Lamaii

“Locals rejoiced when owner Bank Atcharawan -- formerly of Lotus of Siam and Chada -- jumped back into the restaurant game,” says Neon Feast contributor and Allied Global Marketing senior vice president Arlene Wszalek.

“Lamaii brings back some Chada favorites (like duck panang) along with new items,” she continues. “The wine list is nonpareil and super-well priced.’

Soups include the familiar tom kah gai and tom zaap, which is a spicy sparerib soup with fresh basil. A taro crispy roll, shrimp cakes, fresh oysters or moo tod nam pla (marinated deep-fried pork belly with Northern-style dipping sauce), are also a fine way to start.

Besides crispy duck, the panang curry is available with crispy prawns. The latter also are a choice with the pad Thai, as is chicken. Or opt for a creatively conceived fried rice, with ground pork marinated in Northern-style curry paste or lump crab and shrimp fried in crab fat.

Other entrees include deep-fried whole red snapper in sweetened fish sauce, or a 12-ounce ribeye with Northern style dipping sauce. And for dessert, don’t miss Mango Lamaii: the fruit served with blue-pea coconut sticky rice.