Dining pick of the week: Thai Kunchorn

3430 E. Tropicana Ave. at South Pecos Road, 979-9977

All the wonderful flavors and spices that we have come to expect from outstanding Thai and Asian foods are on display at this family restaurant. A popular house specialty is Thai barbecue chicken with papaya salad and sticky rice. Other popular dinners are assorted pad dishes (spicy eggplant, asparagus, cashew nut, garlic pepper and ginger), curry (yellow, red, green), pineapple or basil fried rice, woon sen (cellophane noodles), see ewe (stir-fried flat rice noodles) and chow mein with cabbage, broccoli, carrots and bean sprouts in homemade brown sauce. All these dishes can be made with tofu, vegetables, beef, pork, chicken, short ribs, fish, duck, shrimp or squid. Several soups are coconut, mixed vegetable, wonton and the spicy tom yum with chilies, lime juice, tomato and mushrooms and topped with cilantro and choice of meat. Featured appetizers are chicken satay, beef or pork Thai jerky, fried tofu or calamari and shrimp in a blanket, where a whole shrimp is wrapped in crispy egg roll. Lunch specials ($4.99) are served from 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. and include soup, an egg roll, salad and steamed or fried rice. Dinners begin at $6.65. Thai Kunchorn is open from 10:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily. -- Jack Bulavsky