Gossiping Gourmet: Much to choose from at Bangkok Corner

I always enjoy finding a little neighborhood restaurant that serves really good food. I stopped at one the other day for dinner with my dining companion, and we were both very pleased with the quality of the meal.

The restaurant is called Bangkok Corner, and it is located in a small strip mall on Newport Boulevard in Costa Mesa, off Wilson Street.

In the early evening on a Saturday, we were surprised to find that it was very busy. Most of the customers were there to pick up take-out orders, but the place filled up fairly soon with diners.

For a small place, it had an extensive menu. The usual categories of appetizers, soups and salads were followed by entrees, curry, noodles and fried rice. Included was a column of lunch specials as well as a listing of vegetarian appetizers, vegetarian salads, vegetarian soups, vegetarian entrees and vegetarian noodle dishes.

We had a hard time deciding what to eat. We wanted something a bit on the light side to begin with, and our waitress recommended the fresh spring roll with a melange of shrimp, chicken, clear thin noodles and vegetables wrapped in rice paper and served with the restaurant’s special sauce, which was like a sweet version of soy sauce with nuts in it. Everything was fresh and light and made a perfect beginning to our meal.

From that same category we selected the mee krob, a favorite noodle dish of mine. The crispy noodles had just the right amount of sweetness, and the serving came with chicken, tofu and bits of green onions, red peppers and sprouts. For an appetizer, it was really big and could easily have been an entrée. It was very good.

From the selections of entrees, we opted for the spicy eggplant, with a choice of chicken, shrimp, beef or pork. We chose the chicken. The dish included big pieces of tender eggplant along with bell peppers, green onions and basil leaves in a chili paste sauce that had a bit of sweetness and just the right amount of heat.

Our last dish, the spice pataya shrimp, was similar to our other entrée, but we wanted seafood. The shrimp were nicely sautéed, as were the chili, onions, bell peppers and mushrooms. They all merged into the tasty, hot, slightly sweet sauce.

Of the two desserts offered, we chose the coconut ice cream. It was a nice, cooling finish to a pleasant meal.

I should mention that Bangkok Corner has a very nice $6 lunchtime menu of 12 dishes, including orange chicken, kungpao stir fried, mixed vegetable stir-fried, and garlic and pepper red curry. You choose the protein — chicken, beef or pork — to go with your meal. Shrimp is an extra $2, as is the brown rice.

Vegetarians might also like the fresh spring rolls wrapped with vegetables and tofu or the cream cheese wontons. Salads include larb tofu and cucumber salad with carrot, red onion and green onion with spicy lime dressing. Soups include tom yum vegetable and tom kha vegetable.

For entrees, try the tofu Panang curry or vegetable fried rice, or maybe bok choy with shitake mushrooms. From the noodle menu, vegetarians might enjoy vegetable chow mein, vegetable pad thai, pad see ew tofu or spicy spaghetti tofu. There are still many more to choose from.

Delivery is available within a 3-mile radius with a minimum order of $18. Bangkok Corner also does catering.

*

BANGKOK CORNER

Location: 2360 Newport Blvd., Suite B, Costa Mesa

Hours: 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays

Prices:

Appetizers: $6 to $8

Entrees: $8 to $11

Desserts: $3 to $6

Wine:

By the glass: $4

Information: bangkokcornercm.com; (949) 548-8366