Pattaya Grill is oasis of Thai cuisine

If I could design my ideal culinary oasis, it would smell like basil, curry and lemongrass, the decor would be pretty, airy and unpretentious and the staff would be friendly, knowledgeable and unobtrusive.

In fact, it would be a lot like Pattaya Grill, located a block off campus at 4006 Chestnut Street.

Sister to the slightly pricier Thai Singha House across the street, the restaurant serves Thai food with subtle western influences. This is French-Asian fusion that forgoes trendy snobbery and aims instead for surprisingly delicious dishes that are adventurous but not jarring.

The lengthy menu includes many options for under $10 -- well within a student budget -- and features exotic game including alligator, wild boar and duck, as well as items from the grill and more traditional Thai dishes and an entire page of vegetarian options.

With a large multi-level dining room, the restaurant can accommodate large groups. We went during the week and did not have to wait for a seat, though the place is often packed on Friday and Saturday nights.

If you do have to wait, a bar near the entrance offers a long wine list and also a choice of beer and mixed drinks.

The variety of hot and cold appetizers range from calamari to to coconut, curry and lemongrass soups, as well as fresh garden salads. We tried steamed vegetable dumplings that came wrapped in a delicate spinach-green dough and served with a tangy garlic and soy-flavored sauce. The dumplings were soft and flavorful, and the spring rolls we ordered were crisp -- not greasy.

While many of the main dishes are on the spicy side, the pad thai noodles, served in a peanut sauce and sprinkled with bean sprouts, are a safe choice for the less adventurous.

We ordered a yellow curry with vegetables, which came as an entire meal unto itself, served with a generous heap of rice and enough spare carrots and green beans to make my mom proud -- all for $7.95. The sauce, a blissful mix of coconut, ginger, curry and other flavors, was excellent, even if it did leave me gulping down glasses of water. We also tried a beef and vegetable stir fry dish that was an amazing medley of tastes and textures, thankfully not dulled by over-cooking.

But whatever you order, be sure to save room for the tantalizing desserts. The range of mostly western-style desserts are made fresh on the premises, though you won't believe it when you see the dessert tray -- which includes tiramisu, a mango mousse, a lemon tart and chocolate mousse. We tried an unbelievably rich raspberry and chocolate mouse that was artistically presented with mango and raspberry puree and fresh raspberries.

Though the food is worth the wait, the leisurely pace of the service makes Pattaya Grill a better place for a slow weekend dinner or a casual date than for a rushed weekday meal.

But if you're looking for an out of the ordinary dining experience without having to travel out of your way, don't miss this fabulous take on traditional Thai cuisine.

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