By Melissa Wynn
Although curry comes in three colors and is enjoyed by millions around the globe, I somehow made it to forty-something without ever tasting a single bite. So on a Sunday afternoon my better half and I headed out to Whitehouse at 3085 Johnstonville Rd. in Susanville to give it a try.
We arrived early in the afternoon and were greeted by the friendly owner, Tom Lim, and began our visit with refreshing, ice cold beverages: iced tea for Randy and pink lemonade for me. As we sipped, contemplating the menu, I was enjoying trying to guess the number the elephants incorporated into the homey decor. Elephants are revered in Thailand so it is only fitting that they grace the walls of Susanville’s only Thai restaurant. My favorite by far is the painting of flowers on the wall that was actually painted by an elephant! Several photos inside the frame with the painting depict the elephant as he paints, while Tom and his lovely wife Joy watch in the background. Very cool.
With a bit of advice from our adorable server Devon Nasser, we decided to begin our meal with Joy’s delightful Thai egg rolls appetizer. These paper thin egg roll wraps filled with clear noodles, cabbage and carrots are fried to a golden brown to delicate and crispy perfection and served with sweet and sour sauce. They were hard to resist. I can never pass up crab and cheese wontons, and Whitehouse has some of the best. Who doesn’t love crab and cream cheese in those exceptionally thin and crispy wontons? It would be easy to fill up on only appetizers from the tasty Thai temptations like the Goong Hom Pa, made with shrimp marinated with garlic, covered in an egg roll wrapper, deep fried and served with sweet chili sauce. Next time I want to try the Thai Dumplings that are stuffed with chicken, shrimp, and crab, wrapped in a wonton skin and served with a sweet black sauce. It was very hard to choose.
Across the room, Teresa Cortese of Janesville had no trouble deciding. I’m sure she had her “usual.”
Whitehouse first opened in Janesville, later moving to Susanville in January 2015 with their faithful customer base following them to their new location. Mike Chichi of Santa Cruz was happy to join her and loves to have a meal with Tom and Joy whenever he’s in town. The way to the heart really is through the tummy.
I did a bit of reading on the web before my visit and learned that yellow curry is the most mild, with red and green having more spice for those that like it hot. I decided to start on the mild end and ordered the Mango Curry. I love sweet and savory together, and this dish offers both in spades. The rich, mildly spicy broth with hints of coconut cream was so delicious I could eat it all day. The shrimp, chicken, veggies and mango that completed my bowl of scrumptiousness were cooked to tender perfection and quite tasty with steamed rice. How did I miss out on this creative curry business for all those years?
Randy opted to try something new as well and ordered his entree from the appetizer menu with a side of rice and called it supper. The talented staff in the Whitehouse kitchen have stuffed a chicken wing with a mix of shrimp, cabbage, carrots, and glass noodles. I’m not sure how they got it in there but it was a delicious idea. Randy ate the whole thing!
Several choices on the varied menu mean Whitehouse is friendly to all diners, even if Thai food isn’t your thing. Several salads, steaks and burgers are just a hint of the fare that offers something for everyone. View a full menu at www.whitehousesusanville.com. To go orders are welcome by calling +1.530.257.6666. All sixes for Tom’s tasty Thai on the run.
