Most Thai restaurants must appeal to a largely American clientele, which leads many of them to compromise their traditional tastes by adding sweetness and toning down the long, slow buildup of chili heat that is a Thai cuisine characteristic. At Thai L'Elephant, a sophisticated, darling restaurant found nestled in the Kimberton Square Shopping Center on the edge of Phoenixville, the compromises are not always obvious.
The owners Nui Kullanna and Sakesun Supasri say their restaurant can tone down the heat for the supposedly tender American palate, but your palate will revel in the kitchen's sure-handed spicing, and will allow, if your ordering desires, to sample the authenticity of curries by maximizing your star-rating spice requests to the highest level (seven stars is the spiciest).
"Our main thing is to serve authentic Thai food from a friendly staff in a place that is comfortable and inviting," said Supasri, who was raised in Thailand around a household who operated their own traditional restaurant and of course, requested that he'd assist in dinnertime preparations beginning at the ripe age of six.
