Talay Asian Cuisine's soothing setting and Thai and Chinese fare provide a welcome departure from busy I-85. Veer off the Old Peachtree Road exit, heading toward Suwanee, and it anchors a shopping center on one corner of the Old Peachtree Road and Satellite Boulevard intersection.
SATAY-ISFYING START
About half of the dozen appetizers lean toward the fried, with selections such as spring rolls, calamari and pot stickers. Talay's shrimp rolls have a crunch, revealing seasoned shredded vegetables and a small shrimp in each one. Of the steamed or grilled starters, we enjoyed the satay chicken on skewers, which comes with a thick peanut sauce. We kicked off the meal with a tall glass of Thai ice tea, sweetened by a topping of half-and-half and coconut cream. The yum yai salad also is a tangy start because of the lime dressing combined with the chicken, shrimp and lettuce.RICE OR NOODLES
The Hawaiian fried rice arrives piping hot, with chunks of pineapple, diced carrots and peas tossed with onions and rice. As the dish cools, the curry flavor penetrates the rice and slices of chicken. The shrimp in the peppery Thai cashew nut entrée goes nicely with the bell peppers, mushrooms and onions that accompany the dish, along with a bowl of steamed rice. The flat noodles in the lad-na are overtaken by the thick brown gravy, which drowns out the chicken and broccoli. For desserts, the mango sticky rice (in shape of a fish, a nod to the two aquariums in the entryway) has fresh-sliced mango atop warm rice in a sweet coconut sauce. A moist coconut cake is decked out with whipped cream, chocolate sauce and a cherry on top.QUICK TO ACT
Co-owner Noy Wu said Talay caters to the business crowd at lunch with specials that cost $6.95-$7.95 and arrive at the table in 10 minutes or so. It's a more neighborhood-type crowd of families and couples in the evenings. But that keeps them on their toes, too, with takeout orders and a handful of diners the Monday evening we dined there. When a spill at a table across the restaurant resulted in a broken glass, the wait staff responded quickly to make sure everyone was OK.• Hours: Lunch, 11 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Mondays-Fridays; dinner, 5-10 p.m., Mondays-Thursdays, 5-10:30 p.m. Fridays; noon-10:30 p.m. Saturdays; noon-9:30 p.m. Sundays
• Payment: Visa, MasterCard, Discover, American Express; no checks
• Reservations: Yes, for large groups
• Price range: Entrees, $7.95-$18.95; lunch specials, $6.95-$7.95
• Recommended dishes: Chicken satay, Hawaiian fried rice, coconut cake
• Verdict: Tasty Thai cuisine.
