Stop checking those frequent-flier miles and scoping out discount fares.
It's not necessary to fly halfway around the world for some decent Thai food.
Rita Ranch's Sa-ing Thai Cuisine is a mere 20 minutes from Downtown and carries a wide variety of tasty Thai treats to sip, gnaw and sink your teeth into.
The vibe
Look out the floor-to-ceiling windows that make up the front end of Sa-ing's dining space, and there is no escaping the fact that you are in a strip mall with a Walgreens across the street and an UPS store next door.
But the owners of this family-run restaurant make do.
The walls are lined with touristy Thailand posters, giant decorative fans, wooden welcome signs and prints of the country's royal family, while two wooden elephants, no higher than your knee, stand guard at the front door.
People are also reading…
If you are a Thai-food virgin, avoid the lunch and dinner rushes. Unless you're getting takeout, the dining room can get pretty crowded during those times and the waiting area is limited.
The taste
You cannot start a meal at Sa-ing without some tasty, fresh spring rolls ($2.50 for two), a flavorful mix of tofu, cucumber, bean thread noodles, lettuce and cilantro bundled in a rice wrapper and served with some mouthwatering peanut sweet and sour sauce.
Well, you could, but why try?
The veggie rolls (or shrimp if you want to dish out a dollar more) go perfectly with the menu's next must-have: the Tom Kah Gai ($7.95-$10.95), also known as coconut hot and sour soup. This creamy appetizer, which serves two, includes lime juice, roasted chili paste and fresh herbs, and you can choose among chicken, shrimp or veggies as its main ingredient.
The real treat, however, is in the taste-bud-tingling coconut milk that might just have you ordering another round in lieu of a main course.
If you want more solid eats, skip the soup and choose from the restaurant's selection of stir-fry, Thai curry plates and noodle dish entrees. Nothing is more than $10.95, and each serving easily feeds two or more.
Even the rice dishes are gargantuan. An order of Khao Pad Sub Pa Rod ($8.95), a Sa-ing rice plate speciality complete with cashews, pineapple, onion, eggs, shrimp and chicken, will send you home with your belly full and your mind fixated on the next possible chance you can return.
Address: 9136 E. Valencia Road, No. 100
Hours: 11 a.m.-8:30 p.m. Mondays-Thursdays, 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Fridays, noon-9 p.m. Saturdays and 4 p.m.-8:30 p.m. Sundays
Parking: Plenty. If you can't find parking in front of the restaurant, park at Safeway or Walgreens, both within walking distance.
Specials: Daily $5.95 lunch specials are offered from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
The bill
• Spring rolls — $2.50
• Chicken Tom Kah Gai — $7.95
• Khao Pad Sub Pa Rod — $8.95
• Two Thai iced teas — $3
Total (before tax and tip): $22.40
