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Residents in north High Point won't have far to drive to get their fix of Thai food. Amata Thai Cuisine (1116 Eastchester Drive, High Point; 886-7038) has opened next to Hobby Lobby and is serving traditional specialties.

Owner Umpira Chayaratana might be remembered by folks in Liberty. For three years, she ran Basil Restaurant there. Some of those former patrons might want to make the drive to try original Thai curries such as red, green or yellow curry chicken ($10.95) or Gaeng Massaman Beef ($10.95), a Thai-style curry with creamy coconut milk and potatoes.

Other dinner entrees include Pad Thai ($11.95) with rice noodles and sautéed noodles in a tamarind sauce; Kao Soi Chicken ($11.95), a northern Thailand-style dish of sliced chicken sautéed in red onions and red curry over vegetables and noodles; and Bangkok Steak ($17.95), a New York strip in a classic Thai chili and red wine sauce.

Amata offers something called a Crazy Bowl. Cost per bowl is $7, and options include Spicy Chicken Egg Noodle with hot chili and basil; Tom Yum Noodle Soup, a traditional hot and sour soup; Pineapple Curry chicken; and New Zealand Green Mussels or shrimp (add $2) tossed with red curry, coconut milk and pineapple.

Lunch entrees are a bargain at $6.95 and include the traditional curries tossed with vegetables (add $2 for a choice of meat or shrimp) and items from the wok such as Pad Kra Prow, chicken tossed with chili, green beans and basil, and Kao Soi Chicken with red curry served over soft and crispy egg noodles. Wok items are available meat-free.

Ask about the daily $5.99 lunch special.

Amata is open for lunch from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily and for dinner from 5 to 9:30 p.m. Sunday through Wednesday and 5 to 10 p.m. Thursday through Saturday.

Gourmet pizzeria opens

Amante Gourmet Pizza (4623-G High Point Road, Greensboro; 852-3555; www.amantepizza.com), a mom-and-pop chain out of Carrboro with several stores in the Triad, has opened in the Sedgefield Crossing shopping center in Greensboro.

Amante, voted Best Pizza in the Triangle by Spectator magazine and CitySearch.com, is known for inexpensive pizza using homemade dough and gourmet ingredients.

Pizzas are available with regular or whole-wheat crusts and come in 10-, 12- and 15-inch sizes. Gourmet pizzas include Polo Resistance ($7.25-$15.49) with barbecued chicken, red onion and cilantro; Florentine Chicken ($8.25-$16.49) with spinach, garlic chicken and Swiss cheese; San Gennaro ($7.50-$15.49) with spicy Italian sausage, roasted red and green peppers and white onions; and the BST ($7.50-$15.49), a take on the BLT with dijonnaise sauce, Mozzarella cheese, spinach, bacon and tomatoes.

Vegetarian options include the Pesto Pinolas ($8.25-$16.49) with pesto, tomato and artichokes; Via Bianco ($7.25-$15.49) with Provolone, Mozzarella, shaved Swiss, fresh basil and optional roasted garlic; and the simple Ciao Bello ($7.05-$14.99) with fresh basil, tomato, garlic and Mozzarella. Most pizzas are covered with plain or flavored olive oil glaze or tomato sauce.

Right-brainers can create their own pizzas from an extensive range of ingredients. Bases include black beans, dijonnaise, olive oils and pesto. In addition to traditional Italian cheeses, try Fontina, Gouda and Feta. Meats include garlic chicken and imported prosciutto. A veritable produce department list of vegetables and fruit toppings include roasted eggplant, Kalamata olives, portobello mushrooms, sun-dried tomatoes and fresh zucchini.

Salads include Bistro ($6.99) with apples and blue cheese, Citrus Chicken ($6.49) and Fiesta Steak ($6.99). Subs and sandwiches, offering Boar's Head brand meats, include a Veggie ($5.25) Portobello ($5.49) and Grilled Chicken Parmesan ($6.99). Or try a calzone ($6.75) with ham, spinach or create-your-own calzone ($1 for each additional topping).

Amante also offers low-carb pizzas and wraps.

Amante offers catering and delivery. Hours are 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday.

Ice cream treat for a cause

On Thursday, Dairy Queen at 1708-E Stanley Road in Greensboro will celebrate the third annual Miracle Treat Day and donate proceeds from every Blizzard sold to Children's Miracle Network, a nonprofit organization dedicated to saving and improving the lives of children by raising funds for children's hospitals.

For more information, visit www.miracletreatday.com.

Chili cook-off

A Chili Cook-Off will be held from 7 to 9 p.m. Friday at Northeast Park, 3421 Northeast Park Drive in Gibsonville. Admission is $5. An additional $2 gets you a taste of the competitors' bests.

For information, call 375-7722.

Breakfast added

Jibaro Latin Cafe (401 S. Tate St., Greensboro; 273-9788) is serving breakfast from 7 to 10:30 a.m. Monday through Friday.

In addition to traditional Southern fare that includes biscuits ($2.39) with egg, cheese and a choice of meat, and gravy biscuits ($2.29), Jibaro is offering some Latin breakfast specialties such as a Puerto Rican pressed breakfast sandwich ($3.69) with eggs, cheese and choice of meat pressed and grilled on Cuban bread pressed. A Jibaro Breakfast Wrap ($2.49 with 25-cent additions) offers eggs and spicy Chorizo sausage with additional fixings on request, such as mushrooms, peppers and onions. Egg and meat breakfast platters are served with fried sweet or green plantains.

Oatmeal (99 cents-$1.49) and grits are available, along with orange or apple juice, hot and iced coffee and hot chocolate.

Owner Armando Soto says he is now offering Pizza Pastellos ($5.49 for three) for lunch. These small pizzas are topped with a special sauce and mozzarella.

Hours are 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Friday and noon to 9 p.m. Saturday.

Sunday seafood

Captain's Cove Seafood Restaurant (500-H Americhase Drive, Greensboro; 882-0002) is serving dinner on Sunday.

Check out the daily specials that include Fried Flounder and Popcorn Shrimp ($9.99), Grilled Talapia ($9.99) and Broiled Salmon ($10.49)

Hours are 4 to 9 p.m. Sunday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and 4 to 10 p.m. Saturday.

Contact Carl Wilson at 373-7145 or carl.wilson@news-record.com