Photo by Randy Tunnell.

Photo: Lemon Pledge- Thai cooking relies heavily on pungent salads and fresh produce.

Carmel Valley, California''s smallest winemaking appellation, is now the home of Thai Village. Yet, in spite of our multicultural community, an Asian restaurant feels as incongruous in this neighborhood as a soybean in Provençe, or lemongrass in Tuscany.

Not that incongruity is a bad thing. Local, in-season ingredients are noble, but regular infusions of bold ingredients from exotic climes are invigorating, and I know residents who have been suffering for lack of galangal and coconut milk since Thai Bistro closed its Valley doors two years ago.

An outdoor patio at Thai Village is a strong draw on sunny evenings-or anytime for families with children, as there''s room to move around the ten tables and fireplace. With feisty, upstart courage, the new owners haven''t bothered to replace the faux crumbling walls and "Mediterranean villa" interior décor of their predecessor, Bon Appetit. More incongruity for you.

There are a few things I like right away about the menu. First, prices are reasonable for the area. Second, all wines are available by both glass and bottle. Third, there''s room for personal taste. Some dishes are predetermined, but for curry and fried rice dishes, pick your protein from beef, pork, chicken, seafood, and tofu.

There are also variations labeled "Chef''s Delight," where diners may choose from sauces including sweet basil and chili, cashew nut and vegetable, spinach and peanut sauce, or sweet and sour, all of which flavor stir-fry dishes of meat or tofu with vegetables. The result is similar to classical Chinese stir-fry, and is lighter than the curry dishes.

Such culinary democracy is rare, and though it''s often desirable to have a talented, benign dictator to handle the intricate business of pairing meats, seafood, and vegetables with appropriate seasonings and sauces, in this case, the powerful sauces could be considered the main ingredient.

Drinks first. There''s the ubiquitous Thai ice tea, so sweet and creamy. Star anise powder added to black or red leaf tea, usually with cinnamon and vanilla, gives Thai tea its unique flavor.

A brief, but primarily local wine list features Joullian, Jekel, Boyer and Morgan. We ordered the most expensive and, arguably, the best white, one with ample vanilla and toasted oak-Boyer Chardonnay at a mere $6.50/$26. There are only six red wines, but I was glad to see Bonny Doon''s excellent Cardinal Zin and Galante''s Cabernet, both $8/$32.

Thai dining is a communal experience. Unless specified, dishes are for all tablemates to share and are served with rice. Our group was large, allowing for lots of sampling.

The consensus was that the curries are the way to go. Most Thai curries are coconut milk-based, which immediately distinguishes them from the typical Indian curries. Thai cuisine evolved over a few hundred years by borrowing ideas from Asian neighbors and European visitors. The flavors most characteristically Thai are lemongrass, coconut, peanuts, kaffir lime (pungent and lemon-like), and galangal (a peppery-gingery rhizome).

Pad Thai is the most well-known Thai dish, but I''ve never understood why it isn''t Panang Curry with chicken. All of the above ingredients except peanuts are featured in this luscious dish, plus chilis, garlic and more.

We tried green curry, with green chilis and lemongrass; red curry, with red chilis and galangal; yellow curry (Karee), with turmeric. These four curries (there are two others) did not taste dramatically different from one another, but the essential flavor was so good, we didn''t mind. Each costs $7.50.

I must whine about certain staples of Thai and Chinese cooking that would be better used as livestock feed unless they can be purchased fresh: canned bamboo shoots and baby corn. Canned water chestnuts are at least crisp, but we go to restaurants for fresh produce.

Pad Thai was a must-try, with rice noodles, pork, shrimp, peanuts, and tofu. It wasn''t the best version of a recipe I''m generally not crazy about, so again, I''d advise sticking with the curries.

In my enthusiasm for the curries, I forgot to mention two starter items. The Vegetable Roll is an appealing way to get your raw organic matter-it''s basically salad in a rice paper wrap with a tasty, spicy-sweet sauce (three rolls for $4.95).

Thai Chicken Larb Salad is chicken and lettuce with a chili, mint, cilantro, lime sauce. The dominant ingredient was ground chicken breast served with vinegar that was overpowering. The dish was too acidic and would best be replaced by a different chicken entrée.

Do not omit the comfort dessert, Mango Sticky Rice-fresh mango with sweet, warm, chewy rice.

The bill was surprisingly low, and not because we didn''t drink enough wine or order enough food. I watched the sun set over the Santa Lucia-a pleasant, low-calorie end to a satisfying meal. Then I looked at my watch and figured it would be twelve hours before I could justify eating again-hopefully it would be leftovers.