On my first visit several years ago the Pad Khing (ginger tofu) that I ordered from the lunch menu was rather disappointing. The good ones I have tried in Seattle were loaded with the flavors of ginger and Thai spices, and did not usually come with a large quantity of food but had a side order of rice that filled me up. The one at Lai Thai was loaded with onions (something that I can only eat in small quanties) and the "Thai flavor" did not seem to be there. I think they were trying so hard to keep the price down at lunch they left out a lot of the more desirable ingredients, but maybe this was just the way they had known the dish in Thailand.

A recent version of pad king I ordered from the dinner menu had a good flavor and good ingredients (see photo), and I would say was a lot better than the ones I had ordered at lunch several years ago. I do not know if having a new cook made the difference or whether the dinner version is substantially different from the lunch plate, but I know I have had different experiences when I have gone on different occasions.

The Pad Kee Mao, on the current lunch menu every weekday, was quite good and tasted about as authentic as I have had anywhere. Made with soft noodles, the customer gets a choice of meats. The tofu version I tried was more enjoyable than the tofu I get in many Thai restaurants. The sauce, mixed with chili peppers and Thai basil, provided sufficient stimulation to my taste buds to enjoy a noodle dish, something that could have turned out to be very bland. Eggs were cooked into the dish, and the fish sauce available for customers to pick up from a small table enhanced the flavor. One of the best aspects of the plate was the low price and the fact that it was not a huge American-sized portion that would have been served in many other restaurants.

Tom Yum comes in a hot pot with a choice of meats, and I thought was a good representation of this type of Thai soup. This may not be as filling as some of the noodle dishes, but it comes with a bowl of rice to provide more substance.

The Thai Tea was equally impressive, if not more so, compared to many I have found in Thai restaurants. Cream was poured into the top of the glass, and stirring it with a straw spread it evenly throughout the drink. I know it is the "real thing" when it begins to separate if you leave it sitting for a while.

The problem with many Thai restaurants is that I have to find out what they do best, and I will probably not like the same things at every restaurant. I do not know if I have discovered the best dishes at Lai Thai, but the basil dishes do not seem to be a bad start.