Many countries are famous for their distinctive cooking styles; France, Italy and Mexico all come to mind.

However, before these countries were even in existence, the Far East had already developed its distinctive spicy, vegetable-rich dishes.

One of the many countries that make up the Far East is Thailand. The King and I represents it distinct cuisine well among the restaurants on the blocks of South Grand Ave.

The neighborhood of South Grand has become a cultural center for people of numerous backgrounds, races and religions. Consequently, the area has become a melting pot of restaurants. In the past 20 years, the neighborhood of South Grand has become a melting pot for a multitude of different cultures.

But perhaps the best place to experience an authentic Eastern cuisine is The King and I. Named after the famous play, this restaurant serves native Thai food in a genuine and appealing way.

When one steps through the doors at 3157 S. Grand Ave, the first thing that catches the eye are the maps of St. Louis and the United States hanging on the walls.

Pins are stuck in different places on the maps representing the many areas from where people have traveled to visit the restaurant. The wait to be seated varies, so looking over the maps is an informative way to pass the time.

Once seated, the terrific table service immediately produces a glass of water and a menu, listing over 85 different items.

The appetizer menu consists of a surprising 18 items. The best choice for the appetizer would have to be the Thai Combo ($7.95). It serves two and provides a great way to sample many of the tastes and textures of Thai cooking.

It contains Spring Roll, Bangkok Toast, Tempura, Fried Tofu and Bangkok Wing.

The Bangkok Toast was incredibly tasty, fried and topped with ground pork, egg, garlic and pepper. The Tempura was also a delight, and contained a mixture of vegetables that were dipped in batter and deep fried.

The choice of dinners at The King and I is unique; there is a vast array of Thai food that contains seafood, pork, beef and chicken. Under the heading “Uniquely Thai” is the Duck and Rice ($8.95) dinner. The duck was tender and contained light spices keeping the meal on the mild side.

Duck is similar to chicken in taste, but is noticeably greasier. The duck was topped with ginger and spinach, and served over a mixture of vegetables and rice.

A black jalapeno sauce accompanied the meal, but was not quite as palatable. The duck was tender and contained light spices keeping the meal.

The King and I offers an extensive selection of vegetarian menu items. The Pad Vegetables ($6.95) is a mixture of stir-fried Chinese cabbage, carrots, celery, bamboo shoots, snow peas, baby corn, bean sprouts, broccoli and straw mushrooms.

The vegetables were cooked so they were crisp on the outside but tender on the inside. The Pad Vegetables are served with tofu on the side.

There is also a selection of Chinese dishes, including Sweet and Sour Chicken ($7.95) and original Thai soups.

All of the menu items list the ingredients; consequently, picking the right meal is only a matter of finding the right combination. The only hard part is picking between so many great choices in the Thai cuisine. It also seems that the only missing ingredients from The King and I are Yul Brynner and Deberoah Keer.

All of the meals at The King and I contain spices-in particular, the spice curry-but not all of them are extremely hot.

The items that are extra-hot are noted, and many of the other dinners can be served on the spicier side at your request.

When you stop by, don’t forget to put a pin in one of the maps to indicate where you are from. B+