Roslindale - With the responsibility of running two restaurants, participating in multiple civic organizations and supporting local artists with monthly receptions, it’s remarkable that Raungdet “Danny” Titisuttikul finds the time to greet all of his customers, many by name, with what seems like a permanent smile. As his restaurant filled up with the dinner crowd last week, he talked about his dishes, his clientele and his community.

Bangkok Café opened in April 2005 and is at 25 Poplar St., facing Adams Park in Roslindale. With a successful Foxboro location already under his belt, Titisuttikul expanded to the Parkway because it was a neighborhood he wanted to be a part of.

“I think the people in Roslindale are great, and I knew this was an up-and-coming location,” he said. “It took time, but once you’re known for good service and good food, it gets easier.” 

Titisuttikul arrived in the U.S. from Thailand in 1984, leaving a career in business and banking, but taking with him a lifelong love for cooking. With recipes and a talent for his native cuisine, he worked his way up from dishwasher to cook in Boston restaurants, and learned the culinary and management aspects of owning and running a restaurant. He now splits his time between the Roslindale and Foxboro locations, which has been operating successfully for the past 15 years. 

Bangkok Café attracts couples and large parties alike, and the menu accommodates with small dishes as well as family-style platters meant for sharing and sampling.

“People always want to share and experience different tastes and dishes,” said Titisuttikul.

One of Bangkok Café’s most popular dishes, aside from the standard Pad Thai noodles, is the Bangkok basil with beef that includes fresh basil leaves and assorted vegetables in a special garlic chili hot pepper sauce.

The menu has a legend so customers know exactly how spicy a dish will be, and can easily identify the vegetarian selections. Every dish is cooked to order so customers can request a dish that they know they’ll enjoy — spicy or mild. A heart next to a menu item indicates it is a selection of Boston BestBites, a program recently kicked off by Mayor Tom Menino and the Boston Public Health Commission to fight obesity.

To participate, Titisuttikul had to work with a nutritionist to identify possible BestBites menu items. The dishes then underwent a nutritional analysis provided by nutrition staff at the Brigham and Women’s Hospital, which has partnered with the city on this effort. Items such as tofu soup, chicken satay and Thai Raam, a dish with steamed vegetables and peanut sauce, made the cut.

“Being healthy is important to me personally, and I want to spread the word that you can eat Thai food and be healthy, too,” he smiled. “People ask me how I stay so skinny, and it’s the Thai food!”

A lot of Bangkok Café’s business is takeout, but frequently when customers come in to pick up their food, they decide to stay and eat their meal inside.

“The restaurant is small, so a lot of people order takeout,” said Titisuttikul. “But when they come in to get their food, they see how cozy it is and they stay a while.”

If there is room for another course after choosing from dozens of appetizers, soups and main dishes, Bangkok Café also offers desserts that include sticky rice with mango, fried coconut ice cream sundaes with homemade raspberry sauce and homemade Thai tapioca pudding.

And as if great food wasn’t enough, Titisuttikul said the key to his success is knowing his customers, both inside his restaurant and out. He is a member of Roslindale Village Main Street as well as the Roslindale Board of Trade.

Each month, he also displays the work of a local artist on restaurant walls and hosts a reception so others can enjoy their work. They call Bangkok Café “Danny’s restaurant,” because it is truly a neighborhood eatery.

Yummy dishes If you go, be sure to try these dishes: · Appetizer: Fresh rolls — Fresh rice paper-wrapped carrots, basil, lettuce, vermicelli and grilled, marinated chicken. Served with zesty peanut sauce and sweet sauce. · Soup: Tom Kar — Creamy coconut milk and tasty chicken, galanga broth seasoned with lime juice, mushrooms and scallions. · Main course: Pink Lady — Sauteed jumbo shrimp, with avocado, sweet potatoes, assorted vegetables and chick peas in a special masaman curry sauce. · Three-flavored Fancy Fish — Breaded cod filet, deep-fried until crispy and golden. Topped with assorted vegetables in a garlic sweet chili basil sauce. · Dessert: Warm, homemade Thai tapioca pudding.

“When I walk around, I see customers and we say hi to each other,” he said.

That, coupled with fresh ingredients, consistent recipes and a clean atmosphere, make it a spot that attracts those living inside the Parkway and beyond. 

The Bangkok Café is open for lunch Tuesday-Sunday from 11:30 a.m.-3 p.m. and for dinner Tuesday-Thursday and Sunday from 3-9 p.m. Friday and Saturday dinner hours are from 3-10 p.m. Although usually closed on Mondays, it will also be open Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve.

For more information about Bangkok Café, call 617-327-8810 or visit www.bangkok-cafe.com.