FIND IT - YOU'LL LIKE IT.

Byline: Larry Lipson Restaurant Critic

From the road, the little Thai Westlake Cuisine is invisible.

To get to it, you have to know it's there.

The previous tenant in this hidden-away cafe space, Bistrot by the Water, built up enough of a devoted clientele to survive, but the talented chef-owner died.

Now with the adornments that signify its heritage, the tiny Thai nook, in what is known as the Water Court complex, is struggling to build a following.

Ironically, considering the name of the center and the attractive streams and waterfalls running through the entire plaza, Thai Westlake is trying hard to keep its head above water.

Bravely, it's doing just that with a handful of positive factors on its side.

Its main draw is its owner-hostess, Pookie Punyataweekul, a pert, smiling young woman who appears to love what she's doing and imparts that happiness in her dealings with customers.

Its food is as good as or better than that of most suburban Thai kitchens, and its menu captivates with its humorous descriptions.

And moderate pricing doesn't hurt it one bit.

Soups are flavorful and served steaming hot. One, the Andaman sea soup ($8.95), brings forth at least six seafood items in the well-seasoned broth. But my favorite, the tom kah gai ($6.50), spicy chicken and mushroom soup with milky coconut flavoring, gets a special nod of appreciation.

From the dozen or so appetizers, new patrons can try the three-way treat ($8.50) of peanutty satay skewers with chicken or beef, crispy eggroll and the deep-fried shrimp roll with appropriate dipping sauces.

Noticeably, deep-fried items here tend to be a mite oily, but are definitely very tasty.

Angel wings ($6.95) have plump fillings of a ground chicken, silver noodle and onion mixture, nicely spiced. Soft-shell crab ($7.50), also battered lightly and deep-fried, displays welcome exterior crunch and interior moist tenderness.

Getting to more spicy items, you have to like coconut to like the curries here. There's a good, creamy, red duck curry ($8.95) with more than a hint of coconut that should be even better when the kitchen has the promised pineapple in it. And it improves even more when you request skinless duck.

And the hearty chicken curry ($6.50) with potato, carrot and coconut milk must be popular locally, considering it's been named ``California curry.''

Speaking of public faves, pad Thai ($7.25), perhaps the most familiar of Thai menu items, emerges as a generous noodle dish, here whimsically described as ``Thai spaghetti.''

One order of pad Thai tossed with shrimp, chicken, egg, tofu, bean sprouts, scallions and peanuts should keep those who can't go a day without pasta thoroughly satisfied.

Numerous main-dish variations with chicken, beef or pork offer recipes that emphasize garlic, ginger, mint, curry paste, dried chilies, or mixtures that are vaguely termed sweet and sour.

I liked a pork dish called hot stuff ($6.50) that had garlic, chili peppers, bell peppers, mint leaves and onion as its main ingredients and flavors.

Stir-fried spicy eggplant ($5.95) provides an interesting side vegetable plate though the skin remains rather chewy in Thai Westlake's version. Safer is the emerald broccoli ($5.95) steamed and served in a comforting brown sauce.

As the menu describes it, this is broccoli that's mad, bad and with an attitude.

Well, not really.

It's just a ``Pookie'' way of adding a touch of levity to your meal.

Nothing wrong with that.

THAI WESTLAKE CUISINE

Food: Three stars

Service: Three stars

Where: Water Court Plaza, 860 Hampshire Road, Thousand Oaks.

Hours: Open for lunch, dinner and snacks from 11:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. daily, except Sunday, to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday, for dinner only from 5 to 9 p.m. Sunday.

Recommended items: Tom ka gai soup, angel wings, soft shell crab, pad Thai, California curry, pineapple duck curry, pork hot stuff, emerald broccoli.

How much: Starters from $3.50 to $9, main dishes from $6.50 to $12.50, desserts from $1.50 to $4.50. MC, V.

Wine list: License approval pending.

Reservations: Helpful. Call [phone].

CAPTION(S):

3 photos

Photo:

Thai Westlake Cuisine owner Pookie Punyataweekul, right, and her sister, Apple Yuvanavich, present an assortment of the fare offered at the new restaurant, including Spicy Shrimp and Scallops, far left, and Happy Sole, below.

Joe Binoya/Special to the Daily News