Restaurant Review: Bangkok Corner in Costa Mesa

Forget about those greasy burgers, how about a fresh, healthy lunch for the same price that will tingle your taste buds the way no fast food can?

If that sounds appealing, then visit Bangkok Corner, nestled into a strip mall a stone's throw from the 55 Freeway.

This Thai café has five tables, but does a bustling lunch business, thanks in part to its 12 lunch specials for $6 each.

How about Panang chicken curry, in a spicy Thai sauce with coconut milk? Or a red curry served with chicken, beef or pork and bamboo shoots? Both come served with white rice.

We liked both of them, they had a good bite that reminds you you're eating Thai food. If you have a cold, I recommend them. Either one would clear your head.

You can order spicy items to your taste, mild, medium or hot.

On another visit, I ordered the spicy basil leaves with beef, though it also comes with a choice of meat. Served with sautéed chili, carrots, onions, bell peppers, bamboo shoots and basil leaves, it was fragrant, pungent and healthy.

The restaurant offers tofu and vegetarian selections. I was curious but haven't yet tried the Mongolian stir-fry. Other lunchtime choices include mixed vegetable stir fry, sweet and sour, orange chicken and Kung Pao stir fry.

This tiny hole-in-the-wall is in the same strip mall as a dry cleaner and parking can be an issue. It seemed to do a thriving take-out business. The service for eat-in customers was attentive both times I visited.

The $6 lunch specials are served Monday through Friday, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. You can substitute brown rice or shrimp for an additional $2 in any dish.

In addition to the lunch specials, there also is a full lunch and dinner menu that includes wontons, spring rolls, soups, noodles, pad Thai and two pages of vegetarian options.

Click here for more of Marla Jo Fisher's review of Bangkok Corner in Costa Mesa at ocregister.com.