Pam Real Thai Food

The newer location of this Hell's Kitchen duo is sleeker and shinier than the tourist-postered original; both offer Thai chow that's satisfying if sometimes overly sweet. Prime example: fried curry puffs (top photo; $5.95), stuffed with diced onion and potato, flavored with cumin, and paired with an overmatched cucumber-onion-vinegar dip. Even so, I order 'em every time.

On my most recent visit, the sweet chili sauce was the best thing about hae karn ($4.95), a deep-fried, sliced-up roll of ground crabmeat that tasted too much of the bean curd wrapper. Fried fish cakes ($7.95), blended with diced string beans and shredded lime leaf, with a chili-peanut sauce, were pointedly flavored but rubbery. Beef larb (bottom photo; $5.95), with lime, chili powder, onion, scallion, and mint leaves, can be wearyingly sour if you're not sharing.

On other occasions:

Squid yum ($6.50) was a substantial salad dressed with lime, tomato, onion, and scallions, with a final touch of chili and cilantro on top. Good al dente texture to the squid; enough spice that you'll want switch off with other dishes.

Broad nua sub noodles ($6.50) topped with chopped meat, onion, and tomato, plus a sprinkle of scallions, cilantro, and chili, is presented in a deep, oval platter, swimming in a yellow curry. A little on the soupy side, but more than filling.

Warm durian with rice pudding ($2.50), in a little coconut milk. Durian has a texture not unlike melted brie, and then there's that aroma. Many of my friends have said they'd take a permanent pass; I wouldn't want to pass it up.

Fried calamari with sweet chili sauce ($5.95) was a good rendition of this appetizer.

Crispy pork with basil ($7) was double-cooked and a little dry; crispy, though.

Pad key mao with pork ($6.50), stir-fried flat rice noodles with basil, onion, and chili, is a good choice if you just want one quick filling dish.

Pam Real Thai Food
404 West 47th St. (Ninth-Tenth Aves.)
(one of two locations)
212-315-4441