RESTAURANT REVIEW : Contrasting, Fresh Flavors Make Tipps Thai a Hit : Choice is crucial, though. Some dishes are bland and cloying, while others, such as roast duck and cashew chicken, stand out.

A few years ago, I found myself having dinner in the gourmet Thai restaurant at the Regent Hotel in Bangkok.

There I was, a couple of Singha beers under my belt and a palate toughened by years of living in Southern California and feasting on fiery Mexican food. This is by way of explanation for why, when asked by the waiter how hot I wanted my food, I got rather cocky.

I assured the waiter that he could bring it on as hot as they could make it, that spiced foods were nothing new for an old hand like me.

The dished arrived, I took a bite. . .

Neither water, nor beer, nor salt, nor any of a couple of other supposed sure-fire remedies did much to assuage the real fire which seemed to be burning on my lips and in my mouth and throat. It was not minutes, but perhaps hours before my taste buds--which fortunately had not been permanently damaged--simmered down.

Fortunately, Thai cuisine does not have to be that hot to be good. Though it has a reputation for spiciness, it’s the contrasting flavors--hots and milds, sweets and sours, lemons and gingers, mints and basils--that make the Thai menu distinctive. None of which is lost on Chang Liampetchakul, who owns and runs Ventura’s Tipps Thai Cuisine.

Chang, as he is universally known, moved to the downtown location a dozen years ago when another Thai operation there had failed to prosper, maybe because, as Chang says, “it smelled ugly.”

During the years that he and his family have run the place, they’ve expanded (they now seat around 100), redecorated several times and added a full bar--a nice feature that not many Thai restaurants can boast. Tipps now is one of the most popular spots in town.

The caveat on the food at Tipps is this: Take special care in what you order.

The angel wings ($5.95) appetizers--chicken wings stuffed with ground pork and mushrooms, then deep fried--are done superbly.

But another appetizer, the veggie egg rolls ($4.75), which come stuffed with obviously fresh, crispy vegetables, are so bland that even the accompanying pineapple sauce can’t save them. And that classic Thai dish, mee krob ($5.30), which is always sweet and has crispy fried noodles topped with egg and bean sprouts, here comes out as a lumped-together, cloying, over-sweetened mess. It reminded me of a Rice Krispy Treat.

Several of the house specialties, though, are particularly good. Merk kung prik ($7.95)--sauteed squid and shrimp with garlic, mint and ground chiles--comes out beautifully, the vegetables and seafood firm and fine, with enough chili to give it that tingle on the back of your tongue.

Another of Chang’s best dishes--cashew nut chicken ($5.95)--is also a house special. The chicken is ample and tender, sauteed in a mild curry paste with cashew nuts tossed in.

And you’ll go far in the county before finding a better roasted duck ($10.95), served with steamed vegetables and delightfully tart pickled vegetables, the duck meaty inside, crispy on the outside.

It may be that Tipps, conforming to what it believes to be the more delicate taste buds of the locals, has lost just a bit of the character of Thailand’s cuisine.

Although more may not be better when it comes to the spiciness quotient, as I discovered in Bangkok, too little spice can also be a problem. At Tipps, there are certain dishes, such as tom yum kung soup ($7.95)--a broth of shrimp, with sour and spicy flavors--where the spiciness could be increased a bit.

Chang’s use of fresh ingredients shows in the crispness and fine flavor of the vegetable dishes, but he also says he uses no fat--which may make these dishes more healthful but it also diminishes their flavor.

I’d forget the curries, another area where, perhaps, the kitchen is holding back on the spices because they think we locals have overly delicate tongues.

Instead order the eggplant pad prik ($5.95)--eggplant sauteed with garlic, chili and basil--one instance where the spices come out fine, unlike the spicy fried rice ($5.95), which could use both more taste and more spice.

Tipps is still family owned and run and according to Chang, “all our cooking is really in the heart.” Maybe that is why certain dishes at Tipps can be outstanding; you’ve just got to be careful. Chang is around a lot--perhaps you’ve just got to ask him.

Details

* WHAT: Tipps Thai Cuisine.

* WHERE: 512 E. Main St., Ventura.

* WHEN: Open for lunch 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday, dinner 5 to 10 p.m. Monday through Saturday.

* HOW MUCH: Lunch or dinner for two, food only, $10 to $30.

* FYI: Full bar, reservations for six or more accepted. Call 643-3040.