Thai Pan Cuisine in La Jolla, California (San Diego)

Los Angeles has its Beverly Hills, and San Diego has our La Jolla - the little upper-class village on a hilly little peninsula that separates Pacific Beach from Torrey Pines Beach. Everything costs (at least) a bit more here than even in downtown's Gaslamp Quarter and on the affluent pseudo-islet of Coronado. But, luckily, you can still drop in at Thai Pan Cuisine in the little shopping complex (that houses Albertson's) on Fay Avenue at Pearl Street for a $15 lunch and walk away feeling like you would have been willing to pay a bit more for the experience.

This cute Thai eatery is both homely and elegant at the same time. The dimly lit dining room with its quiet atmosphere (there's a flat screen tv monitor, but it was off when I visited), its sturdy tables and chairs and real table napkins make it a good place to take your date out to your first dinner together. And the restroom! It's a single unisex one with hand-free faucet and toilet (that self-covers with clean plastic sheet afterward). Even the towel dispenser has this sensor that feeds out when you stick your hand under it! Just about the only thing it doesn't do is to clean your buttocks for you the way some of those hi-tech Japanese toilets would. That's probably a good thing. I'd definitely freak out...

The menu here is very much conventional Thai food with a few additional Chinese dishes done in very American-friendly style (creamy and tending to be sweet and very mild). They are quite health conscious and only use vegetable oil (and no MSG) in their cooking. This being located in the heart of downtown La Jolla, the price is on the high side, though the serving size is good and they'll include your choice of steamed white or brown rice with your non-noodle entree for only 50 cents extra (other places here will charge $1.50 or more). Lunch specials (much of the main entrees with soup of the day, steamed rice, and choice of egg or hand roll) are served between 11AM and 3PM. It's a good deal since you can get a tasty lunch here for less than $15.

Having not been born with Thai chili-resistant taste buds, I usually go for one of the curries (entrees are $9-13 depending on the type of meat you want with it). They are not spicy at all unless you order a 10 on the 1-10 spiciness scale. The coconut milk base makes them so rich I usually end up only managing half and then have to take the left over home for dinner. The stir fried garlic chicken with cabbage and broccoli is absolutely awesome. It isn't really like garlic chicken you'd get in Thailand, but it is so tasty and healthy that I wouldn't complain about it. The light garlic sauce really works wonder with the cabbage that my mom would be proud watching me relishing something green and leafy eating that dish. The house also has special discount dinner options for two diners and kids meals for children 10 yrs and under.

Service is very good. The waiting staff is very friendly and efficient. You might have some trouble understanding their English at first, but they can understand you very well and are really good about making the dishes to your specification.

There are at least 3 other very good Thai restaurants in the area, but, being a fuss-free diner who isn't very comfortable in ritzy restaurant, I like Thai Pan Cuisine best among them.

Thai Pan Cuisine: 7523 Fay Avenue suite A & B (at Pearl St), La Jolla, CA 92037. Tel (858) 456-8005, 456-8006. Opens daily from 11AM - 9PM. Major credit cards accepted.