Phoenix's Best Thai Restaurant... Malee's
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There once (1987, to be exact) was a little Thai restaurant that opened on Main Street in the quaint touristy area of Old Town Scottsdale, next to the galleries and gift shops. The name of the restaurant was Malee's and the name of the owner was Deirdre Pain. Now "Deirdre" is a distinctly "un-Thai" name, but rest assured that this woman knew what she was doing.
She had a passion for Thai food that drove her to start Malee's with her partner back in 1987, when Thai food wasn't yet the "in" cuisine it is now.
Deirdre had an unlikely ally at the Arizona Republic, and when the restaurant was 3 months old, the very critical food critic, Elin Jeffords, slipped in a favorable review of the restaurant. "We went from 20 people a night to 120," says Deidre. Her chef quit soon after because he was too busy, and Deirdre jokes that their quiet little restaurant turned into "the nightmare on Main Street."
Eighteen years later and those early growing pains long gone, Malee's is still going strong in Old Town Scottsdale, but has a new sister restaurant by the same name in the Desert Ridge Shopping Center at 101 and Tatum. Deirdre decided to open a restaurant there to help her long time employees gain an ownership stake, and to give her northern customers an easier location to get their Thai food fix.
And we're the more fortunate for it. Malee's (pronounce "mah-lees") at Desert Ridge offers the same great Thai food in addition to a large sushi bar called The Wasabi Room. The décor is more contemporary, light and airy at the Desert Ridge location, with a generous helping of glass, curved lines and muted brown colors.
The cuisine at Malee's is authentic, with use of noodles, rice, chicken, fish, Thai curry, and of course, spices. "Thai food is the original pan-Asian cuisine," says Deirdre. "They borrow from all around Asia." Lest you think that everything will be hotter than a Jalapeno, fear not. The restaurant can prepare most dishes mild, and gives you a choice of heat from mild to "Thai Hot." The curry dishes use different spices than an Indian curry and have a more delicate and balanced flavor, so Thai neophytes should consider it with an open mind.
Start with the combination appetizer plate to share with your dining party. You'll get a sampling of spring rolls, Thai Toast, Kisses (ground chicken and shrimp in steamed Shumai wraps) and Rangoons (flash fried crab and cream cheese puffs). Another popular light dinner or appetizer is the Tom Ka Gai. Coconut milk and spices give this hot and sour soup a very unique flavor.
The most striking dish, and a very popular and tasty one, is the Tropical Pineapple. The shrimp, scallops and minced chicken comes in, you guessed it, a half-pineapple, and is prepared in a thick sauce subtly spiced with a coconut curry. The Spicy Crispy Pla is another house favorite, featuring two flash-fried whitefish fillets with a distinctive southwest jalapeno garlic sauce – not too spicy but can be made so for those who like the burn.
The Wasabi Room is manned by third generation Sushi Chef, Johnny Jiron. He has license to be creative with his sushi dishes, so you may get a visually different dish every time you order the same item. Creativity is the key to a visually beautiful sushi plate, and Johnny's wasabi sometimes comes shaped like a leaf and the salmon arranged as a rose. The sushi is remarkably fresh, and fully cooked options abound for those who squirm at the thought of raw. Sushi can also be served in the dining room as well as the Wasabi room.
Deirdre likes to add a little fun to her restaurants, and plans special events that Thai lovers will enjoy. The Main Street restaurant has Thai cooking classes once a month from October through May. The restaurant had its first "Teflon Chef Challenge," a take-off on the "Iron Chef" television show on the Food Network, where groups compete to create the best 3 dishes from a set of ingredients. "Everyone had a ball!" says Deidre about the corporate team building experience. "It was very interesting to see the dynamic. One group just threw everything in, and another group was very methodical." What would you do?
How refreshing it is to see a locally-owned restaurant in the midst of national chain restaurants at Desert Ridge. Deidre and her Desert Ridge Malee's co-owners are all focused on making their customer happy, and the exotic, wonderful cuisine of this Desert Ridge gem should do the trick.
For More Information, Call: Desert Ridge Malee's (Tatum and 101): 480-342-9220; Main Street Malee's(Old Town Scottsdale – 7131 E. Main Street): 480-947-6042 or go to: www.maleesonmain.com
Copyright © 2006 by Liz Suto. Liz Suto is a professional writer, real estate agent and North Phoenix resident. Look for her articles at the PhoenixAz Insider website and in Phoenix area magazines and newspapers.
