Out on the town: Restaurant Reviews: Mayuree Café

You’ve probably walked past it numerous times without even noticing it. But, for seven years, Mayuree Café has been a gem in Wayne waiting to be discovered. Located at 14 West Avenue, between the Great American Pub and Main Line Pizza, is Jumpoj and Mayuree Pinijavan’s prized Thai restaurant.

With an intimate and warm atmosphere housing 30 guests at most, Mayuree Café provides an excellent overall dining experience.

My dining companion and I entered the restaurant early on a Monday evening and were greeted by Jumpoj, the co-owner, maitre’d and sole server.

After viewing the expansive menu, we opted out of soup and appetizers and instead dove into the main course. I decided on the Fish of the Day, the tilapia (market price, this particular day $16.25). My dining companion chose Panang, a Thai classic ($11.25).

Thai food ventures off the beaten path of traditional Western meals with unique ingredients and spices. It is exceptional in its flavor, for Thai food combines spicy, sweet, salty, bitter and sour tastes to create most meals.

As Mayuree, Jumpoj’s wife and the restaurant’s co-owner, sole chef and namesake prepared our main course, Jumpoj brought fresh, hot dinner rolls to our table.

Both dishes were served with white rice on the side. Panang, a curried chicken dish, was served with a sweet and spicy red curry sauce, green and red peppers, and Thai basil. The tilapia, arrived drowned in a creamy green curry sauce, with peppers, bamboo and the staple Thai basil.

Can you say delicious? The food was fantastic and the portions of generous size. We topped off our meal with Thai iced coffees, a delicious combination of ice, condensed milk, powered coffee and imported tea essence from Thailand.

Talk about an excellent alternative to Sodexho or the traditional Minella’s or Chili’s. If you’re willing to spend a little more than you would for an average meal and eat adventurous food that is very worth the cost, Mayuree Café is the place to be.

Lunch hours: Monday through Friday: 12-2

Dinner hours Sunday through Thursday: 5-9; Friday and Saturday: 5-9:30 (reservations strongly recommended for the weekend. Call 610-341-8162.)