The search for authentic Asian cuisine often takes foodies to a small Lauderdale Lakes strip mall on U.S. 441, an epicenter of ethnic food with places like the popular Chinese restaurant Silver Pond, Oriental Food Market and a delightful destination for authentic Thai cuisine, Bangkok Palace.

The sunny storefront owned by chef Noi Kasinpila and her husband, Richie, is decorated in ochre and brick red, with tapestries and swirling ceiling fans. The friendly, accommodating staff helps to create a warm, welcoming ambience. No wonder Thailand is known as the land of smiles.

It's B.Y.O.B. at Bangkok Palace, but there's no corkage fee. The freshly made lemonade, tea or Thai tea lemonade blend are all refreshing alternatives.

The Kasinpilas ran a restaurant in Pattaya Beach south of Bangkok, an area that reminds them of South Florida, and they recreate many of the recipes they loved from their homeland. We've barely scratched the surface of the 90-plus item menu even after a few visits, but the dishes we've tried reflect Bangkok Palace's passion for Thailand's colorful, aromatic cuisine and its distinctive yin-yang of flavors.

The restaurant is serious about spices, so even medium heat packs considerable punch. We learned this after a few fiery bites of the tart, tongue-tingling green papaya salad in a potent garlic lime dressing. Sweet, juicy grape tomatoes, crunchy green beans and roasted peanuts offset the heat. A Thai-style egg salad brings fried-egg strips tossed with bean sprouts, sweet onions, cilantro, scallions and roasted peanuts in a light lime-chile dressing.

Bangkok Palace rolls are fun, bite-size packets of fried rice paper stuffed with well-seasoned pork. Add bean sprouts and basil and cilantro leaves, wrap in red-leaf lettuce, then dip in sweet chili sauce and gobble them up. We could have stopped here, but we also polished off steamed dumplings (fried also available) stuffed with ground chicken and bits of water chestnuts and topped with a sprinkling of fried garlic.

Thai's famed tom kha gai soup bathes slices of white chicken and button mushrooms in coconut milk spiked with lemon grass, galanga, cilantro and fresh-squeezed lime juice. A few sips and your palate is refreshed.

House specials are among the most interesting and pricey entrees. A half duck simmered in cinnamon, anise, garlic and galanga is deboned and stir-fried. Slice away some of the fat and dive into moist, tender meat in a fragrant basil sauce. (Ginger, curry or sweet-and-sour sauce are also options.)

Shrimp panang curry, served in a large bowl, melds the spiciness of dried chile peppers with the slight bitterness of zucchini, the sweetness of coconut milk and a dose of salt from the fish sauce. Green beans, bamboo shoots, red and green bell peppers and crushed peanuts add texture.

A seafood clay pot brims with shrimp, scallops, calamari, mussels, steamed carrots, cabbage and broccoli in a light chile sauce. It's one of the milder dishes here, but you can request more firepower.

Among noodle dishes, we like pad kee mao -- silky, house-cut rice noodles stir-fried with sliced zucchini, green and red bell pepper and mushrooms.

Desserts are a delight, including sticky rice and tropical mango from the nearby Asian market (usually offered on the weekend), fried bananas served with whipped cream and honey or one of my favorite guilty pleasures, Thai doughnuts that remind me of Big Easy beignets.

If you're looking for sparkling Thai cuisine, Bangkok Palace rules.

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