Thai Rama (Tempe Location)

Bob Marley once sang "You ain't gonna miss your water / Until your well runs dry." A lot of Tempe residents might feel that way about Char's, the Thai restaurant that stood for years at the southeast corner of Rural and University. Char's wasn't for everyone, but it had unmistakable character. The decor was an unexpected mix of both Old Siam and the Old West. Envision carvings of elephants juxtaposed with wagon wheels, all in a windowless room darker than most movie theaters. The food ranged from authentic curries prepared with searing chili heat to Thai-lite crowd-pleasers like pepper steak and pineapple fried rice. Char's was never the best, most authentic Thai restaurant around, but it was a familiar and comforting place for the ASU and Tempe communities over the long term.

That familiarity and comfort went away in 2009 when Char's suddenly closed. A short while later, the space reopened as the newest branch of Thai Rama, a small, local chain. The Tempe location is the restaurant's third site, following not only the original location in Central Phoenix, but also a second branch in Chandler. The old Char's site at University and Rural, just a block from the intersection's light rail station, was cleaned out and redecorated entirely. Although there's still virtually no natural light, there are contemporary fixtures that brighten the space. The kitschy decor is gone. The new tile and upholstery replacing it are clean and modern, but also borders on sterile. There isn't the same patina here as the original Thai Rama on Camelback, and there isn't the same delightfully odd look of Char's.

Bland looks are okay, but bland food is harder to forgive, especially when it comes to Thai food, one of the world's most intensely flavored cuisines. Fortunately, Thai Rama seems to be maintaining a decent level of heat and complexity of flavors -- at least when it comes to the restaurant's regular menu, which has been essentially standardized with the other Thai Rama locations. Curries of all the usual colors -- green, red, and yellow -- work well here with the typically nuanced blends of chilis, shallots, fish sauce, herbs, and coconut milk in various proportions yielding dishes that deliver intense flavor. Likewise, noodles dishes are satisfying. Gwedia grapao, wide rice noodles with broccoli and red peppers, is fiery, with even the medium version hurting a little bit.

Where Tempe's Thai Rama begins to show some limitations is with specials. As at the original location, these are noted on a white board near the front of the restaurant. Read up on them before taking a seat because the servers don't recite them unless asked. Some of the frequent specials like the crab fried rice work equally at any of the Thai Rama locations. "Bathing rama," a dish sometimes offered at the Tempe location, is less successful. Typically, this dish combines chicken with a peanut sauce and greens. Thai Rama substitutes broccoli, which can be magnificent when prepared well, but in this preparation, the broccoli is completely raw, an act of culinary neglect that might fall under the Eight Amendment's prohibition against cruel and unusual punishment. Moreover, the chicken is bland -- topped with sauce but apparently lacking any marinade during preparation.

If the kitchen sometimes stumbles when it tries something new, it seems to be reliable when it comes to the basics. Lunch specials are a dependable lineup of curries and stir-fries presented with an egg roll, a fried wonton, steamed rice, and a cup of soup full of vegetables, tofu, scallions, and peas. Try the "mango delight" for a light dish with both a bit of fruit and spice. Thai Rama generally does not hold back on the spice, and with dishes like gang pah, a meatless red curry in a style known as "prig khing," the medium setting produces a steady burn, and the hot setting can be as intense as Phoenix pavement in July. Service is well matched to the lunch specials with a swift efficiency that suits workers headed back to nearby offices or students eating between classes.

When fresh mango is in season, the dessert that combines the tropical fruit with sticky rice is the best possible way to end a meal at Thai Rama. Otherwise, coconut ice cream made on the premises is the best finish. In a departure from the original location on Camelback, Thai Rama Tempe has not only the bottled Thai beers Singha and Phuket, but also Bud Light and Kirin on draft. There's a small wine selection, too, and those who prefer a non-alcoholic beverage can drink fountain sodas, iced tea, and, in typical Thai restaurant style, iced tea or coffee with condensed milk. Char's is gone but not forgotten -- at least not by anyone who has seen Tempe change over the decades. The new Thai Rama location doesn't bring back the kitschy charm of Char's, but for basic, satisfying Thai fare, it's a welcome development at University and Rural.

927 E. University Dr., Tempe AZ 85281 | Map
(480) 967-6013
http://www.thai-rama-az.com