Spoon Thai

If you stick to the basics in this simple but pleasant dining room, you’ll miss out on the best stuff. Get adventurous with kung chae num pla, raw shrimp marinated with lime juice, fish sauce, garlic and chili—a searing Thai take on ceviche. The nam kao tod is incredibly addictive, a crunchy, salty, tangy salad of fried rice, tiny ham bits and flecks of cilantro. Curry fans should try the kaeng som kung sod, a thin, slightly sour, shrimp-dotted tamarind curry.