Let's Thai One On

After working in a -- gasp -- office for the first time in months (only temporarily; phew), I needed a reward.

So I met up with Margy at quitting time and we took a long stroll over to Pam Real Thai. There was a short line for a table, and the owner practically pleaded with us to go to his new outpost a few blocks away ("Same food, same price, more tables"). But we were already at this place, and I could see Pam herself working the stove, pink cheeked and sure handed. We stayed, and a table was ready in no time.

We kind of went overboard on the ordering, but I wanted to try as many things as possible. We began with curry puffs (flaky, a little sweet, and delicious) and a salad called larb with ground chicken. The larb was pretty exotic and offered flavors that were new to us, possibly some unfamiliar spices and "roasted rice powder." Its dressing was bright with lime juice and mint.

Our entrees were squid with ginger sauce (background) and crispy duck with basil. Both were great; the duck was spicy and the squid cooling. We ate as much as we could (then I ate a little more), but that larb was a big-'un, so we couldn't get through the main dishes. That was good news -- we got to bring Pam Thai home.