***image1***If you've ever eaten here then you probably still have an image of the interior burned onto the backs of your eyelids. The color scheme is a wild combination of circus peanut orange, bubblegum pink, deep sky blue and lemon yellow splashed over the walls. It sounds terrible, like a crate of Fiesta Ware exploded in the dining room, but the effect is shockingly beautiful. In fact, taking the place over for a private residence seems to be a common fantasy! But we don't want Thai Café to go away; the food's too good. This place used to be occupied by another restaurant that specialized in pan-Asian food. But Thai Café's owners, Tavee and Fagol Yaparwong, are Thai and their food is Thai. You can tell because their green curry will burn a hole right through your tongue if you order it hot. When they say hot, they mean hot hot. But when dishes like drunken noodles are ordered mild, the flavors of pork, tomato, basil and a hint of chile are able to mingle subtly and deliciously.

329 W. San Francisco St., 982-3886.
Lunch and dinner daily. $$