Samui Thai Kitchen

Joy Potrawiak and her family are from the south of Thailand where dishes tend to be spicy. The kitchen crew has "toned down" the heat at this 40-seat, lunch-and-dinner spot, but "If you like heat, we can kick it up,” she adds. The menu—which spans no fewer than eight pages—includes dishes like coconut soup, nom tok, wok stir-fries, eight curries, five fried rice dishes, and an almost endless selection of noodle plates. Potrawiak also says the restaurant stocks local and Thai beers, as well as bottles of gluten-free suds. Too many choices? Potrawiak says first-time diners should consider ordering the koong ma-kham—a house specialty made with grilled prawns and shallots in a sweet and sour tamarind sauce—before enjoying a southern Thai delicacy: rice paper-wrapped, deep-fried Snickers bars, served with a scoop of housemade coconut ice cream. Chad Walsh, 11/6/2012