Why: Family-owned and operated since 2003 by the Khoonnouvong family, Dok Koon Thai Cuisine serves traditional Thai curries, soups, noodles, rice, salads and fish dishes.
Diners can request how much spice — on a scale from mild to extra hot — they prefer.
Customer favorites, according to Peter Khounnouvong, include Salad Rolls, Drunk Noodles, Pad Thai and Spicy Crispy Catfish.
Atmosphere: The generic strip mall location gives way to warm, family-friendly dining inside.
Seating consists of tables and chairs arranged to accommodate small to large parties.
What I tried: My dining companion and I sampled housemade Crispy Egg Rolls appetizers to start. For our entrees, I decided on the Pad Thai with chicken, and my dining companion chose the Drunk Noodles with chicken.
During lunch, diners are served a complimentary bowl of soup before their meal. This was an unanticipated surprise and a welcome treat on an exceptionally cold day. It arrived immediately after we were seated. Daikon (white radish), carrot, onion and ground chicken are added to a chicken broth base; the result was light and appetizing.
The egg rolls arrived piping hot with a sweet plum sauce for dipping. Wrapped and deep-fried in the rice paper were silver noodles, a small amount of vegetables, and taro, which brings its potatolike quality to the egg roll. I found them to be crispy on the outside but a little mushy within. The flavor was bland compared to many egg rolls I’ve had. I attribute this to the taro, which appeared to make up at least half of the filling.
The portions of our entrees were large. Both my dining companion and I were full after eating about half the amount on each dish. The added chicken was tender, but we noted there was not enough to match the high volume of noodles.
The Pad Thai came with crushed peanuts on the side. Bean sprouts, which are often also served on the side, were mixed in. There were no carrots, which are usually part of this dish. The flavor was sweet and mildly spicy, as I had requested. The sauce, though adequate, was a tad meager.
My dining companion enjoyed the flavor of the Drunk Noodles — a mix of wide rice noodles, tomatoes, garlic and sweet basil in a sweet sauce. Basil was the dominant flavor, and the sauce allowed the other flavors to take a complementary place in the dish.
Menu highlights beyond what I tried: Though I enjoy comparing Pad Thai at various Thai restaurants, the Salad Rolls, and especially the Spicy Crispy Catfish, piqued my interest for my next visit. The Jungle Curry, which is made without coconut milk, sounded intriguing as well.
Other observations: Some dishes might not have as many vegetables as you might expect.
Our waitress was friendly and very attentive.
This nice spot to dine feels somewhat off the beaten path.
Cost: Tuesday through Friday lunch specials are $6.95. Appetizers are $4.95 to $6.95, other than the Combo, which consists of three egg rolls, three satay chicken, three prawn rolls and three fish cakes for $12.95. The rest of the menu items top out at $13.95.
Hours: 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Friday. 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday. 11:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. Sunday.
Telephone: 360-737-0936.
Where: 3414 N.E. 52nd St., Suite 103, Vancouver.
Health score: Dok Koon received a score of 10 on Oct. 14. Zero is a perfect score, and Clark County Public Health closes restaurants that score 100 or higher. For information, call 360-397-8428.
