Photography by Kevin A. Roberts
There’s a loosely knit group of us, diners who don’t know each other’s names but recognize each other from the low-key restaurants where we congregate. Going back more than a decade, one of these places was a hole in the wall called Midland Wok, in the Maryland Heights area. In addition to fried rice and wontons, it served Thai dishes, delicious offerings akin to fireworks in both their explosion of flavors and their kaleidoscopic presentations.
When chef and owner Joe Nanthavong opened Land of Smile, a Thai restaurant in Olivette with the same propensity for bright flavors and presentations, our informal club descended upon it as well. We nodded at each other knowingly with each coconut-, ginger-, or chili-laced bite. But we frowned when the restaurant ran its course, closing a couple of years ago.
Now, word has spread among the old gang: Nanthavong has expanded his horizons to the west, opening Thai Bistro in Wildwood. The menu features many Thai staples: noodles (phad) of various widths and sauces, as well as red, yellow, green, or panang curries that can be bulked up with chicken, shrimp, beef, pork, or tofu; Thai versions of fried rice; and common appetizers like spring rolls and satay. Less common dishes supplement these familiar offerings. Phad Japanese eggplant and an appetizer of Thai-spiced bistro sausage are available.
About a half-dozen entrées are available at dinnertime. One of these entrées is the pineapple curry. Four extra-large, butterflied shrimp are arranged in a round bowl, with bolts of color appearing in the form of red and green bell peppers and cherry tomatoes. A mini bouquet of basil leaves adorns the center, and pineapple chunks provide the dish’s namesake flavor.
Neua yang is a spicy grilled beef salad: Chunky slices of strip steak are cooked between medium rare and medium, then served with a salad of chopped scallion greens with cilantro and grilled asparagus on the side. A tangy sauce with mild chili spice is ideal for dipping.
Wide, tagliatelle-like noodles seem to amplify the sauces and spices in the phad kee mao. The chilies in the sauce are roasted, providing a concentration of vegetable flavors that slowly builds into a lingering but not overpowering fire. Egg and vegetables—in this case, red bell pepper, broccoli, and carrot slices—fill out the bowl.
Among the starters, the fresh roll is a rice-paper roll that’s virtually identical to a Vietnamese goi cuon, with shrimp, noodles, and vegetables. The crab butterfly is nothing more than an alias for crab rangoon. The chive vegetable pancakes are flatbreads, something like pitas without the pockets, served with a generous dose of chives and a mushroom-ginger sauce.
Thai Bistro is also the only restaurant in the area that claims to serve Laotian food, and while nothing on the menu is specifically called out as Laotian, the website encourages diners to request that Nanthavong custom-prepare any specific Laotian (or Thai) items. On behalf of our shadowy group, for whom I can speak because it has no name and no leader, I invite you to enjoy Nanthavong’s latest endeavor. Just nod if you see me there.
The Bottom Line: Thai Bistro illustrates why Nanthavong has maintained such a loyal following for so many years.
2436 Taylor
Wildwood
636-821-3006
Lunch and dinner Tue–Sun
Average Main Course: $12
Reservations: The place is so small, you should make some.
Acoustics: The volume is moderate, not conversation-drowning when at capacity.
Chef: Joe Nanthavong
