Thai House Cafe (CLOSED)

Ready for something new? Solicitous waiters will quiz you about your tastes, mood and heat tolerance, then make spot-on recommendations, offering treats like steamed Thai dumplings filled with minced chicken and shrimp in a sweet and sour sauce, or crisp, greaseless spring rolls with a pleasant lemongrass tinge. The special Thai Boat entrée is a puffy aluminum-foil packet peeled open to reveal vegetables, seafood and glass noodles in a ginger-spiked broth (vegetarians can order the fish-free Love Boat). Desserts aren’t listed on the menu, but there are usually a few exotically flavored ice creams on hand. The casually dressed locals don’t seem to mind the slightly shopworn decor—they’re just happy to have a reliable and affordable Thai joint in the neighborhood.