Florida Agenda

By RICHARD DAVID CHAMBERLAIN

Sitting outside and dining alfresco at the recently-opened Tee-Jay Thai Sushi in Wilton Manors is akin to experiencing local life in a microcosm. Situated as it is dead-center in the Shoppes of Wilton Manors, down the strip mall from popular Georgie’s Alibi, this newest branch of the Thai restaurant dynasty (that includes a Tee-Jay branch on North Federal Highway in Fort Lauderdale, Thai House II in North Miami Beach, and Tamarind Asian Grill in Deerfield Beach) is sexy, sophisticated, and priced to proved the point.

On Friday and Saturday nights, you really, really need to want to eat here to handle the wait, as the line stretches out of the 80-seat eatery into the parking lot. On other nights, the mood is more zen should you choose to sit inside among the orchid plants, and sultry purple and blue lighting thats aimed to make you look your best.

We always judge a Thai restaurant by its Green Papaya Salad, a super-simple dish that many joints manage to fuss up to the point that it’s indistinguishable from the real deal.

Tee-Jay’s version is an excellent and healthy choice ($7.95), mixing shreds of fresh green papaya with carrots, green beans, crushed peanuts and lime juice. As with everything at Tee-Jay, you get the option of choosing how intense your selection will be. From mild all the way to Thai spicy, the choice is yours. Here’s your only warning on the subject: Tee-Jay loves things on the hot side, so even medium will set your mouth on fire. Enough said?

A specialty of the house, and an alltime favorite item of ours, is the Ginger Fish ($24.95), a whole snapper that’s been breaded and deep-fried, and layered with a sauce made of mushrooms, carrots, scallions, grated ginger, and celery. Succulent and a slur of flavors that will leave you cleaning your plate.

The Miso Soup ($1.95) is an excellent starter with its not-too-salty broth, coupled with tofu, seaweed, and scallions. For something a little heartier, we highly recommend the Thai Dumplings ($6.25). These four steamed temptations blend ground chicken, shrimp, and shitake mushrooms with a soy-ginger based dipping sauce.

For sushi purists, the list of made-to-order rolls is extensive. They range in price from $3.95 (for a wonderful Tuna Roll) to $23.95 (a lavish Fancy Lobster Roll with lobster tempura, eel, scallions, cucumber and avocado, served inside out and topped with seared tuna, tempura flakes, magago, and kimchee sauce—heaven).

If the Grilled Sea Bass ($27.95) is calling your name, know that it is spiced with passion and served with an ultra-fluffy jasmine rice and sautéed mixed vegetables. Three tasty dipping sauces come along for the ride—a low-salt Teriyaki with a surprising apple after-glow; Peanut, as rich and fattening as you would expect; and Wasabi, creamy and clear-your sinuses strong. In truth, the Sea Bass stands up on its own merits without any added extras, and the jasmine rice is a meal in itself.

The aromatic Soft Shell Crab Panang Curry ($19.95) is made rich and creamy with its peanut base, smoothed with coconut milk, bell peppers, and basil leaves. And if you have an ounce of room left in your stomach, finish the night off with Fried Bananas and Ice Cream ($5.95), served in a sliver-thin rice paper wrap, and drizzled with a lovely chocolate sauce that gives new meaning to the word decadence.

When you’re done licking your plate, tell them Agenda sent you.

TEE-JAY THAI SUSHI
2254 WILTON DR.
WILTON MANORS, FL 33305
954-537-7774

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By TIM SLIVINSKI

It was long awaited, but Tee-Jay Thai Sushi finally opened its doors a couple months back in the Shoppes of Wilton Manors, and the diners have been coming in steady streams ever since. It’s no wonder. The transformation that took place in the location is quite amazing. It is a large dining area that is subdued in color scheme and divided by banquettes that provide seating for larger parties. The colors are soothing while, at the same time, offering a hip, upscale look. Smaller tables for two and four surround the larger tables, or a customer can choose to eat at the bar and watch the sushi masters in action.

On a recent Saturday night, we arrived to find the place bustling with hungry patrons. We were able to snag a table in minutes and settled in with a glass of wine to accompany our perusal of the rather large menu offerings. After some discussion, we decided on spring rolls (a traditional favorite) and a summer roll— after all, Labor Day was approaching, the traditional end to summer. Both appetizers were delicious. The spring rolls were packed with crunchy fresh vegetables and the lightly fried delicate crispness of the exterior almost melted in your mouth. I could become addicted to the spring rolls. The summer roll was wrapped in rice paper and filled with shiitake mushrooms. Delicate, flavorful and light, it was a perfect accompaniment to the crunchy spring roll.

When it came time to determine our entrées, we had so many options that narrowing down our selections took us some time. Tee-Jay offers traditional Thai and Japanese entrées, several noodle dishes, sashimi and various types of rolls. Everything is described in an appealing way, which had us changing our minds often. Ultimately, we both decided to order from the grilled entrée selections. I was in a poultry mood, so ordered the chicken breast while my partner was taken in by the grilled tuna. When the entrees arrived, we loved the three selections of dipping sauces that accompanied our perfectly grilled choices. A teriyaki sauce, a wasabi cream sauce and a traditional peanut sauce allowed us to mix and match flavor profiles with our entrees from the hot — but not too hot — zing of the wasabi to the cool slight sweetness of the teriyaki to the smooth creaminess of the peanut sauce. We discussed the different flavor palates, and I decided that I preferred the wasabi cream while my partner was more partial to the teriyaki. His tuna was perfectly seared on the exterior and wonderfully ruby on the interior, just as tuna ought to be. My chicken breast was moist, juicy and fork tender. Wonderful sides of jasmine rice and crispy sautéed mixed vegetables accompanied our grilled entrees. One hint: I actually enjoyed using the teriyaki sauce to flavor the rice. Try it for yourself and see what you think.

We enjoyed the ambiance of the room as we chatted and determined we need to return to try many of the delicious sounding options on the menu. If you are planning to go to Tee-Jay with a larger group of friends or colleagues, you might want to consider ordering one of Tee-Jay’s boats. A table of six gentlemen near us opted for the boat, and I must say it is an impressive presentation. The boats can be ordered in various sizes, and they offer an array of delicious choices, including rolls, sushi, and sashimi, depending upon the size you order. And yes, all the delicacies do actually arrive at your table in a boat.

Tee-Jay offers beer and wine, and my partner clearly liked the selection of Asian beers on the menu; he enjoys their lightness and the slight sweetness on the palate.

Tee-Jay’s clearly seems to have hit its stride along the Drive, judging by the number of happy diners and the quality of its food. We look forward to a return visit. If you have not yet stopped by for lunch or dinner, make it a point to do so. A well-appointed dining room, great appetizers, delicious entrees — what more can you ask for?

Tee-Jay Thai Sushi

2254 WiltonDrive, Wilton Manors, Fl. 33305

954-537-7774

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