemongrass and coconut, was too loud in its flavors, almost a cartoon version of what this soup might taste like in more capable hands. No delicacy, no grace. To be fair, maybe I got the bottom of the vat. The chunks of peppers and lemon grass in it were not adequately trimmed or chopped, requiring me to pick stalks and stems out of my teeth. Finesse was the furthest thing from my mind.
The pad-se-ewe was similarly lacking in character and complexity, just a throw-together of the requisite ingredients agglomerated into a bland uniformity that, while undeniably Thai, was monotonous in a way that no Thai chef would take pride in. Perhaps it’s not surprising that the dish we liked the best was the pad-kee-mow, a Thai favorite, number one on the menu, and the one the kitchen probably has the most practice with. At this point it’s been reduced to formula. It’s a fair bet that it’s not the product of any conscientious preparation. And that’s just the problem with Thai Village.
There’s a rote, apathetic feel to the place. It appears old and tired, not only in the lackadaisical cooking but in other details. The menus are stained and tattered, the service is gruff and hurried, the décor is slapdash. Along one wall are signs of a meticulous Thai theme consisting of faux red teak and Thai ornamentation, but along the other wall are fake oil paintings of the cheapest kind in chipped and damaged frames, the sort of thing you’d be ashamed to put in a garage sale and would just throw away. Apparently Thai Village either doesn’t recognize or doesn’t care how all this comes off.
Perhaps there’s a sense that none of this should count for much as long as the food is so cheap. But here’s a news flash. Thai food generally is cheap, and not all Thai restaurants are so slipshod.
Thai Village seems to rely on two things. First, that you won’t shop around for better Thai. Second, that being Thai is enough. On neither score do they succeed with me.
Thai Village
2053 W. Division
773-384-5352 / Reservations Not Accepted
Hours: T-F & Su 11am-9pm; Sa 11am-10pm; Closed Monday
Features: Outdoor Dining, BYOB, Carryout, Delivery
Avg. Price of a Meal for Two Including Drinks and Tax $30
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