Some beautifully grilled scallops came as a special starter nestled in their shells over a puddle of brown sauce vibrating with lime and a potent chile kick. Huge and tender shrimps basked in a bowl of green curry that was also a firecracker of fresh pepper heat. The red curry that came with chicken was milder than the green, its rich coconut-milk broth roasty with dry peppers and gingery galangal.
The best curried dish here, though, was the mildest, a slow-stewed beef that was tenderized by its kaffir leaf-infused panang curry. A separate dish of pineapple stir-fried rice added even more balance to the meal, the sweet chunks of fruit quenching any lingering spicy fire. A sweet gulp of milky Thai iced tea washed it all down.