By Brett Callwood
The first thing you notice as you approach the Three Spice Thai Kitchen, located on South Western Avenue, is the really lovely patio area. Despite the fact that it’s sat right on the street, the furniture and greenery help to create a genuinely serene environment. That really help, and aids the vibe that the owners are seeking to enhance.
It also helps it stand out from the crowd. Three Spice is far from the only Thai restaurant in Gardena, and the food is generally great in all of them. But this is one of the more attractive, and pleasurable to dine in.
Of course, the food is still the most important thing. It doesn’t matter how nice the patio is if the meals aren’t up to standard. Fortunately, they are.
“Three Spice Thai Kitchen is a cornerstone in the Gardena community and has been recognized for its outstanding Thai cuisine, excellent service and friendly staff,” they say on their website. “Our Thai restaurant is known for its modern interpretation of classic dishes and its insistence on only using high quality fresh ingredients.”
All of that is quickly apparent. The staff greeted us with a big smile, despite being bogged down by the lunchtime rush when we arrived. Parking was easy, and the food arrived promptly (though not too quickly – not was cooked fresh after all).
We started with an order of Crispy Vegetable Rolls, which arrived hot, crispy (as advertised), and full of deliciously seasoned veg. Egg rolls are egg rolls, but these did seem particularly tasty.
The vegan in the family had the Roasted Chili and Cashew Nut, with tofu for the chosen protein. The tofu was perfectly marinated in the spicy sauce, and it had a wonderful bite. Just the right zing, without blowing your head off. Of course, that’s subjective and they will make it as hot as you individually prefer. They weren’t stingy with the cashew nuts, and the dish was a success.
We also had the Pad Thai with shrimp. Pad Thai is the standard Thai dish for those who aren’t feeling too adventurous. In our case, it was for the child in the family. That said, it was delicious. The noodles are soft and tasty, the sauce rich, and the peanuts toasty. The shrimp, meanwhile, are plump and not overcooked.
Finally, we had the Yellow Curry with seafood. This is a personal favorite Thai dish – the turmeric and other spices in the yellow curry blend beautifully. This version was particularly good, and the seafood was an inspired protein choice. The sticky white rice soaked up the sauce like a tasty sponge, and the carrots and potatoes in the curry added extra flavor.
Everything was good, and we would go again.
Three Spice Thai Kitchen is located at 16400 S. Western Ave., Gardena 90247. Call 310-516-6514, or visit threespicethai.com.
