A Taste of Bangkok

Family owned and operated, with recipes passed down from grandma, A Taste of Bangkok turns out Thai comfort food with a homemade sensibility. Satay is served with peanut sauce made fresh in-house, and the owner makes homemade coconut and coffee ice creams for dessert. Popular favorites include the spicy yum yai salad, the papaya salad, and seafood specialties like the garlic shrimp and soft shell crab, but there’s a wide selection of traditional curries and noodles as well. The décor is either striking or tacky, depending on your taste, with wall ornaments like jeweled peacocks and altars topped with Buddhist figurines and fresh mangoes. The owner fills the space with orchids, roses, and daffodils she grows herself. The lace table cloths and floral brocade chairs may push it all over the top, but sometimes it beats the modern austerity of, say, Japon Bistro across the street. Lunch specials are reasonable and expedient, offering an exotic alternative to nearby Lovebirds Café and Bakery, Pita! Pita!, and El Metate.