Food that evokes Thai home cooking—that was the idea when Richard Johnson and his Thai-born wife, Wassachon, opened Thimian Thai in downtown Bethesda.

Although the menu doesn’t break new ground, there’s a handful of standards worth seeking out if you’re in the area. Chief among them is the cinnabar-red Panang curry that warms the mouth but doesn’t singe the taste buds. Thicker and lusher than most Panangs, the curry brings together peanut, coconut, and licorice-scented Thai basil.

Pad Thai here is a study in smart restraint: a heap of noodles scented with fish sauce and lime and studded with shrimp, bean curd, scallion, and egg. Also irresistible: Chili-flecked larb gai with slivers of red onion and the taste of lime and cilantro in every bite. A plate of chive-filled rice-flour dumplings is a tad oily, but the crisp little bundles are pleasingly oniony. The Johnsons have hired cooks to turn out the curries, stir-fries, and noodle dishes, but they’re in the dining room most of the time, often with their young daughter.

Beyond these sure things, the cooking wavers. Stick to chicken and shrimp when customizing curries and noodle dishes; beef and pork are on the chewy side. And some offerings, such as a limp papaya salad and too-sweet pineapple fried rice, aren’t the kitchen’s best.

The dining room isn’t elegant—a picture or two on lemon-yellow walls—but prices are welcoming, there’s a full bar (the place turns clubby Friday and Saturday night with DJs as well as rock, soul, and hip-hop bands), and the best plates are pure Thai comfort.

This review appeared in the March, 2009 issue of the Washingtonian.