Gilded tapestries, creamy walls, and gently attentive service create a tranquil atmosphere in which to enjoy a flaky samosa or crunchy fermented-tea-leaf salad. We delighted in the fragrant coconut rice with chicken curry—the fruit is more subtle than in most Thai dishes, and the texture recalls Indian curries. Tangy Asian eggplant in a sticky brown sauce and stir-fried beef with sweet basil woke us from our reverie with a bright slap of spiciness.
Also good: Burmese ginger salad; fried appetizer sampler with tempura shrimp and squash, chickpea fritters, and veggie samosas.
Ann Limpert joined Washingtonian in late 2003. She was previously an editorial assistant at Entertainment Weekly and a cook in New York restaurant kitchens, and she is a graduate of the Institute of Culinary Education. She lives in Petworth.
