Warm smells of hot exotic spices fill your nose as you walk into the room. It is a good feeling when one can merely walk into a restaurant and just know that the food is going to be delicious.
At The King and I Thai restaurant in Amherst, every table is adorned with a vase of flowers. Authentic wall hangings and bright pictures decorate the walls of the small one-room family-run business located at 3933 Harlem Road. Although there was only a five-minute wait, there were no empty tables all night. The service was immediate and also extremely friendly and helpful throughout the meal.
The cozy, quiet environment was perfect for good conversation and peaceful enjoyment of the night. With a menu so full of great-sounding foods, any sort of decision becomes extremely difficult. No appetizer is more than $5.95 and most can serve an entire table. There is a starter for everyone with a very diverse list of dishes including tofu tod, Thai spring rolls, squid and much more, all prepared differently and served with different sauces.
Following appetizers comes a unique array of soups and salads. Depending on the size of the party, soup can be brought either in bowls or in hotpots (which serve four). All soup can also be made with the customer's choice of shrimp, squid, chicken or tofu. The salads are also very diverse, all with varying ingredients, spices and dressings.
Most Thai foods come in the basic flavorings of hot-spicy, sour, sweet and salty. Every dish at The King and I can be ordered to the customers preference of spice intensity on a one to four star scale. Each dish is also individually made with either pork, chicken, beef, shrimp, squid, scallops, tofu or a mix of seafood. In this way, anything that is ordered, besides a house specialty, is completely custom-made.
After much contemplation I finally decided on a dish from the curry section of the menu. In Thai cuisine, there is not only one type of curry, but multiple. I chose a dish called Gaeng Kheeo Wan made vegetarian and mildly spiced. This particular plate is made with green curry in a coconut milk with green peas, bell peppers, green beans, squash, baby corn, bamboo shoots and beans sprouts with lemon grass and basil leaves for flavoring. It arrived steaming and smelling delicious in a large bowl very quickly after ordering and was accompanied by a bowl of rice for $7.50. The portion could have easily fed two people. The tofu was flavorful and all of the veggies were fresh, complimented by the warm coconut milk and spice. This surprising combination may be my new favorite food!
My companion also ordered dinner from the curry menu. He chose a type of red curry sauce in coconut cream with green peas, bamboo shoots, chili, assorted vegetables and basil leaves. He requested his spicy (medium) dish with chicken for $8.50.
The house specialties, which range from $10.95 to $13.95, all contain either roasted duck or a type of seafood (with the exception of sesame chicken).
The King and I also serves a huge variety of stir-fried and noodle dishes. Fried rice, a major part of Thai meals, can come with an unusual twist. The special King and I fried rice is uniquely made with pineapples and cashews. Extra rice (any type) and sauce can be ordered at any time.
A huge assortment of beverages is also available. A special blend of creamy Thai iced tea was an addition to the normal soda list that most restaurants offer to guests. Many different types of beer and wine, both popular and rare, were also on hand.
There was only one item on the dessert menu - Thai sweet rice topped with homemade Thai custard. The rice was served warm while the custard was cold. The contrast of hot and cold temperatures in each spoonful created a uniquely satisfying taste. This dessert was a delicious end to any meal.
The service and food were both exceptional. The King and I is recommended for anyone that has had enough of campus food and is looking for something new and distinctively delicious.
The restaurant is also open for lunch Monday through Saturday. Lunches come as a combination platter containing a main menu item served with a spring roll and soup. Hours are as follows: Monday-Saturday, 11 a.m.-3 p.m. and 5 p.m.-10 p.m. (Friday and Saturday open until 11 p.m.), and Sunday from 5 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. The restaurant can be contacted at (716) 839-2950.
