Mango By Jim White Thai food is so popular, I think, because it’s fresh, light and spicy! It’s the perfect compliment for our warm climate and hot tastes.  Some of the best Thai food around is the very popular Mango in Plano—also associated with Chow Thai in Addison and Pacific Rim by Chow Thai.  Good news for folks don’t care much for traveling north of Northwest Highway, and get downright queasy if they have to venture North of LBJ—Mango is now open in the Park Cities on Lovers Lane. The bright bastion of spice and spunk is just east of the Tollway and already folks in the neighborhood have made this second location of Mango very popular for lunch and dinner.  We dined early on a Friday night and by 7 o’clock the place was packed to the rafters.  That caused a few service glitches, and a little embarrassment for the staff over an undercooked appetizer, but they worked hard to handle the rush and were so contrite about our appetizer that I was almost ashamed I had said anything.  Order appetizers separately; especially Thai potstickers, spring rolls, and crab claws.  After the starter snafu, the rest of the food literally sang with flavor.  Roasted duck with baby bok choy and snowpeas in a black bean sauce is exceptional.  Panang sliced Beef in red curry with kaffir lime leaves and coconut milk is sensational.  I asked for spicy and they delivered!   It can also be ordered with chicken and at lower levels of spice intensity too!  Other great choices at Mango include pepper and garlic pork with steamed broccoli and egg noodles, fried red snapper with ginger, mushrooms, celery, onions and peppers, and citrus beef:  sliced crispy beef flavored with lemon and orange zest with snow peas. Curry dishes abound.  Fried rice combinations, like pineapple cashew—with chicken, beef or seafood—or Krapow Fried Rice with Jasmine rice and Thai chiles are to live for! Noodles, soups, combinations and a range of interesting salads round out the Mango menu.  Daily lunch specials give you a chance to sample a condensed version of the Mango menu, which can sometimes be daunting because of the numerous choices.  I had a flavorful and filling Pad Thai with chicken and chicken satés, my companion had a fresh and light Thai Chicken salad with a vinaigrette so tasty she had to take some home for a dinner party! The choices don’t get slim in the sweet things area at Mango.  Desserts like Mango and sticky rice, fried banana, mango cheesecake and Tempura mango ice cream are the perfect finale to this savory dining experience. They are still awaiting their liquor license—so for now it’s byob.  That could change any day, so check in advance. Mango is at 4448 Lovers Lane, one block east of the Tollway in Dallas.  Call 214-265-9996 for information and reservations. On the KRLD Restaurant Show Review Scale of One to Five Forks, Mango rates 3 and a half Forks. Food is 3 and half Forks Service is 3 Forks Atmosphere is 3 and a half Forks. Price is moderate.  Lunch specials average about $9.95.  Dinner entrées range from $9.95 to $14.95. Send me an Email: jwdineline@aol.com